Delete work account without access

Question

Delete work account without access

Ben Hübner 0

Dear all,

I would like to use my personal email address as the primary alias for my personal Microsoft account.

However, I receive the following error when I try to add it: “You can't add a work or school email address as an alias to a personal Microsoft account.”

The reason is, this address was previously associated with an AD account from a former organization I worked for. I no longer have access to that account and I am also unable to contact the organization.

I am the rightful owner of this email address and would like to use it with my personal Microsoft account. Also, I would like to have my work account deleted as it contains personal data.

Could you please help release the address or associate it with my personal account?

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,
Ben

1 answer

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Answer 1

Dear @Ben Hübner,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you want to use your personal email address as the primary alias for your Microsoft account, but you’re encountering an error because the address is still linked to a former work account. You no longer have access to that account, you're also unable to contact the organization. So you would like assistance in releasing the email address or associating it with your personal account.

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this issue.

To understand the situation better and provide you with the most suitable support, could you confirm the following information:

Was this email address originally provided by your former company as part of their Microsoft 365 or Azure AD setup?
Did you create a personal Microsoft account using this same email address while you were working there?
When you try to sign in now, do you see options for both ‘Work or school account’ and ‘Personal account’?
You mentioned that you're unable to contact the organization, may I ask if you've encountered any problem reaching out to them? Do you have any contact with the former organization’s IT team or admin from your former colleagues who could remove the account? (If yes, that’s the fastest resolution.)
Are you able to sign in to your personal email address that was previously associated with an AD account from a former organization and that you're the rightful owner of?

Your confirmation would be very helpful in ensuring you receive the most suitable support!

If you’re able to share a bit more about your situation, I might be able to suggest some helpful next steps.

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going!

Thank you for your time and patience.

If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Julie-Hu 4,945 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-04T15:14:55.5166667+00:00

Dear @Ben Hübner,

Good day! I hope everything is going well on your end.

It’s been a little while, so I just wanted to follow up and see how things are progressing with your concern. If you've run into any challenges or if there's anything further that I can help with, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Any updates you’re able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for your time and attention! I look forward to hearing from you.
Ben Hübner 0 Reputation points

2025-12-04T15:42:03.02+00:00

Dear Julie-Hu,

Thank you for your help. Let me answer your questions:

Was this email address originally provided by your former company as part of their Microsoft 365 or Azure AD setup?
=> No it is my personal email address and my personal domain.

Did you create a personal Microsoft account using this same email address while you were working there?
=> No it was there before. In the meantime my personal account is using a different interim email address, but I would like to change it back to my real personal email address.

When you try to sign in now, do you see options for both ‘Work or school account’ and ‘Personal account’?
=> No, the "Enter password" page directly comes up.

You mentioned that you're unable to contact the organization, may I ask if you've encountered any problem reaching out to them? Do you have any contact with the former organization’s IT team or admin from your former colleagues who could remove the account? (If yes, that’s the fastest resolution.)
=> I know this is probably the fastest solution, but I was working for the company on a freelance basis and in the meantime I have absolutely no contact anymore. I also tried via the company mailbox, without success.

Are you able to sign in to your personal email address that was previously associated with an AD account from a former organization and that you're the rightful owner of?

=> You mean whether I have access to my mailbox? Yes.

Best regards
Ben
Julie-Hu 4,945 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-05T15:47:27.39+00:00

Dear @Ben Hübner,

Thank you for your detailed information.

To ensure I handle this correctly, could you share the personal email address that was linked to your old work account? This is just for verification purposes.

I'll send you a message via Private Message and you can send your email there to keep it secured.

Thank you for your time and attention.

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Delete work account without access

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