Why does Office 365 not recognize my account?

by Vlad Turiceanu

Passionate about technology, Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world. Coming... read more

Published on May 7, 2020

• Microsoft may display an account sign in error when trying to login to some of its services, usually due to using an alias instead of the account name
• If you forgot your Microsoft account name, there are various ways to find it, such as the Email & accounts section on Windows 10.
• For Windows related content, such as news, how-to guides, and updates, take a look at our Windows 10 Page.
• We also have a dedicated Windows 10 Troubleshooting Hub for sorting out any Microsoft related errors or issues.

XINSTALL BY CLICKING THE DOWNLOAD FILE

Trying to sign in some Microsoft services, such as Microsoft 365 [formerly Office 365] or Outlook, might result in an unexpected login error that will prevent you from accessing your account.

Some users have reported that this error only appears on certain Microsoft services with the following message appearing when signing in:

That Microsoft account doesn’t exist. Enter a different account or get a new one.

How do I recover a Microsoft account that doesn’t exist?

1. Check if the account name was typed correctly

1. It is possible sometimes that the account name was misspelled. Double-check if you typed it incorrectly
2. If the account name was typed correctly, maybe the email address is incorrect or has been changed recently
3. Make sure that your email has the correct domain at the end: @gmail.com, @outlook.com, @live.com, etc.
4. Try to login using your old email address or phone number if they were changed

2. Find your account name from your Windows 10 PC or Xbox

1. Click on the Start button on the left side of your Taskbar, and select Settings
2. Head over to Accounts, then Email & accounts
3. Check your Microsoft account names under Email & accounts
4. Another method would be to open any Office 2016 or 2019 app and create a new document
5. Click on the top left corner where it says File, then select Account
6. You can see your Microsoft account name under User information or at the Product information section
7. One last method would be to sign in to your email associated with your Microsoft account
8. Then, check for previous emails from Microsoft
9. The previous emails from Microsoft will show your account name

3. Make sure you’re using the correct account type

1. An account that was provided by your workplace or school may not have a Microsoft account associated with it
2. These accounts can be used for logging in for one or more services, such as Outlook or Microsoft 365
3. Work or school accounts, however, cannot be used to connect to other Microsoft services, such as Xbox
4. Additionally, an Xbox Gamertag cannot be used to sign in to a Microsoft account
5. The only valid ways to sign in are by using an email address, a Skype ID or a phone number registered to the account

4. Your Microsoft account might have been deleted

1. It is possible that your Microsoft account to have been deleted
2. Microsoft will permanently delete any account which has not been active for the past 2 years
3. In this case, you no longer have access to the Microsoft services associated with that account
4. You can, however, create a new account with the same name
5. To create a new account, simply head over to Microsoft’s Signup Page and choose a new account name
6. Once the account has been created, you can start using that Microsoft service again

It could also mean that you’ve previously deleted your Microsoft Account.

• How do I find out my Microsoft account name and password?

To recover your Microsoft account head over to the Microsoft Sign-in page, then click on Sign in options. Follow the recovery instructions and use your Skype ID, email address or phone number to recover your account.

• How can I find my Microsoft account password?

You would need to reset your Microsoft account password. To reset your password, head over to the Microsoft Reset your password page, then use your Skype ID, email address or phone number to reset your password.

This is just one of the solutions included in this expanded guide on fixing Microsoft Account login issues.

1. Download this PC Repair Tool rated Great on TrustPilot.com [download starts on this page].
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues with Patented Technologies [Exclusive Discount for our readers].

Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I know if I have a Microsoft account?

  You can check your Microsoft account type in Windows 10 by heading over to Settings > Accounts. If under your account name it says Local account, then you are not registered with a Microsoft account and would need to sign in or create one.

  It could also mean that you’ve previously deleted your Microsoft Account.

• How do I find out my Microsoft account name and password?

  To recover your Microsoft account head over to the Microsoft Sign-in page, then click on Sign in options. Follow the recovery instructions and use your Skype ID, email address or phone number to recover your account.

• How can I find my Microsoft account password?

  You would need to reset your Microsoft account password. To reset your password, head over to the Microsoft Reset your password page, then use your Skype ID, email address or phone number to reset your password.

  This is just one of the solutions included in this expanded guide on fixing Microsoft Account login issues.

Newsletter