Sources checked: 12 October 2026.
An account-lookup message during Hotmail sign-in does not prove that the account has been deleted or that the password is wrong. Treat the exact wording as a clue. Check the account identifier and the sign-in environment before repeatedly resetting passwords.
Check which account you are opening
- Open outlook.com directly. For a personal Hotmail mailbox, use your personal Microsoft account rather than a work or school account.
- Enter the complete address. Check spelling and the domain: an address ending in .co.uk is different from the same name ending in .com.
- If that address is not recognized, try another sign-in alias or phone number that you already know belongs to the same account. Do not create a replacement account expecting it to recover the old mailbox.
Microsoft’s username troubleshooting explains the domain and alternate-identifier checks. An unfamiliar address or a sign-in prompt asking for another account may simply mean the wrong account is selected.
Separate a browser problem from an account problem
Use an updated supported browser. Microsoft recommends current Edge, Chrome or Firefox on Windows, with current supported choices on other systems. Internet Explorer and other old browsers are unsuitable. Try another supported browser as a comparison before clearing every browser’s history.
If one browser works and another fails, the working sign-in is useful evidence: record that difference. Browser extensions can interfere with loading Outlook.com. Microsoft’s supported-browser page and current Outlook.com issue notes describe known browser-related problems. Keep normal security protections enabled.
Use the correct Microsoft recovery route
Open Microsoft’s sign-in helper and enter the address or mobile number you are trying to use. Follow the branch it provides for your situation. A password reset makes sense when you have forgotten a password; it is not a universal fix for an address the service cannot find.
If the error continues, record its wording, when it occurs and whether the alternate browser behaved differently. Share that information through the official help route. Do not post your password, codes, full recovery answers or screenshots containing private messages on a public forum.
Independent information: Number Customer Care is not affiliated with Microsoft. We cannot access your account, reset your password or provide Microsoft customer support.