How to notify Microsoft when someone dies

A Microsoft account is often central to someone’s digital life in a way that is easy to underestimate. For older adults in particular, a Hotmail or Outlook email address can be the account used for banking, shopping, and years of personal correspondence. Add to that OneDrive cloud storage – potentially holding photos, documents, and files backed up automatically from their phone or computer – a Microsoft 365 subscription shared with family members, or an Xbox account with a gaming history stretching back years, and the breadth of what needs addressing becomes clear.

This guide explains what families and executors in the UK need to know when dealing with a Microsoft account after a bereavement: what the process involves, what documents you will need, and what you can and cannot expect Microsoft to release.

Quick reference:

• Online: Microsoft support – accessing services when someone has died
• Phone: No dedicated bereavement line – Microsoft handles these requests online only
• Documents needed: death certificate, proof of identity, proof of relationship (and potentially a court order if seeking data access)
• Process time: typically 4–6 weeks after documentation is submitted

How to close or access a Microsoft account

There are two quite different situations families find themselves in, and Microsoft’s process differs significantly depending on which applies.

If you have the account credentials

If you know the email address and password, or can access the account through a signed-in device, the most straightforward path is to log in directly and manage the account from there.

With access, you can:

• Cancel any active subscriptions (Microsoft 365, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Live) through account.microsoft.com
• Download files and documents from OneDrive
• Export or archive emails from Outlook
• Close the account through account settings under “Your info” → “Account settings” → “Close your account”

Important: closing the account starts a 60-day countdown. During that period, the account can be reopened if needed. After 60 days, Microsoft permanently deletes the account and all data associated with it – including everything in OneDrive, all emails, and Xbox data. Download anything you want to keep before initiating closure.

If you do not have the credentials

This is the more common situation. Microsoft does not provide families with login credentials for a deceased person’s account, and it will not bypass its authentication systems even with a death certificate. However, there are two things you can do:

1. Request account closure via Microsoft’s support process

You can submit a request to Microsoft to close the account. Go to Microsoft Support and contact Microsoft through the support chat or ticket system. You will need to provide:

• A copy of the death certificate
• Proof of your own identity
• Documentation of your relationship to the deceased (such as a marriage certificate, will, or grant of probate)

Microsoft will then close the account. This does not give you access to the contents – it simply ends the account and stops any further charges.

2. Request access to account data via a court order (UK)

If you need to access the contents of the account – emails, files stored in OneDrive – Microsoft requires a valid court order or subpoena. Simply having a death certificate or grant of probate is not sufficient to unlock account contents under Microsoft’s policy.

For UK-based requests, the court order must be served on Microsoft’s European legal entity:

Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd
70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay
Dublin 2, Ireland

Microsoft will not respond to emailed or faxed legal requests. The order must be formally served through proper legal channels. Even then, Microsoft may be unable to provide the content – access is considered case by case, and approval is not guaranteed.

(Source: Microsoft Support – if you need access to the account, last verified April 2026.)

If you are unsure whether a court order is worth pursuing, a probate solicitor can advise. The cost and complexity of obtaining a court order is often disproportionate to the value of the account contents, particularly for email access. Many families find that closing the account, once subscriptions are cancelled, is sufficient.

What documents you will need

A certified copy of the death certificate means a copy signed and stamped as a true copy by the registrar or a solicitor. Scanned copies are generally acceptable for online submissions. If you have not yet obtained the death certificate, see our guide to registering a death.

Microsoft services to address separately

A single Microsoft account can power several different services, and it is worth thinking through each one individually.

Outlook, Hotmail, and Live email

Microsoft’s email services (Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, Live.com, MSN.com) are all linked to the same Microsoft account. Without login credentials, you cannot access the emails – and unless you obtain a court order, Microsoft will not release the inbox contents.

If there is a specific concern – for example, you believe important correspondence or financial information may be in the inbox – raise this with a solicitor before taking any action. Once the account is closed, the emails are gone permanently.

If the email address was used to receive important documents or financial correspondence, contact those institutions separately to update the contact details on file.

OneDrive

OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage service. Many Windows computers back up photos, documents, and files to OneDrive automatically, which means the account may contain material of significant personal value – family photos, financial records, scanned documents.

Without credentials and without a court order, you cannot access the files. The most practical approach, if you have access to the deceased’s computer, is to look for locally synced OneDrive files, which are stored on the hard drive and do not require account access. The default OneDrive folder on Windows is typically at C:\Users\[username]\OneDrive.

If the account is simply left inactive, OneDrive data will be frozen after approximately one year and deleted after two years of inactivity.

Microsoft 365 Family

Microsoft 365 Family (formerly Office 365 Home) allows the account organiser to share the subscription with up to five other people. If the deceased was the organiser – the account that holds and pays for the subscription – the other family members will lose access to their Microsoft 365 apps when the account closes or the subscription lapses.

If you are one of those family members, create your own Microsoft account and purchase your own Microsoft 365 subscription before the deceased’s account is closed, to avoid any disruption. Microsoft does not have a mechanism for transferring subscription organiser status after a death.

(Source: Microsoft 365 Family product page, last verified April 2026.)

Xbox

Xbox accounts are part of the Microsoft account system. The deceased’s Xbox profile, including their gamertag, game history, and achievements, is stored in their Microsoft account.

The most important thing to know about Xbox is that digital games cannot be transferred. Games purchased from the Microsoft Store are licenced to the account that bought them, not to a person or a household. When the account is closed, access to those games ends. This applies to all digitally downloaded games in the library.

Physical disc games are unaffected – they work independently of the account.

If the deceased had an active Xbox Game Pass subscription or Xbox Live subscription, these will continue billing until cancelled. See Cancelling subscriptions below for the fastest route to stopping charges.

What happens to data and subscriptions

Subscriptions and billing

Microsoft accounts can carry several recurring charges:

• Microsoft 365 (Personal or Family) – monthly or annual
• Xbox Game Pass – monthly
• Xbox Live (now called Xbox Game Pass Core) – monthly or annual
• OneDrive storage (if upgraded beyond the free 5 GB tier) – monthly or annual
• Skype Credit – pay-as-you-go top-ups (not a recurring subscription)

These charges do not stop automatically when someone dies. The fastest way to halt billing – if you do not have the account credentials – is to contact the deceased’s bank and notify them of the death. The bank will freeze the account, which prevents further direct debits and card payments from being processed. See our guide to notifying the bank for how this works.

You should also inform Microsoft separately through their support process, as they will need to know to eventually close the account.

For subscriptions billed to a credit card or via PayPal rather than a bank account, contact those providers directly.

Data access and deletion

Microsoft accounts are not automatically deleted when someone dies. If left unattended, the account will be frozen after approximately one year of inactivity and permanently deleted after two years. Any OneDrive files, emails, and other data will be lost at that point.

If there is data you want to access – particularly files in OneDrive – the clock matters. Acting sooner rather than later gives you more options and more time to seek legal advice if needed.

For more context on how digital assets generally are handled after a bereavement, see our guide to what happens to digital assets when someone dies.

How long it takes

For families working through Microsoft’s support process without credentials, expect the following rough timelines:

• Account closure request: Microsoft typically responds within 2–4 weeks of receiving complete documentation
• Subscription cancellation via bank: the bank can act within days of being notified of the death; this is the fastest route to stopping charges
• Court order route (data access): court proceedings in the UK can take several months; this path is only worth pursuing if the account contains material of specific financial or legal significance

Things to watch out for

Back up before you close. This is the most important practical point. Once you initiate account closure, the 60-day countdown begins. After that, everything is gone permanently – OneDrive files, emails, photos, Xbox data. Download or save anything important before you take any irreversible steps.

Xbox games are non-transferable. Digital game libraries cannot be inherited or moved. If there are games the family would like to continue playing, physical disc versions are the only format that survives an account closure. There is no mechanism to request an exception.

Microsoft 365 Family organiser loss. If the deceased was the Microsoft 365 organiser, the other people sharing the subscription will lose access when the account closes. Give those family members notice so they can set up their own subscriptions before this happens.

No dedicated bereavement phone line. Microsoft does not operate a bereavement telephone service. All requests for deceased accounts must be handled via the online support portal or through legal channels. If you prefer speaking to someone, Microsoft’s general support line can explain the process, but the formal actions must be taken online.

Skype. If the deceased used Skype, this is also tied to their Microsoft account. Any Skype Credit balance will be lost when the account closes. Skype does not have a separate process for deceased accounts.

Linked devices. If the deceased’s computer or phone was signed in to their Microsoft account, it may continue to sync or prompt for login after the account is closed. On Windows, a Microsoft account is often tied to the device login itself. If you are keeping the device, consider the implications before closing the account, and seek local IT support if needed.

Summary

Microsoft accounts cover a wide range of services, and managing them after a bereavement requires a methodical approach. Start by establishing what services the account was used for and whether any family members depend on a shared subscription. Cancel subscriptions promptly through the bank if you do not have login credentials. For the account itself, contact Microsoft through their support portal with the death certificate and relevant documentation.

The data access question – accessing emails or OneDrive files – is the hardest part of the process. Microsoft’s policy requires a court order for this, and even then access is not guaranteed. For most families, the practical answer is to focus on cancelling subscriptions and closing the account cleanly, and to seek legal advice only if there is specific reason to believe the account contains material of real importance to the estate.

For a broader overview of all the digital accounts to deal with after a bereavement, see our what to do after a death hub. If the deceased also had a Google account – Gmail, Google Photos, or an Android phone – our guide to notifying Google when someone dies covers the equivalent process and the important differences in how Google handles data requests. For a full overview of digital assets including cloud storage, social media, and digital purchases, see our guide to what happens to digital assets when someone dies.

For a broader overview of the digital accounts to address after a bereavement, see our what to do after someone dies guide. Note that LinkedIn – while owned by Microsoft – operates as a separate platform with its own bereavement process; see our guide to notifying LinkedIn when someone dies. If the deceased also had an Apple account – iPhone, iCloud, or Apple Music – see our guide to notifying Apple when someone dies, which covers the Digital Legacy system and the court order route for UK families.