Microsoft Account We Cant Look Up This Email Address Right Now Please Try Again Later
Message says "The Microsoft account doesn't exist. Enter a different account or get a new one."
I am trying to sign in to a new computer using my Microsoft account. I know the account is valid because it is the same one I am using in this forum. But, I get a message saying "The Microsoft account doesn't exist. Enter a different account or get a new one." What do I do?
By the way, I have no idea what I'm supposed to enter in the "Tags" field below. There is nothing that tells me what types of things I can enter. That is frustrating because the field is required.
Try to use a local account for login, then go to Settings > Accounts > Your info (in some versions, it may be under Email & accounts instead).
Select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead, enter your Microsoft account credential for switching.
The error "Microsoft Account does not exist" usually means:
The person is logging in using an Alias. If the user renamed the affected email address into a new account, the original account will become an Alias. Thus logging in using the original account (Alias) will trigger the system to prompt the user that it does not exist. The solution is to log in using the new account.
The person mistyped the email address. Retyped the correct email address.
The person did not access the account (WITH A BROWSER) within 365 days. The account will be deleted permanently in the system due to inactivity. You may recreate the account as a new account if it is still available.
In addition, Visit Microsoft account website to verify your account.
https://account.microsoft.com/
Ask for help from Microsoft account support here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-and-billing?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.
Information posted in the given link is hosted by a third party. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy and effectiveness of information.
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.
Logging in with a new local account and then changing it back to the online account I wanted worked! Thank you!
0 Votes 0 ·
Your answer is useless!
A. What is a "LOCAL ACCOUNT"?
I have ONE account on Microsoft. How do I set up another account, and what makes it a "LOCAL ACCOUNT"? Why would I even WANT a "LOCAL ACCOUNT"? How do i pick between my Microsoft account and a "Local Account"? Please explain the difference between a Microsoft Account, and a "Local Account"-+
You say: Sign in with Microsoft Account instead"
That is what I am trying to sign into!!! WHERE ELSE WOULD I BE IF I WASN'T TRYINGT SIGN INTO MY MICROSOFT ACCOUNT?!?!?!
I only have ONE COMPUTER, and ONE ACCOUNT! Why would this system think I am using an alias?
I just opened a SECOND ACCOUNT using my phone number. But now I still can't figure out how to reset my original account so I can get into it!
Please explain in CLEAR, CONCISE terms, how I can REACTIVATE MY ONE ACCOUNT with Microsoft, and clear out this second account, which I don't need and don't want. I only created this phone number account so I could clear up and get my first account operational. Now I have TWO accounts, and STILL NOTHING WORKS, and I can't reset my original account.
0 Votes 0 ·
Any progress or updates?
--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--
I am having the same issue. I have followed all of the advice above with no luck.
This is a source of great frustration for me now on two new computers. It leaves us feeling pretty insecure and it's a Microsoft product not working with another Microsoft product. This is BS
Hi,
Same issue here.
Was it solved finally?
0 Votes 0 ·
I'm afraid I have never found a solution.
0 Votes 0 ·
Trying all of these fixes and nothing. This might be the most annoying MS error of all time. I go into my settings and I'm staring straight at my "WORK" account but it is telling me that I can't log in with a work or school account on this device.
I have the same situation! It had me make a second account using my phone number, and I still can't straighten out my original account, so now I have TWO accounts that are useless.
0 Votes 0 ·
Same problem. Just got a Business Standard license, can't login to Windows using the domain mail account I created for myself.
Surely you're able to preserve the Windows 10 Pro license that's embedded on the board and just allow for sign in. I want to move away from using my Outlook.com address and use my Business domain one.
Please advise.
I have the same problem, I don't know how to fix it
Anyone from MS going to address this? Hello?
Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/answers/questions/348518/message-says-34the-microsoft-account-doesn39t-exis.html
This is also happening to me. It says my account doesn't exist, WHILE I AM LOGGED INTO IT. MS has got to fix this. I cannot install software on my own #$$$%$# computer, because of MICROSOFT. I'm ready to switch to Linux.
MS also keeps linking my work and home accounts. I DO NOT WANT MY WORK LINKED TO HOME. I have dealt with this before. It keeps happening.
Have I said I cannot stand Microsoft?
And no, I am not going to spend hours first trying this ridiculous fix, then that, than another. Fix the damned product I pay for every single year, again and again and again.
1 Vote 1 ·
I just set my Microsoft Edge for email default app after Microsoft sent me pop-up when I tried logging in my Microsoft Outlook. Maybe this helps
0 Votes 0 ·
This is a fairly recent change that I have observed, with great frustration. Instead of being able to set up a computer out of the box with our Microsoft 365 account for work, the system makes us sign in with a MICROSOFT account, which is totally different. I set mine up some time ago, personally, with my aol account. When I unpack a new unit, I have to start it off with that personal MICROSOFT account which is different from the work-related Microsoft 365 account.
So set up something, even if you have to open a new email account at Outlook.com or aol or whatever else it will take. That should let you at least set up the machine.
A local account is like setting up another user, but it's only on that one computer. The local account isn't looking to a server, if it is domain joined, and it's not looking to Azure Active Directory, if it's joined to a Microsoft 365 account. I haven't been able to find a way to set that up right out of the box, though. The thing just stops you cold until you satisfy it with a MICROSOFT account, but it won't tell you what a Microsoft account even is. VERY frustrating to a sysadmin who needs to set up machines for employees that aren't on premises to give me passwords and 2FA codes received on their cell phones.
0 Votes 0 ·
A user had this problem (situation description follows) and what worked for me was to remove her secondary/personal, @outlook.com account (which was created when the laptop, a consumer model purchased at a big box store, required a Microsoft account to perform initial setup). The moment I removed the personal account from her profile, her login (with a work account, @workdomain.com) worked; error gone.
Did this under Settings gear, Accounts, My Info
Situation: user was signed into the PC with a local user account, created separately from the original @outlook.com account, and signed in to M365 w/Microsoft account, but somehow the pesky @outlook.com account was present, too. It was not necessary and just interfered with her sign-in under her work account.
Hope this helps someone. Remember, if that fixes it, you can always add the account back in later. Do heed the warning, though, that it may delete data (at least on this PC/profile) for the @outlook.com account.
0 Votes 0 ·
Someone please tell me that there is a solution now. I am logged into my Microsoft account on two different tabs but when I go to accept an invite for Microsoft Office 365 family and I go to log in.. It says my account does not exist. When I go to "make a new one", it says that the account already exists and that I should try logging in. This is extremely frustrating. I am in a new position at my job and I need this in order to begin working immediately.
0 Votes 0 ·
Show more comments