How to Change Email in Microsoft Account (Primary Alias)

Live ID is a Microsoft Service that allows you to authorize in different applications with the same credentials. It allows you to use an email or a phone number as a login. You may change the email you use to sign in without switching to another Microsoft Account.

Thus, you won’t lose your profile, Windows 10 activations and other things after changing so called primary alias.

Here is our guide on how to change the email of your Microsoft Account if you need this. Note, that this guide won’t help if you have lost access to your current primary email.

What is Primary Alias in Microsoft Account

Primary Alias is an e-mail designed for account recovery and sending sensitive information of your Microsoft Account (Live ID). It is also displayed on your devices when you log in using your Live ID. ActualIy, it is not clear for what purpose Microsoft calls it “alias” instead of “alternate email” except to confuse users.

How to change Email in Microsoft Account

Follow the steps below to:

1. Go to login.live.com.
2. Log in to your Microsoft Account by typing your current credentials: email and password: 
3. When signed in click Your info.
4. Then click Manage how you sign in to Microsoft: 
5. Verify your identity with a security code (if you have 2-step authentication enabled): 
6. In the Account alias area click Add email: 
7. Select Add an existing email address as a Microsoft account alias.
8. Type new address that you want to use a primary one.
9. Click Add Alias:
   
10. Now you will see two aliases. Click the Make primary link near the newly added one:
11. Verify your new email by clicking the link in the message: 

How to delete your old email from Microsoft account

Now you can delete the old email if you wish.

1. Log in to your Microsoft Account.
   
2. Click Your info.
3. Click Manage how you sign in to Microsoft. 
4. In the Account aliases section click the Remove link near the email you wish to remove from your Microsoft Account: 
5. Confirm by clicking Remove:  The old one has been removed: If you deleted your old alias from Microsoft account, do not forget to log in using the new one.

What happens if I remove @hotmail.com email from Microsoft Account Aliases?

After you remove your @hotmail.com email from “Aliases”:

1. you won’t be able to sign in to Live ID using your old email (even to Outlook Mail regardless your @hotmail.com mailbox is active): 
2. you may continue using your old mailbox at hotmail.com. All you need is log in to your hotmail using your new Email that you made your primary Alias.
3. from now on you may send letters from both mailboxes using your Outlook Mail interface: 

If you have any questions on the topic, feel free to ask them in the comments. Thank you for reading us!