Solved Is it easy to change the email linked to my windows installation

Is it easy to change the email linked to my windows installation thanks

Hi, JAK.

Log into your Microsoft Account, add an email address (Alias) then make that main address.

Added an alias, only this email showing
How do I then make this the main email

Mostly I wanted to change the email associated with my windows installation, not just did signing in

Thanks

JAK said:

Added an alias, I my this email showing
How do I then make this the main email

Click to expand...

• Log into your Microsoft account
• Click on your profile picture -- top right
• Select either "My Microsoft Account" or "Profile"

• Select "Your Info" on the left
• Select "Edit Account Info" on the right.

• Click "Make Primary" for the email address you want as the address for your Microsoft Account.

JAK said:

Mostly I wanted to change the email associated with my windows installation

Thanks

Click to expand...

It's the same thing.

Your Windows Account is your Microsoft Account and visa versa
Even if you're using something other than an Outlook account as your "Primary Alias" you still log into your Microsoft Account online with the same email address you used, even if it's not an Outlook Account.

Follow this if you're more comfortable. But you're already all the way done.

I've recently done a similar change (main alias of MS account used for the Edge profile, my ancient address domain will be discontinued in September). The change might delay 24-48 hours, I read in the MS page and in other sites. I waited those 48 hours but I had to close session in the Edge profiles affected. In Windows 11 I believe I got a checklist with the email address already updated upon reopening the session. In Windows 10 and 7 I believe I had to type the new email. Careful if the address is from MS!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't in my case (neither my old nor my new addresss was MS like outlook or hotmail) but deleting an MS alias from an MS account can or will lead to the loss of the address and the emails stored.

JLArranz said:

Careful if the address is from MS!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't in my case (neither my old nor my new addresss was MS like outlook or hotmail) but deleting an MS alias from an MS account can or will lead to the loss of the address and the emails stored.

Click to expand...

True, 3rd party email can be used as long as there is linked outlook, otherwise onedrive will not work. Still it can cause various issues, eg I can not use Outlook client on PC, because MS will not allow login with 3rd party email, though it works perfectly fine on Android.

Trying to add a Hotmail email as an alias but get this

This email is part of a reserved domain. Please enter a different email address.

Any ideas

I'm supposing "account" = "domain".

I got a similar message when trying to replace one of my next discontinued email addresses in a Google account/activity (it would be the main and only alias in MS terminology). I tried a GMail address I had first, but it complained with a similar message. It gave me 2 options I believe, but the default and most advantageous one was to (approximately) "add email activity to the Google account" with a NEW GMail address I had to create. Two Microsoft (or Google) accounts cannot be merged.

I suppose creating a new Hotmail (if possible nowadays) or Outlook email address independently could pose the same problem. In Google, it was the "Google UI" what allowed me to fix my problem with its "offer". Idk the MS equivalent procedure to this... but I didn't have any problem "re-aliasing" several MS accounts with new (independently created) GMail addresses (or with any other valid 3rd party address I suppose). I don't use OneDrive so I'm not aware of possible OneDrive issues, see TairikuOkami post above. Of course, accounts/activities/domains/whatever from different enterprises/brands cannot be merged. The addresses can be used as alias (or similar terminology) but the accounts remain independent, each with its own password for instance.

JAK said:

Trying to add a Hotmail email as an alias but get this

This email is part of a reserved domain. Please enter a different email address.

Any ideas

Click to expand...

• Microsoft does not allow existing Hotmail, Live, Outlook.com, or MSN addresses to be added as aliases if they’re already tied to another account—even if that account was deleted.
• Once an alias from a Microsoft-owned domain is removed, it becomes permanently reserved and can’t be reused or added to another account.

You can:

• Create a new Outlook.com email address and add it as an alias. You can do this from your Microsoft account settings under “Manage how you sign in to Microsoft.”
• Alternatively, use a non-Microsoft email (like Gmail or Yahoo) as an alias, as long as it’s not already linked to a Microsoft account.

It's just too complicated
Trying to create a recovery email or phone, have two of each but says can't as already in use. Far too difficult
Should show where they are used so can easily remove and re use them, so now have no recovery option

Nope. You cannot transfer an existing email or phone from one MS account to another. It's plain impossible. That's why I was doubting you could create a new MS email address (from domains like hotmail.com, outlook,com, live.com or msn.com and maybe others) and add it as alias of an MS account. If the action that creates the MS address does also create a new MS account attached to it (with the address as main alias), you cannot use it for other MS account, and if you delete it as alias, you also lose the address and the messages.

You may not know that those two email addresses and two phones are associated to MS accounts. It's happened to me recently. In about 2010 I played a game that required a "live.com" thing. I just did it as I only wanted to play the game and I couldn't care less about "MS accounts". In 2023 I "resurrected in error" this MS account for other purpose (I was actually trying to create a for me "new" MS account), but I started receiving some emails with gaming/Xbox offers directed to the fictitious 1st_name+2nd_name I had put (as if it was a nickname), I actually have accumulated some points I can use for MS gaming stuff. In 2023 I recalled the nickname but not its origin. In 2025 while digging about what to do with my next discontinued email addresses, I recalled the 2010 occassion and the origin of the account, that turns to be my oldest MS account (unless I have yet another I'm not aware about even now). Before I was thinking the oldest one was associated to my participation in the "MS forums" about 2013, again w/o knowing anything about MS accounts. I discovered it as MS account in 2021, at the same time I did a new MS account (this time knowing it) for my then new Windows 10 computer (aferwards updated to 11).

As said above, if you delete an MS email address from being an alias of an MS account, you lose the email address and the messages. If the address isn't from MS, you lose the capacity to add it as alias of any MS account, but not the Google, Yahoo, etc functionality it has.

The 3rd answer (4th post) of antspants' link “The email is part of a reserved domain. Please enter a different email address.” - Microsoft Q&A seems promising. The text of the answer seems aware about the problem described above (how can I add an MS alias if it's been born as alias of another (maybe "invisible") account and I cannot transfer it????). I'd consider using a non MS address, it's way simpler and less risky.

As for ascertaining which MS accounts do you have attached to the MS email addresses and phone numbers you have tried (this is not necessary to change the main alias of your "known" MS account), try signing in to them with the alias you know and the password, or with the link "I have forgotten the password, please send me a new password" (or similar words) if you don't have the password.

There's a "2 years clause". Simplest case: if you don't sign in to an MS account during 2 years, it may be deleted. It hasn't happened to my 2013 account possibly b/c it's had some use. It hasn't happened to my 2010 one either b/c it has a balance in it (Xbox points or whatever name), one of the exceptions to this clause.

Thank you
Bit of a minefield
If I change my ms account in my laptop yo a local one then change back to an email and use the new one, will that work

I would think you can change the MS account directly, w/o the local account if you don't want it, but I'd wait for a more experienced reply or open a new thread with this specific question or maybe a Google search. I don't feel confident enough in that part of the "minefield".