Deleted recovery email and wish to make account more secure

For a personal Microsoft account that cannot be accessed anymore, only the documented self‑service options apply; support cannot reset the password or delete the account from the outside.

Key points for the described situation:

1. Account recovery options
   • If the password is forgotten or not working, use the standard flows:
     • Reset your password
     • If the password is known but sign‑in fails, use the Sign-in Helper tool.
   • If the recovery form is used, provide as much accurate detail as possible about past usage (contacts, subject lines, old passwords, Xbox/Skype usage, etc.) to improve the chance of success. Guidance is in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form.
   • If the account cannot be verified, the recovery form can be retried up to two times per day. If verification still fails, there is no manual override by support.
2. If the account is truly inactive
   • If a Microsoft account has not been signed into for more than two years, it may have been deleted and can no longer be reopened. In that case, email, contacts, and associated data are removed and cannot be recovered.
   • Once deleted for inactivity, the account cannot be restored even by Microsoft support.
3. Closing an account (when sign‑in is possible)
   • To explicitly close an Outlook.com/Microsoft account, sign‑in is required. If sign‑in is not possible, the documented path is to recover access first; otherwise, the inactivity/deletion lifecycle applies.
4. Security and credential‑stuffing concern
   • Microsoft requires successful sign‑in plus any configured security checks (for example, verification methods) before allowing access or changes. If the account has already been deleted due to inactivity, it cannot be accessed or reused.
   • If the account is still active but inaccessible and recovery fails, there is no supported way to change the password or delete it from the outside; the protection relies on Microsoft’s sign‑in and security‑info mechanisms.

If there is any chance of remembering more historical details (old passwords, contacts, subject lines, devices, Xbox/Skype info), use them to attempt the recovery form again following the guidance, as that is the only supported way to regain control and then close or harden the account.

References:

• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• Account recovery unsuccessful
• Close your Outlook.com account
• Attempting to access old email - Microsoft Q&A