How to Close your Windows Live ID and Hotmail Account
After deciding to stop using Hotmail, I went ahead and tried to close my newer Hotmail accounts. Unfortunately, the process of closing the accounts was a dreadfully convoluted experience, mostly due to the fact that these newer Hotmail accounts are acutally two accounts in one: one is associated with a Windows Live Hotmail account, and the other associated with a Windows Live ID account.
Whatever. After spending twenty minutes trying to figure out how to close the account(s), I decided I had better share the information for future reference. I mean, for crying out loud, Microsoft has convoluted the process to the point of absurdity. It’s like going on a damn treasure hunt! Don’t believe me? Check it out:
Login to your Hotmail account. In the upper right-hand corner, click on “Options” and then on the “More Options” link in in the drop-down panel. Then, under the “Manage your account” section, click on “View and edit your personal information”. From there, click on “Settings” in the left sidebar. Under “Additional options”, click on “Close account”. But wait, you’re not done yet!
On the “Are you sure you want to close your account” page, read everything and then enter your password for verification. If the Live ID account was not associated with a Hotmail account, you should see a success message. If your account was associated with a Hotmail account, you will see a message that says: “Cannot close your account”. Read the paragraph; in it, you will find a link to close your associated Microsoft Live Hotmail account. Click it.
The next screen gives a final warning that you are about to close your Windows Live Hotmail account (as if you didn’t know by now!). Read everything and then click “Close account” to finally close the damn account. And, believe it or not, that’s all there is to it! ;)
