Short answer
When you close a Microsoft account you choose a 30-day or 60-day period to change your mind. Within it, go to account.microsoft.com, sign in and enter the security code Microsoft sends — the account reopens. Subscriptions, profiles and content come back, including rewards points, your Xbox gamertag and Gamerscore and purchased content; the time that passed isn’t refunded, and subscriptions you cancelled must be bought again. After the window the account is permanently deleted and Microsoft can’t retrieve it. Separately, accounts not signed in to for more than 2 years may be deleted.
The reopen window
- You set it when closing the account: 30 or 60 days.
- Signing in during the window cancels the closure.
- After it ends, the account and its data are permanently deleted.
How to reopen
- Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with the closed account.
- Request and enter the security code sent to your security info.
- The account reopens; check your subscriptions and payment options afterwards.
What comes back — and what doesn’t
- Back: subscriptions, profiles and content, rewards points, Xbox gamertag, Gamerscore and purchased content.
- Not back: the time that passed while the account was pending closure.
- Subscriptions you cancelled outright, or that ran out, need to be repurchased.
Too late, or never closed?
- Outside the window, Microsoft says a deleted account can’t be retrieved.
- If you didn’t close it but haven’t signed in for over two years, it may have been deleted under Microsoft’s activity policy.
- If someone else closed or took over the account, see hacked or locked Microsoft account.
Keep it safe
Save a recovery code, keep security info current, and consider a passkey: passkeys explained. See also recovery wait times by platform. Our hacked account recovery service works through official channels.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I reopen a closed Microsoft account?
Within the 30- or 60-day window you chose when closing it.
How do I reopen my Microsoft account?
Sign in at account.microsoft.com and enter the security code Microsoft sends.
Will I get my Xbox gamertag and purchases back?
Yes, Microsoft says your gamertag, Gamerscore, rewards points and purchased content return when you reopen within the window.
Can Microsoft recover an account after the window?
No. Microsoft says a deleted account can’t be retrieved once the reopen period has passed.
Sources: Microsoft Support — reopen your Microsoft account, Microsoft Support — how to close your Microsoft account, Microsoft Support — Microsoft account activity policy