How to close a deceased person's Microsoft account
Microsoft handles closing a deceased person's account through an online form. The steps below are Microsoft's own published process, taken from its official support pages — this page organizes them so you can see what the provider asks for; it doesn't add to them or recommend any particular action.
What you'll need
- A court order
Steps
- You don't need to contact Microsoft to report the death. If you know the account credentials, close the account yourself via "How to close your Microsoft account" — it can be reopened within 60 days, after which the account and data are permanently deleted.
- If you don't have the credentials, make sure Microsoft subscriptions stop — by closing the customer's bank account or card, revoking authorizations, or informing the bank. Outlook.com and OneDrive are frozen after 1 year of inactivity and their content deleted shortly after; the Microsoft account expires after 2 years.
- If the deceased set up OneDrive Digital legacy and shared the code with you, request access in OneDrive settings with the code; after a 72-hour wait you get read-only access to their files and photos.
- If you need the contents of the account, Microsoft must first be formally served with a valid non-criminal subpoena or court order on its registered agent in your state or region (faxed or emailed requests are not accepted). Providing one does not guarantee release.
Closing one account is only part of the job — every recurring charge still draws on a card or bank account the estate will eventually claim. HeirLoft reads the recurring charges straight out of an inbox in one pass, so you can see everything that's still billing while you work down the list.
Surface every recurring charge in one place
How to contact Microsoft (Outlook.com, OneDrive, Microsoft 365)
If OneDrive Digital legacy was set up
Microsoft offers OneDrive Digital legacy, which lets an account holder designate someone in advance. If the deceased set it up and named you, you may have a faster path through that feature than through the general process above — check for it before starting a request.
Typical timeline
Accounts are frozen after 1 year of inactivity and expire after 2 years.
Notes
Special relative-based access processes exist only for customers in Germany and China.
Sources
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/accessing-outlook-com-onedrive-and-other-microsoft-services-when-someone-has-died-ebbd2860-917e-4b39-9913-212362da6b2f
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/preserve-your-digital-legacy-with-onedrive-245869c6-3505-4d75-a75f-82bdec48ad7b
Last reviewed September 14, 2026 · Links verified September 14, 2026
Related guides
The simplest way to spare your own family this process is to keep an up-to-date list of your accounts somewhere they can find it. HeirLoft finds the recurring charges you've forgotten and keeps them in one place your heirs can actually use.