I’m switching to Gmail. How do I close down my Outlook account?

Microsoft has made it relatively easy to deactivate Outlook.com accounts. Find out how with our easy guide.

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Unfortunately, you can't. While users who trialled Outlook.com before its full launch were able to switch back and forth, since the Hotmail brand was retired if you switched over there's no way to switch back and you can't sign up for a new hotmail account.

Caroline Donnelly
Caroline Donnelly is the news and analysis editor of IT Pro and its sister site Cloud Pro, and covers general news, as well as the storage, security, public sector, cloud and Microsoft beats. Caroline has been a member of the IT Pro/Cloud Pro team since March 2012, and has previously worked as a reporter at several B2B publications, including UK channel magazine CRN, and as features writer for local weekly newspaper, The Slough and Windsor Observer. She studied Medical Biochemistry at the University of Leicester and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism at PMA Training in 2006.