How to permanently remove an email address

Rupert Dragwater

Senior Member
Outlook version
Outlook 2013 64 bit
Email Account
POP3
I know how to remove an email address from Outlook 365. But is it true, that email address actually still exist after it being removed from Outlook (the App) and if so, how do I permanently remove it period, so it does not exist anywhere?
The email address extension I want gone is... outlook.com
 
If the address is in the Add account dialog when you open outlook, you need to edit the registry.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\Identity\identifies - find the address on the right and delete the key on the left.
 
Thanks for the reply Diane. Doing it the way you're pointing it out, does that permanently get rid of the email address (account)?
I got Microsoft to come in on this earlier, and they said to permanently remove the email address (account) I would need to sign into my Microsoft Account with the email address I wanted to remove and delete it from there. I knew how to remove it from Outlook itself but I only found out as of late, that email address isn't gone till I remove it within my Microsoft Account. A lot of confusion just to remove an email address (account).
 
My method deletes it from Outlook so it is not an option in the Add Account dialog. (Which is obviously what I thought you meant - i'm often asked how to remove it from the add account list).

If you want to close the account or never ever use the address again, you need to do that in the Microsoft account If you want tho keep the account and have other aliases and just remove this one, do it in account.microsoft.com - or close the account completely.

Keep in mind, once you remove an address from the Microsoft account, you can never ever use it again.
 
I haven't removed that particular email address yet. I have it ready to go but haven't deleted it yet. But here's where I am no doubt confused. I ask how to remove one email address in Outlook365 (the App) but I'm only learning (I think) as of recent, this is called an account, correct?
You say, "If you want to close the account or never ever use the address again, you need to do that in the Microsoft account"... this is where I am at present. I signed into that account with the email address I'm thinking of removing and it's given me the option to check of a list of boxes to make sure I understand what is involved. It's just an email address (or account) I added a few months ago, so it should be safe to remove it without effecting anything else on this system. It is not the email address I am registered to with Microsoft.

But here's where I'm confused again. You said, "If you want to keep the account and have other aliases and just remove this one, do it in account.microsoft.com - or close the account completely."
I'm losing you when you say, "If you want to keep the account and have others and just remove this one"... that's coming across to me as a paradox. Maybe you can confirm what you mean by 'the account'...
 
It's just an email address (or account) I added a few months ago, so it should be safe to remove it without effecting anything else on this system. It is not the email address I am registered to with Microsoft.
If you just created it and aren't using it for anything else - then deleting it is no problem. If you have software linked to it (or xbox) or use it as Facebook address, then you don't want to delete it. :)

If you had purchases in the account but no longer want this address then you do this...
If you want to keep the account and have other aliases and just remove this one, do it in account.microsoft.com - or close the account completely."

The main reason people add an alias and delete one is because they had the address for years and all the spammers have it but they cant close the account because they have office software or use OneDrive and dont want to move the files.
 
Thank you Diane for the clear explanation. One more thing if you will. When I want to delete an email address, I have called it just that... an email address. But apparently, the correct technical term is an email account, correct? And you're not permitted to ask how it is that using computers near thirty years, that I still don't know the proper terminology. Can I please age??? :)
 
Too late to edit apparently... that last intelligent question should have been, "Can I plead age" and not "Can I please age"... :)
 
The words can (mostly) be used interchangeably - when it is in a mail client - outlook, t-bird, etc - it would be an email account. If you want to delete the account from the email host, it is an account - and when you delete the address, it usually deletes the account - unless you add a new address to the account first.
 
Ok, thank you for your always excellent help, Diane! You're always appreciated on here and abroad I'm sure!
 
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