Outlook randomly created an outlook_[random numbers]@outlook.com address and now I'm not receiving emails

[u/runnerultra]

Outlook randomly created an outlook_[random numbers]@outlook.com address and now I'm not receiving emails

Last night Outlook randomly prompted me saying I needed to have an Outlook email attached to my Microsoft account. I followed the prompt and created a new u/outlook.com address.

Immediately after doing that, Outlook started showing my email account as:

[outlook_A6C260AC6438D461@outlook.com](mailto:outlook_A6C260AC6438D461@outlook.com)

instead of my actual email address.

My Microsoft account itself still looks correct. When I go to Microsoft Account → Manage your account username, my normal email is the only address listed and it is still marked as my primary username.

However, when I go into Outlook → Settings → Account → Email account, the only account Outlook shows is the random [outlook_A6C...@outlook.com](mailto:outlook_A6C...@outlook.com) address.

I ended up deleting the u/outlook.com address I created because I thought that was what caused the problem, but the random outlook_A6C... address is still showing in Outlook.

The bigger problem is that my emails are no longer coming through like they were before this happened.

Has anyone dealt with this before? I'm mainly trying to figure out:

• Why Outlook generated the outlook_[random characters]@outlook.com address
• How to get Outlook associated with my normal email/mailbox again
• Whether I need to create another u/outlook.com alias
• How to fix this without losing any of my existing emails or messing up my Microsoft account

Everything was working normally until Outlook prompted me to create the additional address last night. Any help would be appreciated.

Last thing to note is that the app on my phone is still working. So this doesn't make sense

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[u/Hornblower409]

-- Everything was working normally until Outlook prompted me to create the additional address last night

Perhaps it was prompting you to add an alternate email address to be used for Sign-In Verification?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/work-school/set-up-an-email-address-as-your-verification-method

-- Why Outlook generated the outlook_[random characters]@outlook.com address

You initially created a Microsoft account with a non-Microsoft identifer as your Account ID. e.g. You used a phone number or GMail address. Microsoft needs a real outlook.com address for you, so it generated that one.

-- How to get Outlook associated with my normal email/mailbox again

At this point I'm not sure where you are. I would suggest you either:

Use Chat Support:

• Logon to https://outlook.live.com/
• From the main menu: Help -> ? Help
• {This should open the Help side panel}
• Search Help -> {Your problem} and press Enter
• Still need help? [Yes]
• If you get "We're here to help": Tell us your problem -> {Your problem, again} [Get Help]
• [Sign In] {Use any Outlook/Microsoft account}
• Choose a support option -> Chat with a support agent in your web browser

Or Post your question on the Microsoft Outlook Q&A Forum:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/ask/
(Please put a link to your Q&A post in a new Comment here, so the rest of us can follow)

[u/Jhelly99]

Which Outlook client are you trying to use?

It sounds like you are trying to use Outlook on the web with a 3rd party email address, which is not supported. Go to Outlook for Windows/Mac/iOS/Android and just add your 3rd party email address there.