How do I permanently delete my Microsoft account?

To permanently delete your Microsoft account, follow these steps:

1. Sign In: Visit https://account.live.com/closeaccount.aspx or go to aka.ms/CloseAccount. Log in with your Microsoft account credentials.

2. Back Up Data: Ensure you have copies of essential data, files, and emails stored elsewhere since deleting the account will erase all associated content.

3. Navigate to Closure Page: On the Microsoft account management interface, find the option to close your account.

4. Agree to Terms: Review the implications of closing your account and accept the conditions.

5. Choose Reason: From the provided options, select a reason for wanting to close your account.

6. Click 'Mark account for closure': Confirm your decision to delete the account.

7. Wait for Grace Period: You will receive a notification indicating a 60-day grace period where you can still reactivate your account if needed. During this time, log out of all related services to prevent accidental reauthentication.

8. Permanent Removal: At the end of the grace period, your account and all associated data will be permanently deleted from Microsoft's servers.

Please note that closing your Microsoft account will result in the removal of all services tied to it, including Outlook.com email, OneDrive storage, Xbox gaming profiles, and any purchases made via the Microsoft Store.