There are a lot of advantages to having a Microsoft account. With one single account, you can log in to a range of Microsoft services such as Skype, Xbox Live, and Outlook, and you can also link online Office and cloud services such as Microsoft 365 and OneDrive to your account. However, if you want to switch to a Microsoft alternative and no longer need your account, you should delete it and all its data.
Before you delete your Microsoft account, make sure you consider that this will result in the following services being lost:
- Outlook/Hotmail/Live/MSN accounts
- OneDrive/Xbox Live data
- NuGet.org accounts
- Skype IDs
- Perpetual licenses such as Office 2019 Home and Student
You should therefore make sure that your data is saved, any subscriptions related to your account are canceled and any credit you have is used beforehand. Also, make sure that you have a local account for Windows 10 or 11 before you delete your Microsoft account.