How to recover child account after hacker changed the email

To recover your son's Microsoft account after it has been hacked and the email and authenticator app have been changed, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Use the Microsoft Account Recovery Form: Go to the official Microsoft account recovery page and fill out the form. You will need to provide as much information as possible about the account, including any previous passwords, details about the account's usage, and any linked services (like Xbox).
2. Provide Proof of Ownership: If you have access to the original email or phone number associated with the account, use these to verify your identity. If the hacker has removed these, you will need to provide other forms of identification, such as purchase information related to Xbox or other Microsoft services.
3. Contact Microsoft Support: If the recovery form does not work, you may need to reach out to Microsoft Support for further assistance. They may have additional tools to help verify your identity and recover the account.
4. Monitor for Unauthorized Activity: Once you regain access, check for any unauthorized changes or settings in the account, such as linked accounts or forwarding rules.
5. Secure the Account: After recovering the account, change the password to a strong, unique one, and re-enable two-factor authentication (2FA) with your own authenticator app. Ensure that all recovery options are updated to prevent future unauthorized access.

These steps are crucial to regain control over the account and ensure its security moving forward.

References:

• Hacked account - Microsoft Q&A
• Cannot Access Microsoft Account After Hacker Changed Email, Advice Needed - Microsoft Q&A

Hi James Dugan

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I’m really sorry you and your son are going through this, a hacked child Microsoft account can be really stressful because it impacts Xbox/Minecraft purchases.

Just to confirm, have you’ve tried the steps mentioned in the Q&A Assist reply above? If yes, did you face any difficulties with those steps? Also, do you see a message like "security info change is still pending" when you sign in?

Here's what you should try next:

1. If still signed in on any device

If your son is still signed in anywhere (PC, Xbox, phone, or a browser session), you may be able to take the account back.

Do this immediately on the device where it’s still signed in:

• Go to: https://account.microsoft.com/security > Manage how I sign in 
• Remove any unfamiliar sign‑in methods you don’t recognize 
• Check the list of devices associated with your account 
• If you notice anything unusual, change to a strong password and Sign out everywhere 
• Turn on Two-step verification: How to use two-step verification with your Microsoft account - Microsoft Support
• If locked out, go to https://account.live.com/password/reset and follow the prompts. 

Review and secure recent sign‑in:

• Check Recent activity: https://account.microsoft.com/activity  
• Choose This wasn’t me/ Secure your account for anything you don’t recognize. You can see What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account - Microsoft Support

2. If you can't sign in at all, fill out the Account Recovery Form (ACSR)

Please submit the Microsoft Account Recovery Form (ACSR):

• Go to: https://account.live.com/acsr
• Enter the email address you're trying to recover and an alternate email where Microsoft can contact you.
• Provide as many accurate details as possible and submit from a familiar device/location.
• Wait 24–72 hours for a response. You may refine and resubmit up to twice per day.   
• Please see this official guide to help you fill out the form more accurately: Help with the Microsoft account recovery form - Microsoft Support

3. Use the Xbox Specialized Recovery Form

Please also try to fill out this official recovery form (Xbox) here: Recover your Microsoft account - Xbox Support

This form may be more effective for accounts with Xbox subscriptions. When completing the form, provide as much detail as possible (such as gamertag, devices you’ve used, any aliases linked to the account). The more information you can give, the better the support team can verify ownership and restore access.

About "it’s in my Microsoft family"

Being in a Microsoft family (Xbox family) helps with parental controls, but it doesn’t give a parent the ability to remove a hacker’s authenticator or restore sign‑in access without passing Microsoft’s ownership verification.

Please kindly note that this is a public user-to-user forum, I do not have the ability, tools to unblock, recover accounts or bypass security. Only Microsoft’s official recovery process can restore access.

For more details, please see these official support links:

• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account - Microsoft Support
• How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account - Microsoft Support

Please feel free to let me know how it goes. Thank you so much for your time and understanding.

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