How to Combine Outlook.com Accounts: A Complete Guide

Managing multiple Outlook.com accounts is a confusing task because of the different inboxes and missed emails. If you’re looking for a simple way to combine Outlook.com accounts, this guide will show you how to merge Outlook.com accounts via 5 reliable methods, step by step.

Why Users Want to Combine 2 Outlook.com Accounts

There are multiple reasons why people want to consolidate their Outlook.com accounts, and some of them are given below:

• Managing two accounts is difficult.
• Recently created a new Outlook.com account.
• Not using the old account and as it is filled with spam.
• Want better control over work and personal communication.
• Want to have more control over all devices.
• Prefer one storage and Outlook.com or Hotmail backup.

Whatever the situation, the goal remains the same: of learning how to merge Outlook.com accounts safely without losing data. Next, I’ll share the most reliable solutions which I personally used with a complete set of instructions.

How to Combine Outlook.com Accounts?

Here are 5 solutions which I used to consolidate multiple Outlook.com accounts simultaneously:

#Method 1. Use Email Forwarding

This is one of the simplest methods that I mostly recommend. Forwarding helps one Outlook.com account redirect all incoming messages to another inbox. Here are the steps to do so:

• Log in to the Outlook.com account you want to merge or forward from. Then,
• Go to Settings > View All Outlook Settings
• Open Mail > Forwarding
• Enable Start Forwarding
• Enter the destination Outlook.com email address
• Save the changes.

Now that you have turned on the forwarding of all incoming emails, automatically go to your main account. This is an ideal and effective way to combine 2 Outlook.com accounts without migrating them.

Forwarding is always the first step of learning to combine Outlook.com accounts.

#Method 2. Use Connected Accounts to Merge Outlook.com Accounts

Outlook allows you to link different accounts and fetch emails automatically. For the same:

• Open your primary Outlook.com mailbox
• Go to Settings > Mail > Sync Email
• Under Connected Accounts, click Other email accounts.
• Enter details of the secondary Outlook.com account
• Allow syncing.

Your emails from the connected account will appear inside your main Outlook mailbox. When some users ask me how to merge Outlook.com accounts, this is one of my favourite methods because it gives you a clean, easy-to-use mailbox experience.

With this setup, you can read and reply to emails from all accounts in one place, reducing the need to check multiple inboxes and helping you efficiently combine Outlook.com accounts.

#Method 3. Add Both Your Accounts to the Outlook Desktop App

If you are using the Outlook desktop app, you are able to add multiple Outlook.com accounts and view everything in the same visual. Here’s how:

• Open Outlook Desktop
• Go to File > Add Account
• Enter the secondary Outlook.com email ID.
• Click Connect and sign in
• Repeat for all accounts. 

This method doesn’t technically help you combine 2 Outlook.com accounts, but it fully centralises access. For most of the users, including me, who deal with multiple inboxes daily, having everything in one desktop view makes email management so easy.

I have found the approach very helpful for users who want to merge Outlook.com accounts without transferring data or modifying server settings.

#Method 4. Use Outlook Aliases Instead of Managing Multiple Accounts

Aliases help you use different email addresses under the same Outlook.com account. This is one of the least used solutions when discussing how to combine Outlook.com accounts, i.e.

• Log in to your main Outlook.com account
• Go to Microsoft Account > Your info.
• Select Manage how you sign in to Microsoft
• Add an email alias
• Set the preferred alias as the primary one.

This method makes things easier because I don’t need to depend on several accounts anymore. You may still need to combine 2 Outlook.com accounts, but aliases make sure that future messages are handled more smoothly.

#Method 5. Manually Transfer Emails Using Drag & Drop

This method is ideal for users who want to merge Outlook.com accounts by moving old emails into one account. To do so:

• Add both accounts to Outlook desktop.
• Select emails or folders from the secondary account.
• Drag them into the primary account’s mailbox.

This helps bring all your emails together in a single mailbox. If you ever consider delete Outlook.com account permanently.

Why Professional Backup Is Important Before You Combine Outlook.com Accounts

To avoid the data loss risk during the merge, it is always recommended to take a backup of the Outlook.com account locally. For the same reason, there is no manual solution available. Don’t panic! You can use an automated solution, i.e. SysTools Outlook.com Backup Software for free.

With the help of this, you can reduce these risks:

• Accidental deletion
• Corrupted folders
• Sync issues
• Overwriting data
• MIssing attachments

Why do I recommend this?

• Save your emails, contacts, and calendar to your computer to use them without internet.
• Export your Outlook.com data into PST, EML, MBOX, MSG, and several other formats with ease.
• Make sure to create safe backups before you start merging anything.
• Avoid data loss when you combine Outlook.com accounts

If you are planning to merge Outlook.com accounts, having a complete backup is one of the safest steps you can take.

Best Strategy to Combine 2 Outlook.com Accounts

1. Back up both accounts using a professional and reliable tool that I have mentioned above. Otherwise you will get a imap-mail.outlook.com is not responding error
2. Turn on email forwarding from the old to the new account that we already discussed above.
3. Always add a connected account for a smooth syncing process
4. Manually move any old emails you want to save.
5. Set up aliases to normalise your identity.

These are some good habits that help you in fully and safely combine 2 Outlook.com accounts while keeping your data secure and accessible.

Author’s Verdict

Learning how to combine Outlook.com accounts makes managing your emails much easier. In this discussion, I shared all the possible solutions and an appropriate set of instructions. So, opt for any of them and merge Outlook.com accounts.

FAQ’s

Q. Can I combine 2 Outlook.com accounts fully?

Yes, you are able to do it manually by transferring emails and syncing both accounts in Outlook desktop.

Q. Is it for me to back up my mail box before merging accounts?

Yes, backing up makes sure that no emails or contacts are lost during the merger.

Q. Does combining accounts delete anything?

No, combining methods like forwarding or syncing doesn’t delete data.

Q. How can I combine Outlook.com accounts quickly?

You can quickly combine 2 Outlook.com accounts by simply using email forwarding and syncing both accounts in Outlook desktop.

Q. Is combining Outlook.com accounts safe?

Yes, it is very safe as long as you back up your data first and follow proper steps.