Create an Outlook account without a phone number in 2026

Microsoft's sign-up can be finished without handing over a phone number, and Microsoft's own help pages say so. The catch is a couple of screens where a number looks like the only option.

Short answer: yes. You can create an Outlook.com or Hotmail account without a phone number. Choose a new address, and when Microsoft asks for a way to verify the account, give an email address you can open instead of a phone. Microsoft's help says the contact "doesn't have to be your email or phone number," only one you can access.

What Microsoft's sign-up asks for

We checked Microsoft's support pages and loaded the live sign-up page on October 22, 2026. We did not create an account, so the table below separates what the form collects from what Microsoft says it may ask later.

Step	What is asked	Phone needed?
New address	A name before @outlook.com or @hotmail.com (both are offered on the sign-up page)	No
Password	A password for the account	No
Your details	First and last name, birth date and country	No
Bot check	A "security check" to confirm you are a person	No
Verification contact, if prompted	"An email address or phone number that we can send a verification code to"	No, an email works

Microsoft also describes a second route in, where you sign up with an email you already have instead of a new Outlook address, and a third, where a phone number is the username. If sign-up fails, Microsoft's account creation page suggests you "create your new account using an alternative sign-up method, such as an email address instead of a phone number."

What Microsoft does not publish is what makes it ask for a phone in a particular case. Its verification troubleshooting page only says that it assesses "the trustworthiness and credibility of every sign-in, sign-up, or customer interaction." Microsoft's own fix list, below, points at your browser and your network.

How to create an Outlook or Hotmail account without a phone number

Use a normal browser window on your usual connection. Not private or incognito mode, with no VPN. The reason is in the next section.
Go to outlook.com and select Create free account. This is the path Microsoft gives for a new Outlook.com address.
Pick your address. Choose outlook.com or hotmail.com from the list. Microsoft says addresses used for Microsoft accounts "cannot be reused," even after an account is closed, so if your first choice is gone, try a variation.
Set a password, then enter your name, birth date and country. Use your real birth date. For a child's account, Microsoft says a parent or guardian has to sign in to finish the setup.
Complete the security check. If it keeps failing, use the fix list below rather than retrying the same way.
If you see "Let's protect your account" or "Help us secure your account," type an email address, not a phone number. Microsoft's page for this screen says: "We will ask for an email address or phone number that we can send a verification code to," and adds that it "doesn't have to be your email or phone number." Open that inbox, copy the code, and select Verify.
Add a passkey once you are in. Go to account.microsoft.com, then Security, then Manage how I sign in. A passkey and a recovery email make a phone unnecessary later too.

If the verification email doesn't arrive, Microsoft says codes come from an @accountprotection.microsoft.com address, so check spam and mark that sender as safe.

Why Microsoft's security check fails, and Microsoft's own fixes

Most people who end up typing a phone number do so because the check before it keeps failing. Microsoft has a page for the error "Let's help you move forward," and its advice is specific:

Turn off private or incognito browsing. "Security checks often rely on browser data to verify you're a real person."
Pause ad blockers and privacy extensions. Microsoft says they "can interfere with security checks," and points out that some routers block ads too.
Disconnect from VPNs and proxies. They "can prevent security checks from validating your connection."
Leave shared networks. On office, school, hotel or university Wi-Fi, "your IP address may have been flagged for unusual traffic."
Try your phone's mobile data. Microsoft suggests turning off Wi-Fi and finishing sign-up on cellular data. That uses your phone's connection, not its number.
Then wait. "Repeated failed attempts can sometimes trigger additional security checks."

The privacy tools are the ones Microsoft asks you to switch off. If that bothers you, switch them off only for the sign-up, then turn them back on.

Why a phone number sometimes fails even if you give one

If you do decide to use a number, three limits from Microsoft's pages explain most errors:

Internet phone numbers are refused. "VOIP numbers cannot be added as a way to sign in or get verification codes."
One account per number. Microsoft says "a phone number can only be added to a single Microsoft account." If you see "[number] is already a Microsoft account," the number is tied to another account, possibly an old one of yours.
Recycled numbers. Carriers can reassign a number after 30 days, so a new SIM may come with a previous owner's Microsoft account attached. If the number was added to that account recently, Microsoft's phone number reuse page says "your only option is to use a different mobile number."

Microsoft is moving away from text messages anyway

The phone number matters less each year for a personal Microsoft account. Microsoft has announced it "will start phasing out SMS as a method of authentication and account recovery for personal Microsoft accounts," calling SMS "a leading source of fraud" (Microsoft Support). Its security info page already warns that "the option to add a new phone number may not be available for your Microsoft account," and lists a recovery email, Microsoft Authenticator or a passkey instead.

So the setup Microsoft is steering people toward is the one that needs no number: a recovery email plus a passkey or authenticator app.

If you already gave Microsoft a number and want it gone, add the replacement first. Microsoft's page on removing verification methods says that if you remove all security info at once, "the account is put into a restricted state for 30-days."

What not to do

Don't use "receive SMS online" sites. Their numbers are public, so anyone can read the code sent to them. If that number ends up on your account, strangers can receive your verification codes.
Don't make extra accounts with recycled details. Microsoft's page on locked accounts lists "Don't spoof or reuse information across multiple accounts when signing up" and "Don't use programs, scripts, or bots to create Microsoft accounts" among the reasons accounts get locked. Unlocking means a review form and a wait.
Don't verify with an email you might lose. The alternate email is your way back in. A throwaway inbox that expires next week leaves the account with no recovery.

Same question, other providers

Google handles this differently: its sign-up calls the number optional but says phone verification is "sometimes" required. We cover what to do there in how to create a Gmail without a phone number, and what Google does with the number in why Google asks for your phone number.

If you would rather skip the question entirely, some providers never ask. Secria Mail's sign-up is a name, the address you want and a password: no phone number, no second email and no card, and recovery uses a 12-word recovery phrase. Our page on email without a phone number compares what each big provider asks for, with links to their help pages.

Whichever you pick, set up recovery that doesn't depend on a number you might lose.

FAQ

Can I create a Hotmail account without a phone number? Yes. Hotmail is part of Outlook.com, and the sign-up page offers both @outlook.com and @hotmail.com endings. The steps are the same: choose the address, and when asked for a verification contact, give an email address.

How do I create a Hotmail or Outlook account on Android without a phone number? Use the same steps in your phone's browser at outlook.com. If sign-up keeps failing on one device, Microsoft's own advice is to create the account "using an alternate device," such as a computer, and then sign in on your phone.

Does Microsoft require a phone number for Outlook? Not for the account itself. Microsoft says verification can use "an email address or phone number." Microsoft does note that "some Microsoft products and services require a phone number," so a specific app may still ask later.

Can I use a Google Voice or other internet number? No. Microsoft says "VOIP numbers cannot be added as a way to sign in or get verification codes."

Why was my new Outlook account locked? Microsoft locks accounts for activity that may break its terms, including spam and accounts made with scripts or reused details. Sign in at account.microsoft.com and follow the reinstatement steps. Microsoft says a support agent reviews the request and replies by email.