How to Remove Outlook Primary Account?

Is your Outlook primary account cannot be removed? If you try to migrate from an internal Exchange server to new Office 365 and want to keep your profile. You'll get a message saying that the primary account cannot be removed.

Loading a new email account with a new data file should override the old primary account preference, but it doesn't. Outlook makes the first account added to a profile the primary account. You can't delete a primary account unless you also delete all of the other Exchange accounts from that profile. In this article, you will get to learn about the ways to remove your outlook primary account.

Part 1: Various Methods To Remove Outlook Primary Account

If you are in a situation where Outlook cannot delete your primary account, it is best to create a new profile and add the account you want to set as primary first. However, there are two other ways to remove the primary account. One is to change some registry settings and then remove the primary account.

Another is to insert a PST file into the default profile, make it the new default, and then delete the accounts. To make things easier for you, here are the step-by-step instructions for each method mentioned below. Let's get started:

Method 1: Changing the Primary Account while Keeping the Profile

This is better if you want to change the primary account without creating a new profile. Adding a PST file to the profile and making it the default data file allows you to change your primary account while keeping your profile and profile-specific settings.

In the steps below, you will see how to delete the outlook account from your current profile, leaving only the main account. Then add a PST file to the profile and set it as the default. The procedure is as follows:

Step 1 Close Outlook and all associated dialogues completely.

Step 2 Enter "control mlcfg32.cpl" by pressing the Windows key + R.

Step 3 Once inside Mail Setup, select Email Accounts.

Step 4 Begin removing your Outlook accounts in Account Settings (Email tab).

Begin with secondary accounts and work your way up to the primary account. You can delete them by selecting an account and then clicking the Remove button.

Step 5 After you've removed all of the accounts, go to the Data Files tab, click Add.

And then navigate to your PST location. After loading it, select Set as Default.

Step 6 Close the Outlook configuration window.

To return to Mail Settings, press Windows key + R and type "control mlcfg32.cpl". Click on Email Accounts once more.

Step 7 By clicking the New button, you can add a new account to serve as the primary.

Close this window once you've added the new account.

Step 8 Open Outlook and navigate to Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files.

Once there, ensure that the .OST file is set as the default. If it isn't already selected, select it and click the Set as default button.

Step 9 Restart Outlook once more. Your new account should now be listed as primary.

Method 2: Removing by Editing the Registry

While the method described above works perfectly well for one or two accounts, it could be more efficient if you have a large number of Exchange accounts. Even if you only have two of them, re-syncing will take a long time if the mailboxes are large.

In such cases, editing the registry file and deleting the primary flag is far more efficient. The account can then be safely deleted. What you must do is as follows:

Before jumping to the steps, remember, Microsoft does not support the following procedure. If you do not carefully follow the steps below, you risk corrupting your profile and being forced to create a new one. Only attempt this method if you are confident in your ability to succeed.

Step 1 Close Outlook and any other associated dialogue boxes completely.

Step 2 To open the Run command, press the Windows key + R.

In the run field, type regedit and press Enter.

Step 3 Navigate to the profile key that corresponds to your Outlook version:

Outlook 2016 – HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 16.0 \ Outlook \ Profiles \ “Your profile name”

Outlook 2013– HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 15.0 \ Outlook \ Profiles \ “Your profile name”

Outlook 2010 – HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ Currentversion \ Windows Messaging SubSystem \ Profile \ “Your profile name”

Step 4 Now comes the tricky part. While the Registry Editor window is open, use Ctrl + F to search for 001f662b.

If you're using Outlook 2016, look for 001f6641.

Step 5 Registry Editor should produce a result soon. Let's double-click on it to make sure it's the right account.

Step 6 Examine the address in the data file to ensure that this is the primary account.

You can safely delete this key if you see your email there.

Step 7 Keep in mind that simply deleting the registry value is insufficient.

You must delete the entire key on the left side of the screen. To do so, right-click on the folder containing the value you just searched for and select Delete.

Step 8 That's all. Your account's primary assignment should now be removed.

Method 3: Removing by Creating a New Profile

When you need to remove the primary account from Outlook, it is best to create a new profile. However, while it is faster and more stable, you will not be able to keep your profile settings. To put it another way, you will start from scratch. Use the first two methods to change the primary account while keeping your profile.

Step 1 Close Outlook.

Step 2 Enter "control mlcfg32.cpl" by pressing Windows key + R.

Step 3 Select Show Profiles.

Step 4 To create a new profile, click the Add button and give it a name.

Step 5 Use auto Email Account setup to enter your email credentials and configure the primary account.

Step 6 Return to the initial Mail window and make your new profile the default selection.

You can do this by selecting your new profile from the list and clicking on Always use this profile. To save your preferences, click Apply.

Step 7 After you've made the new profile the default, select your old profile and click Remove.

That's all. Your email account from the new profile will be set as the primary account.

Bonus: How to Repair Accidentally Deleted Emails?

Above are a few methods that will help you remove the primary account in Outlook. However, there might be a case where you accidentally delete your emails that are important. There are many online solutions to recover your deleted emails. Many users recommend Repairit for Email to restore their deleted emails. The process of recovering is easy, but the files may get corrupted while you recover them.

To fix your corrupted emails, you can use Repairit for Email. Repairit for Email is a powerful tool that can help you fix your emails on the go. It is very simple to use and has the ability to fix your emails with just a few steps. You can repair single or multiple emails at once. It supports both Windows and Mac systems.

Let's have a look at the steps on how to fix your emails.

Step 1 Select The Files

Open Wondershare Repairit; on the interface, you will see the 'Select File' option. Click on it and select the emails you want to repair.

If you are having any trouble locating the email you want to fix, you can click on the 'Find' option and add the emails you want to repair.

Step 2 Start The Repair Process

After you have added the email for repair, press the 'Repair' button. It will start the repairing process, and within a few minutes, your emails will be repaired.

Step 3 Preview and Save Your Emails

You can preview the repaired files before you save them. This can help you ensure that the files are working properly.

Conclusion

You must have understood until now how to delete your primary account in Outlook. You can use the methods mentioned above in order to remove the account in Outlook.

Also, you can use Wondershare Repairit to restore and repair your emails. This is a powerful tool that can help you get the best results. If you have any emails that are deleted or corrupted, Wondershare Repairit is the solution for you.