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How to Recover Old Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Certifications

Bushra Parveen Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to locate and recover old Microsoft Office certifications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) earned several years ago, but no longer has access to the original account credentials or email.

How to Recover Old Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Certifications

Product: Microsoft Office Certifications
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to retrieve past certification records from Microsoft without access to the original Microsoft account, email address, or password.
Observed behavior: The automated account recovery tools cannot be used due to completely lost credentials, requiring manual intervention to locate the certification records.

Before you start

Gather any remaining details about your past exams, such as old email addresses, candidate IDs, testing center locations, and dates of certification to help support locate your records.

Solution 1Recommended

Submit a Request to the Microsoft Credentials Support Forum

The official method to recover lost certifications when you cannot access your old account is through the Microsoft Credentials, Training, Certification, and Program Support forum.

Because old certifications are tied to specific Microsoft accounts, losing access means you cannot use standard automated recovery tools. Microsoft support agents can manually locate your old records and link them to a new account, provided you can verify your identity.

Navigate to the support forum

Go to the official Microsoft Credentials, Training, Certification, and Program Support forum.

Sign in or create an account

Create a new Microsoft account if you do not currently have one, and sign in to post in the forum.

Post a new question

Click 'Ask a new question' and detail your issue (e.g., 'Need to recover 2015 Office certifications but lost access to old email'). Keep your initial public post general.

Wait for private correspondence

Wait for a Microsoft moderator to reply to your thread. They will typically initiate a private message where you can safely provide your old usernames, email addresses, candidate IDs, or proof of identity.

Submit a Request to the Microsoft Credentials Support Forum

Privacy Warning: Never share personal details like your Candidate ID, phone number, or full address in the public forum post. Only provide these in the secure private message thread initiated by a Microsoft moderator.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What information do I need to recover an old Microsoft certification?

You should provide any known former usernames, email addresses, candidate IDs, exam details (like the exam code, testing center, or title), and valid proof of identity.

Can I merge my old certification profile with a new Microsoft account?

Yes. Once Microsoft support locates your old certification profile and verifies your identity, they can provide a migration code to link your past achievements to your current Microsoft account.

Is there a phone number I can call for Microsoft Certification support?

Currently, Microsoft primarily handles certification support and account recovery through their dedicated Credentials and Certification support forums rather than direct phone support.

Will my 2015 Microsoft Office certifications expire?

Generally, older Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications do not expire, but they may be designated as 'retired' on your transcript as new software versions are released.

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