
They stressed how important it is to have two-factor authentication set up on your account as an extra precaution. In that case, their entire experience stretched over sixteen days.

Some users are able to get their accounts back within an hour, but others, like Reddit user beethibodeaux, have had to be extremely persistent with finding the right person to speak to. In the past, the timeliness of Microsoft's response to account hacking has been a mixed bag. Make sure that you have some information handy, like the email and phone number that were on the account, and your console/device ID and serial number, which you can find on your console.


If none of those options work for you, or if purchases have been made and you know that you and others like family or friends with access to your account didn't make them, you'll need to contact Microsoft directly through Xbox support. Related: Sony and Microsoft Insisting Next-Gen Is Coming This Year Could Hurt Them
