Microsoft restores hacked account after streamer’s viral complaint over lost data

Microsoft has restored a streamer’s hacked account after he went public with claims that the company had permanently deleted it, erasing around 25 years of his data in the process.

The streamer, Joshua Khane, said the account included thousands of dollars worth of digital purchases such as games, along with personal files and photos of his son as a baby. He posted the details on X, stating Microsoft had already confirmed his ownership of the account before it was compromised by hackers.

Khane shared what he described as an official Microsoft email explaining that the account had been permanently suspended to stop further misuse and safeguard user data. The message reportedly said OneDrive files were no longer accessible and that some game purchases, including Minecraft, might not be recoverable.

After the post gained wide attention online, Xbox Support reached out to Khane directly. The company apologized for the situation and said it did not reflect the experience it wants users to have after their accounts are hacked, adding that it was working to restore his purchases.

In a subsequent update, Khane confirmed his account, games, and OneDrive storage, including the photos of his son, had all been recovered. ‘I’ve got all my stuff back, my games back, my Microsoft account back,’ he said.

Despite the resolution, Khane said he remained concerned about how long the process took and whether it would have moved as quickly without the attention his post received. He described himself as ‘a nobody’ and said he believed many users facing similar problems might not get the same outcome.

Wikimedia Commons/by UKER