can they deactivate “astrostar”

The tag system is in use on other Microsoft services, so even if it's not in use on a console, it may be in use elsewhere. The only way to have the name freed up is if the owner changes the tag to something else or it will be freed up by the system if they do not sign into their account within 5 years. If they do not sign into their Microsoft account within 2 years, that will close the account which should also free up the tag.

Hi,

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Hello Stu-arts,

When you deactivated the account, by chance the 65 days following did you log into it. If this is the case then it never got deactivated. In order for an account to be fully deactivated you wont sign into it for 65 days. it takes that long for the deactivation
process. They want to make sure you want it deactivated. If you sign in at all during that time period you activate the account again.

https://support.microsoft.com/help/12412/microsoft-account-how-to-close-account

You can always try and sign in to the
Account website with your old email to see if it has been deactivated.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,

Brad

It is part of the security measures, I'm not sure if you can deactivate it.

If the account was deactivated, there is nothing that can be done to alter or change the username.