Tags availability and inactive accounts

If the tag belongs to an inactive account would it not be available for lookup? Could that be why I'm having this issue? Also, if the account is inactive is there anyway for me to get the tag? Also, is there a way to search for inactive gamertags like
mine possibly is?

There are already policies in place to free up inactive gamertags. 2021 will be the first year gamertags are released based on when those policies were put in place. You can also now use a gamertag even if it is already in use.

https://www.microsoft.com/servicesagreement

ii. Account Use. You must use your Microsoft account to keep it active. This means you must sign in at least once in a two-year
period to keep your Microsoft account, and associated Services, active, unless a longer period is provided in the Microsoft account activity policy at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=2086738 or
in an offer for a paid portion of the Services. If you don’t sign in during this time, we will assume your Microsoft account is inactive and will close it for you. Please see section 4(a)(iv)(2) for the consequences of a closed Microsoft account. You must
sign into your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive (separately) at least once in a one-year period, otherwise we will close your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive for you. You must sign into the Xbox Services at least once in a five-year period to keep the
gamertag associated with your Microsoft account.

Chances are if it won't let you claim that tag, it is taken by someone else or set to expired/inactive. But, it will be a long time before the tag is available if it is expired/inactive. But, out of curiosity, what is that tag?

The earliest any unused gamertags would be made available again is around August 2021.As from 2019,if a account is not signed into on any of microsofts services for 2 years then it may be made available but there are restrictions to this.

If a account is banned then the gamertag is also made unavailable.

You need to remember that gamertags are used on other Microsoft services so just because a profile has 0 gamerscore & looks inactive doesn't mean that it is.

I appreciate the reply, I was already aware of the date that available gamer tags were marked for being released again, however I was more so looking towards discussing with the enforcement team in terms of gamer tags how antiquated some of the ways they’ve
interpreted and employed the code of conduct and how one might even inquire to get a specific name released.

The earliest any unused gamertags would be made available again is around August 2021.As from 2019,if a account is not signed into on any of microsofts services for 2 years then it may be made available but there are restrictions to this.

If a account is banned then the gamertag is also made unavailable.

You need to remember that gamertags are used on other Microsoft services so just because a profile has 0 gamerscore & looks inactive doesn't mean that it is.