Can't sign up for a Developer Account. Phone number is associated with another Developer account.

Dear Luther Baker

Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A forum regarding this issue.

Even if you saw the message “You don’t qualify for a developer account” as shown in your screenshot, the system still created a Developer Program profile shell tied to that identity. That’s why your phone number is currently locked.

If you need to create a new developer account right away, you can use a different phone number, such as a work mobile or secondary line, to complete sign-up immediately.

Normally, you should go to https://developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/profile using the account that first used the phone number and choose Delete Profile if you no longer want to use this profile. In theory, this action will remove the old profile and release the phone number. After that, sign up again with your work account and verify using the same number. However, please note that even after deleting the old profile, there is typically a 60‑day waiting period before the original phone number becomes fully available for a new subscription. This is part of the program’s policy to prevent abuse.

Please note that as forum moderators, we cannot directly delete or modify Developer Program profiles on your behalf. If you cannot access the profile or the steps above do not work, you will need to contact Microsoft Support to request deletion of the old profile and release of the phone number.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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