How to Reset
Your Microsoft Account Password
Your Microsoft account is what's called a single
sign-on account, meaning that this single account can be used to
log on (sign in) to a number of different services by Microsoft and partner
websites.
When you reset your Microsoft account
password, you change the password used for all of the sites and services you
use your Microsoft account for.
Microsoft
accounts are commonly used to sign on to Windows 10 and Windows
8 computers, the Windows Store, Windows Phone devices, Xbox video game
systems, Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail.com), Skype, Office 365, OneDrive
(formerly Skydrive), and more.
Important: If
you're trying to reset your Windows 10 or Windows 8 password but you do not log
in to Windows with an email address, then you're not using a Microsoft account
to sign in to Windows and this procedure won't work for you. What you're
using instead is a traditional "local account" meaning the slightly
more involved How to Reset a Windows 10 or Windows 8 Passwordtutorial is
what you need to follow.
Follow
these easy steps to reset your Microsoft
account password:
How to Reset Your Microsoft Account
Password
Resetting
your Microsoft account password is very easy and should only take 10 to 15
minutes in most cases.
1. Figure out what email address you're using for your Microsoft account, and that
it's the correct account
for the device or account you need the password reset for.
2.This
might seem like a strange or obvious first step, but with automatic logons, the
high occurrence of multiple Microsoft
accounts, and the several email addresses most of us have, it's important
to make sure that you're resetting the password to the right Microsoft account.
3. So,
for example, if you've forgotten your Windows 10 or Windows 8 password but
aren't completely sure what email you're using to log in with, turn on your
computer and take note of it on the login screen. If you need to reset the
Microsoft account you use to log in to Skype (or Outlook.com, etc.), visit the
Microsoft Account Sign In page from your usual browser and see if your account
email address is pre-filled for you. It probably will be.
Note: The
Microsoft account you want to reset the password for isn't necessarily an outlook.com,
hotmail.com, etc., email address. You could have used any email address to sign
up for your Microsoft account.1. Open
the Microsoft Account Password Reset page from any browser on any computer or
device, even your smartphone.2. Choose I forgot my
password from the short list of options and
then tap or click Next.
4.In
the first field, enter the email address you use as your Microsoft account.1. If
you know a phone number that might be associated with your Microsoft account,
you can enter that instead of your email address. Your Skype username is
acceptable here, too.4. In
the other field, for security purposes, enter the text you see and then click
or tap the Next button.
Tip: You
can touch or click New if you'd like to
try another string of characters, or Audio to have
several words read to you that you can type in instead. You've probably seen
this process on other websites before - it works the same here.
On
the next screen, choose one of the email options (continue with Step 7), one of
the text options (continue with Step 8), or the Use an app option
(continue with Step 9).
Tip: If
you're only given the app authenticator option, continue with Step 9 or choose Use a different verification option to
pick a different reset option.
5. If
none of the email or phone number options are valid anymore, and you don't
already have an authentication app configured for your Microsoft account,
choose the I don't have any of these option
(Continue with Step 10)
Note: The
email address(es) and phone number(s) listed here are ones you've previously
associated with your Microsoft account. You won't be able to add any more
contact methods at this time.
Tip: If
you've enabled two-step verification for your
Microsoft account, you may eventually have to choose the second method to
verify your identity but you'll be clearly told this when and if it applies to
your particular account.
1. If you choose one of the email options, you'll be asked to enter the full email
address for verification.1. Click
or touch Send code and then
check your email account and look for a message from Microsoft account team.
2. Enter
the code in that email in the Enter the code text
box, then tap or click Next. Continue with Step
11.2. If
you choose one of the text options, you'll be asked to enter the last 4 digits
of the phone number for verification.1. Tap
or click Send code and then
wait for the text to arrive on your phone.
2. Enter
the code from that text in the Enter the code text
box and then press or click the Next button.
Continue with Step 11.3. If
you choose the Use an app option, tap or click Next to bring up the Verify
your identity screen.
3. Open
the authentication app that you've configured to work with your Microsoft
account and enter the code displayed in the Enter the code text
box, then tap or click Next.
Continue with Step 11.3. Important: If
you don't already use an authentication app with your Microsoft account, it's
too late to set it up now. I do recommend using two-factor authentication going
forward after you've
reset your Microsoft account using some other method here.
4. If you choose I don't have any of these, tap or click Next to bring up the Recover
your account screen.
5. Under
the Where
should we contact you? section, enter a valid email address
where you can be contacted in regards to the reset procedure, and then click Next. Be sure to type an
email address that's different than the one you don't have access to! Feel free
to use a friend's address if you don't have another one to enter.
7. On
the following few screens, enter everything you can about yourself and your
account that might help Microsoft identify you. Some things include name, birth
date, location information, previously used passwords, Microsoft products
you've used your account with (like Skype or Xbox), email addresses you've
contacted, etc.
8. On
the Your
information has been submitted page, touch or click OK. Depending on the
information provided, you might be contacted by Microsoft (at the email address
you provided during this reset procedure) immediately via email or up to 24
hours later if someone has to manually look at your provided information. Once
you do get an email from Microsoft account team,
follow whatever steps they provide, then continue with Step 11.
8 In the New password field,
and again in the Reenter password field,
enter the new password you'd like to use for your Microsoft account.1. Note: Your
new password is case-sensitive and must be at least 8 characters in
length. You also won't be able to reset your password to one you've already
used before.2. Click
or touch Next. Assuming all was
successful, you should see the Your account has been recovered screen.
Tip: Assuming
you have email addresses associated with your Microsoft
account, you'll be emailed, again by Microsoft account team,
that your password has been changed. You can safely delete these emails .
10. Tap
or click Next again to exit.
Sign
in on the next page with your newly reset password! Important: If
you reset your Microsoft account password
so you can now log in to your Windows 10 or Windows 8 computer, be sure you're
connected to the internet at the Windows sign-in screen. If for some reason the
internet is not available to you at this point then Windows won't get word from
Microsoft's servers about your new password! This means that your old,
forgotten password is still the valid one on the computer. In this case, or in
any case where the above procedure doesn't work but you're sure you have a
Microsoft account, you'll have to rely on Windows password recovery
software like the free Ophcrack tool.
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