How to Change Your Hotmail Password

To change your Hotmail password, sign in to your Microsoft account, open Security, and choose Change password. Your Hotmail password is your Microsoft account password, so the change also applies wherever you use that same Microsoft account.

If you cannot sign in or do not know the current password, use Microsoft’s password-reset process instead. The steps below cover both situations.

Where do you change your Hotmail password?

Hotmail accounts are managed through Microsoft account settings. Microsoft account settings are the controls for your password, security information, sign-in methods, and other account details.

Open {site}, sign in with your Hotmail email address, and find the Security section. Select Change password near the top of the Security page. Do not use a password-change page sent by an unknown person or found in an unsolicited message.

The same procedure answers questions such as “how can I change my password on Hotmail?” and “how do I change my password on Hotmail?” Although the mailbox still uses an address ending in Hotmail, Microsoft manages its password.

How do you change a Hotmail password while signed in?

Use these steps when you know the current password and can access the account:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft account connected to your Hotmail address.
2. Open Security and select Change password.
3. Confirm your identity if Microsoft asks. Depending on the sign-in methods already registered to the account, Microsoft may ask for a code or another approved verification method.
4. Enter the current password if prompted.
5. Enter the new password in the required fields. Use a password that is not used for another account and is difficult for someone else to guess.
6. Select Save to finish the change.

If Microsoft asks you to sign in again during the process, enter the Hotmail address and follow the displayed security prompts. Never give a verification code to someone who contacts you and claims to be support.

How do you reset a forgotten Hotmail password?

Reset the Hotmail password when you cannot sign in or do not know the current password. A reset proves your identity with an existing security method before allowing you to create a new password.

1. Start at Microsoft’s account sign-in screen and enter the full Hotmail email address.
2. Select Forgot password? when the password screen appears.
3. Choose one of the recovery email addresses, phone numbers, or other verification methods Microsoft displays for that account.
4. Confirm the requested part of the recovery email address or phone number, then request the code.
5. Retrieve the code from the selected method, enter it on the Microsoft screen, and select Next.
6. Create the new password and complete the prompts.

If the password has stopped working even though you believe it is correct, use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper. It can identify common account and sign-in problems without asking you to bypass Microsoft’s security checks.

What should you do if a Hotmail verification code never arrives?

First, confirm that the masked email address or phone number on the screen belongs to you and that you can still access it. Check the junk or spam folder of a recovery email account, confirm that the phone can receive messages, and avoid repeatedly requesting codes in quick succession. Use the newest code Microsoft sends because an earlier code may no longer be accepted.

If another verification method appears, select it and follow the prompts. You may also be able to use a Microsoft account recovery code if you created and safely stored one before losing access.

If none of the displayed email addresses or phone numbers is available or recognizable, use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper. For an account without two-step verification, Microsoft may direct you to the account recovery form. The form may ask for a working contact email address, previous passwords, contacts, and exact subject lines from messages sent through the Hotmail account. Complete it from a familiar device and location when possible.

If two-step verification is enabled and you cannot access any approved verification method, Microsoft states that support cannot bypass that protection or change the account details. A support agent also cannot send a password-reset link for you.

Where must you enter the new Hotmail password again?

After you change the password for Hotmail, some devices and apps may continue trying to use the old saved password. Sign out and sign back in where necessary.

• In Outlook or another connected mail app, enter the new password when the app asks you to authenticate.
• On a phone or tablet, check the account settings if mail stops syncing or repeated password prompts appear.
• In browsers, replace an old saved password only after confirming that you are on Microsoft’s genuine sign-in screen.
• On other Microsoft services connected to the same account, use the new password the next time a password is requested.

A Windows PIN is not necessarily the same as the Microsoft account password. Continue using the PIN where Windows specifically asks for a PIN, and use the new password where Microsoft asks for the account password.

How do you get help with a Hotmail password problem?

Open {site} and look for Microsoft Support, Contact Support, or the Sign-in Helper. Enter the Hotmail address affected by the problem and describe the exact message shown on the screen.

Before starting, have access to any recovery email address, phone, authenticator, or saved recovery code associated with the account. For the recovery form, it can also help to have old passwords, names of contacts, and exact email subject lines you remember.

Microsoft support can explain the available recovery path, but support agents cannot reveal a password, bypass verification, send a reset link on demand, or directly change protected account details. Keep passwords and one-time verification codes private, including from anyone claiming to represent Microsoft.