Change Your Outlook Password

To change an Outlook password, change the password for the Microsoft account connected to the Outlook email address. Sign in to Microsoft account security settings, verify your identity if asked, select Change password, and save a new password.

If the address belongs to an employer or school, the organization may control where and how the password can be changed.

Where is an Outlook email password managed?

An Outlook.com, Hotmail, or Live email password is normally the password for the associated personal Microsoft account. Changing that password also changes the credential used for other Microsoft services connected to the same account.

Outlook is also an email app that can display accounts managed by an employer, school, or another email provider. For a work or school address, password rules and recovery options are set by the organization. The Outlook app itself may store the credential, but it usually is not where the underlying account password is created.

Before changing the password, confirm which account is open. People with both personal and work accounts can reach different security pages even when the addresses look similar.

How do I change my Outlook password online?

If you know the current password for a personal Microsoft account, use the account’s Security area. These are the official steps to change an Outlook email password:

1. Open {site} and sign in with the Outlook email address and current Microsoft account password.
2. Open Security. If Microsoft asks, confirm the account using an available verification method.
3. Select Change password.
4. Enter the current password, then enter and confirm the new password when those fields appear.
5. Choose Save and use the new password the next time Microsoft requests it.

Create a password that is unique to this account. Follow any length, complexity, or password-history requirements shown on the page.

For a work or school account, sign in to the organization’s Microsoft My Account portal and select Change Password if that option is available. Enter the old password, create and confirm the new one, and submit the change. If Change Password is missing or blocked, contact the organization’s IT administrator.

How do I update the password in Outlook apps?

Changing the Microsoft account password does not always require manually editing every Outlook app. Many current versions display a sign-in prompt when the saved credential stops working.

• Outlook for Windows: Open Outlook and enter the new password if prompted. If repeated prompts continue, close and reopen Outlook, make sure the correct account is selected, and complete any separate identity check shown by Microsoft.

• Outlook for Mac: Respond to a new sign-in prompt. In versions that provide a stored Password field, open Tools, choose Accounts, select the account, and update that field.

• Outlook for iPhone or Android: Open the app and enter the latest password when Outlook asks. Complete any approval or verification step required by the account.

• Other mail apps: Update the saved account credential when the app requests it. If the app has no password-editing option, removing and adding the email account again can start a fresh sign-in. Confirm that important local-only mail or settings are backed up before removing an account.

A Windows PIN, device passcode, or biometric unlock is not necessarily the Outlook email password. Do not replace those credentials unless the prompt specifically asks for them.

What do I do if I forgot my Outlook password?

A password reset creates a new password when the current one is unknown. Start from the Microsoft account sign-in screen rather than trying to change the password inside Outlook.

1. Open {site}, choose Sign In, and enter the Outlook email address.
2. Select Forgot password when the password screen appears.
3. Choose an available email, phone, authenticator, or other verification option shown for the account.
4. Confirm the requested part of the recovery information and request a code or approval.
5. Enter the code or approve the request, then create a new password.

If none of the displayed methods is accessible or recognizable, use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper and follow the account-recovery choices it presents. Recovery depends on proving ownership; support representatives cannot simply reveal or replace a personal account password.

For a managed work or school account, use the organization’s self-service password reset only if the administrator has enabled it. Otherwise, ask the organization’s IT support team to restore access.

Why can’t I change my Outlook password?

The exact error usually identifies the next step. Check these common causes:

• New password rejected: Follow the password rules displayed on the change screen. Avoid reusing a password that the account refuses because of its history or the organization’s policy.

• Repeated sign-in prompts: Confirm that the new password works in a browser. Then reopen Outlook and make sure the prompt belongs to the correct personal, work, or school account.

• Verification code never arrives: Recheck the destination hint, phone or email access, blocked messages, and the code entered. Request another code only through Microsoft’s displayed controls.

• Verification method unavailable: Use another method offered on screen. For a personal account, continue through Sign-in Helper or account recovery; for a managed account, contact the administrator.

• Account locked: Follow the unlock or verification instructions displayed during sign-in. Do not keep guessing passwords, because repeated failed attempts can prolong the sign-in problem.

• Personal and managed accounts confused: Sign out, open a private browser window, and sign in with the exact account that owns the mailbox.

How do I secure Outlook after changing the password?

After changing an Outlook password because of suspicious activity, review the Microsoft account’s recent sign-in activity and security information. Remove recovery email addresses, phone numbers, or authentication methods that you do not recognize.

Use the Advanced security options to sign the Microsoft account out everywhere if an unfamiliar person or device may still have access. Also review connected devices and remove entries that are no longer yours.

Turn on two-step verification if it is available. Two-step verification requires an additional proof of identity during certain sign-ins. Add more than one recovery method that you control, store recovery details safely, and never approve an unexpected sign-in request.