GMU Change Password Guide

To change a George Mason University password, open the official Patriot Pass Password Management portal through {site}, sign in with your Mason NetID, and choose the password-edit option. If you cannot sign in, use the portal’s password-reset option with your G Number and a claim code sent to your alternate email address.

A Mason NetID is the username assigned to you for George Mason systems. A G Number is your university identification number and is different from your NetID.

Where to Change Your GMU Password

The official place for a GMU password change is the Patriot Pass Password Management portal. Patriot Pass credentials provide access to most George Mason systems, including Patriot Web and myMason.

1. Open {site} instead of using a password-change button in an unexpected email or text.
2. Find the Patriot Pass Password Management option.
3. Confirm that the page identifies George Mason University and uses a secure connection before entering credentials.
4. If the browser shows a security warning, the page looks unusual, or the address does not belong to George Mason, stop and contact ITS Support.

Do not enter a Mason password into an unofficial reset service. George Mason states that it will not ask for your Patriot Pass Password or other personal information by email.

How to Change a Known GMU Password

Use the known-password process when the current Patriot Pass Password still works.

1. Open the Patriot Pass Password Management portal.
2. Sign in with your Mason NetID and current Patriot Pass Password.
3. Complete two-factor authentication if the portal requests it. Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is the additional identity check performed through an enrolled method.
4. On the account dashboard, select the edit control beside Patriot Pass Password.
5. Enter the current password if the form asks for it.
6. Enter and confirm a new password that satisfies every requirement displayed by the official portal.
7. Submit the change and wait for the portal to show that it was accepted.
8. Sign out, then test the new password in a George Mason service before updating saved credentials on other devices.

Do not repeatedly submit the form if it reports an error. Read the message first because the new password may be too short, contain an unsupported character, or fail another rule shown on the page.

How to Reset a Forgotten GMU Password

Use the official Patriot Pass recovery process when the current password is forgotten or expired. George Mason identifies online recovery as the preferred reset method.

1. Open the Patriot Pass Password Management portal and choose the forgotten-password or reset option.
2. Enter your G Number when requested.
3. Ask the portal to send a claim code to the alternate email address registered with the account. A claim code is a temporary value used to verify that you may reset the account.
4. Open the message in that alternate email account and enter the claim code only on the official George Mason page.
5. Create and confirm a new password that passes the rules displayed by the portal.
6. Complete the reset and test the new password by signing in again.

If you cannot receive the claim code or cannot complete online verification, use the secure electronic request offered by George Mason ITS. Do not ask another person to receive or enter a security code for you.

What Are the GMU Password Requirements?

George Mason’s published guidance says a Patriot Pass Password should be at least 10 characters long. The guidance recommends using uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and permitted special characters, while emphasizing that greater length improves security.

• Length: Use at least 10 characters.

• Complexity: Follow the character rules displayed by the Patriot Pass portal. George Mason recommends a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and permitted special characters.

• Reuse: Do not reuse a password from another account. If the portal rejects a previous Mason password, create a different one rather than trying to work around the check.

• Eligibility: The Patriot Pass process applies to people who have George Mason credentials, including an assigned NetID. Online forgotten-password recovery also requires the account’s G Number and access to its registered alternate email.

A Patriot Pass Password is not the same account credential as a separate MasonLive Microsoft Password. Resetting Patriot Pass does not change the MasonLive Microsoft Password used by some former MasonLive users.

What If the GMU Password Change Does Not Work?

When a GMU password change fails, preserve the exact error message and check the part of the process it identifies.

• Password rejected: Compare the new password with every rule shown beside the form. Check its length, allowed characters, confirmation entry, and any reuse warning.

• Current password rejected: Check Caps Lock and keyboard language, then type the password manually. Use the forgotten-password process if the current password remains unknown.

• Account locked: Stop repeated attempts and contact George Mason ITS Support for an account review.

• Claim code missing: Confirm that you are checking the registered alternate email account, including its spam or junk folder. Request assistance if you no longer control that address.

• Verification unavailable: If you cannot use an enrolled 2FA method, ask ITS Support about the official account-verification process.

• Page or browser error: Close the page, reopen the official portal, or try a private browser window. Do not continue through a certificate or security warning.

How to Contact GMU Account Support

George Mason Information Technology Services, usually called ITS Support, is the correct team for Patriot Pass password and account-access problems. Use the verified support contact block on this page to reach the official team.

Before contacting support, have your full name, Mason NetID, G Number, the affected service, and the exact error message ready. Explain whether you know the current password, can access your alternate email, and can complete 2FA.

Never send your current or new password, a claim code, a 2FA code, or a screenshot that exposes those values. ITS Support may verify your identity, but support staff do not need your password or a one-time security code.