How to Change Your Microsoft Account Password

To change a Microsoft account password you know, sign in to the Microsoft account security page, choose Change password, enter a new password, and save it. If you cannot sign in, choose Forgot password? and verify your identity to reset the password.

What do you need before changing your Microsoft account password?

Before starting a Microsoft account password change, make sure you know which personal Microsoft account you use. This may be an Outlook.com or Hotmail email address, another email address registered with Microsoft, a phone sign-in name, or a Skype name.

Have the following ready:

• Your current password, if you can still sign in.
• Access to a recovery email, phone, or authenticator method associated with the account.
• A device and browser you have used with the Microsoft account before, especially if Microsoft asks for additional verification.
• A separate working email address if you may need to complete the account recovery form.

A security code is a temporary code Microsoft sends or displays to confirm that you own the account. Never give that code to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

These instructions cover personal Microsoft accounts. A password controlled by an employer or school may need to be changed through the organization’s account portal or with help from its IT administrator.

How do you change your Microsoft account password while signed in?

Use the official Microsoft account security area when you know the current password. The Microsoft change password process is separate from changing a Windows local-account password or device PIN.

1. Open {site} and sign in to the personal Microsoft account whose password you want to change.
2. Open Security. Microsoft may ask you to verify your identity before showing security settings.
3. Select Change password near the top of the page.
4. Enter the requested account information and your new password.
5. Select Save.
6. Use the new password the next time Microsoft asks you to sign in.

If you searched for “microsoft how to change password,” “microsoft account change password,” or “change microsoft password,” these are the official steps for a known password. Do not use an email link or an unfamiliar password-reset service to reach the security page.

How do you change a Microsoft password when you cannot sign in?

Use Microsoft’s official password reset process if the password is forgotten or no longer works.

1. Open the Microsoft account sign-in screen through {site}.
2. Enter the email address, phone sign-in name, or Skype name associated with the account.
3. At the password prompt, select Forgot password? or the displayed password-reset option.
4. Choose an available method for receiving or displaying a security code.
5. Confirm the requested portion of the recovery email or phone information, then request the code.
6. Enter the code and select Next.
7. Enter a new password and complete the reset.

If Microsoft says the account does not exist, check spelling and the email ending. If the account has another email alias, try that alias because aliases for one Microsoft account use the same password.

What can you do if you cannot access the verification method?

If none of the displayed recovery methods is available or recognizable, use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper. Follow its prompts to identify the account problem and reach the official account recovery form when that option applies.

The recovery form asks for information that can help Microsoft confirm ownership. Complete it from a familiar device and location when possible. Have a working contact email and provide as much accurate account history as you can, such as previous passwords and details about Microsoft services used with the account.

If two-step verification is enabled and every alternate verification method is unavailable, the standard recovery form cannot bypass that protection. Microsoft support representatives also cannot send a reset link or manually change protected account details.

What should you do if the Microsoft password change does not work?

• A new password is rejected: Follow the message shown on the Microsoft page and choose a different password. Do not rely on requirements quoted by an unrelated website.

• The verification code never arrives: Confirm that the hinted email or phone belongs to you, check the email spam or junk folder, and verify that the selected method can currently receive messages. Request a new code through the same Microsoft screen and enter the newest code.

• Microsoft keeps asking you to sign in: Make sure you are using the intended personal account rather than a work or school account. Close other Microsoft sign-in tabs, reopen the account page, and enter the newly changed password.

• The old password still appears in an app: A browser or password manager may have saved it. Replace the saved entry only after confirming that the new password works on the official sign-in page.

• The account is locked or the correct password is refused: Stop repeated guesses and use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper. Follow the exact instructions displayed for that account.

• No recovery option is offered: Use the official account recovery route. A third party cannot bypass Microsoft’s ownership checks.

How do you secure a Microsoft account after changing the password?

After a Microsoft password change, review the account rather than assuming the password change resolved every risk.

1. Open Security and review Recent activity for sign-ins, locations, devices, or account changes you do not recognize.
2. Expand suspicious activity and use the displayed option to report that it was not you.
3. Review the security information on the account. Remove unfamiliar methods and add recovery methods you control, following Microsoft’s verification prompts.
4. Open Advanced security options and select Sign out everywhere if you believe another person had access. Microsoft may treat some device types separately, so follow any notes shown on the page.
5. Check saved passwords on your own devices and update the Microsoft entry where necessary.
6. Consider adding another verification method so one lost email account or device does not leave you without an available security check.

Use a password that is not shared with another account. If the old Microsoft password was reused elsewhere, change it on those accounts through each service’s official settings.