Reset Your Microsoft Account Password

Start the Microsoft Password Reset

Open {site} and look for the sign-in or account help area. Select the option for a forgotten password. This opens the official reset Microsoft password page without relying on an address from a message or search result.

Enter the email address, phone number, or Skype name linked to your personal Microsoft account. Check spelling carefully. If you use several Microsoft email addresses, enter the one associated with the service or device you are trying to access.

1. Choose the forgotten-password option.
2. Enter your account identifier exactly as registered.
3. Complete any on-screen check used to confirm that the request comes from a person.
4. Select the available option to continue.

The Microsoft online password reset screens may vary by account. Follow the labels shown rather than expecting every account to have the same choices.

Verify Your Identity

Microsoft must verify that you control the account before allowing a new password. Depending on the security information already saved, you might see a partially hidden email address, a partially hidden phone number, an authenticator prompt, or another approved method. Not every method appears for every user.

Select a contact method you can access now. You may need to complete the hidden email address or phone number before requesting a code. Retrieve the code from that inbox, text message, or verification tool, then enter it on the Microsoft password reset online screen.

Use the newest code you requested. Enter it promptly and exactly, without adding spaces. Never share a security code with someone who contacts you unexpectedly. A code is part of identity verification, and legitimate recovery still requires you to complete the security checks yourself.

Create a New Password

After verification, enter a new Microsoft password and type it again in the confirmation field. Follow any password requirements displayed on the page. Choose something you have not used for this account and that another person would not easily guess.

• Use a long, unique password.
• Avoid names, birthdays, and common phrases.
• Do not reuse a password from email, banking, or social media accounts.
• Store the new password in a trusted password manager if you use one.

Submit the change, then sign in again with the new password. Microsoft services, apps, browsers, and devices that saved the old password may ask you to authenticate again. Update the saved credential only after confirming that the new password works.

If your main goal was a Microsoft email password reset, remember that the same personal Microsoft account credential may be used across connected Microsoft services. Resetting the password for the Microsoft account changes that account credential rather than only one sign-in screen.

If You Cannot Receive a Security Code

First, look for an option to use another verification method. A backup email address, phone number, authenticator, or other method may be offered if it was previously connected to the account. Microsoft decides which choices are available based on the account's security information.

Check the partially hidden contact details before requesting another code. Make sure you are checking the correct inbox or phone. Review spam or junk folders for email messages, confirm that the phone can receive messages, and avoid making many repeated requests in quick succession. Earlier codes may stop working after a newer one is issued.

If no listed method is accessible, choose the account recovery option shown during the process. Provide accurate information that helps Microsoft evaluate whether the account belongs to you. Answer only what the recovery form asks, and use information associated with the account. Do not guess repeatedly or follow anyone's instructions to bypass verification.

Changing security contact information can involve additional safeguards shown by Microsoft. Read each notice carefully. The reset my Microsoft password process cannot be completed by simply asking support to disclose the old password.

Work or School Account Passwords

A work or school sign-in may be managed by an employer, school, or other organization. Its password reset process is separate from the recovery flow for a personal Microsoft account.

Start from the sign-in page provided by your organization. If self-service password reset is enabled, select the forgotten-password option and follow the organization's Microsoft reset tool. The available identity checks depend on settings chosen by the administrator and on the verification details registered for your work or school account.

If self-service reset is unavailable, says that an administrator must help, or does not recognize your registered verification methods, contact your organization's IT help desk or account administrator. They can explain the approved recovery procedure. Do not use the personal Microsoft account reset password process unless the sign-in is actually for a personal account.

If the Reset Still Does Not Work

If Microsoft says the account is not recognized, check for typing errors and try another email address, phone number, or Skype name that may be linked to it. Also confirm whether you are using a personal account or an organization-managed account. The wrong recovery flow can make a valid account appear unavailable.

A locked account may require a separate security check shown on the screen. Follow that prompt exactly. A password change alone may not remove every lock or security restriction.

When codes repeatedly fail, request one new code, use only that newest code, and verify that your device's date and time are correct if an authenticator is involved. If the screen reports too many attempts, stop submitting codes and follow the instructions displayed by Microsoft.

For official help, open {site} and find Microsoft Support or the account and sign-in help section. Choose the topic for a personal account, or use your organization's support channel for a work or school account. Support can guide you to the correct Microsoft password reset website and recovery process, but it cannot reveal an existing password or bypass identity verification.