Reset Your Microsoft Online Password
What does this Microsoft Online password reset page cover?
To reset a Microsoft Online account password, open {site}, enter the email address or username used for the account, and follow the identity-verification prompts. After Microsoft accepts the verification, create a new password and use it to sign in at login.microsoftonline.com.
This page is for people who forgot the password for a Microsoft work or school account. It explains the password reset MicrosoftOnline.com process, including verification choices, missing codes, unavailable recovery methods, and support options. If you use a personal Microsoft account instead, the prompts and recovery route may be different.
Where do I reset my Microsoft Online password?
Open {site} to reach the verified Microsoft password-reset destination. Enter the full email address or username shown on your work or school account, then complete any security check displayed on the page.
You may also begin at login.microsoftonline.com. Enter your username, select Next, and choose the option commonly labeled “Forgot my password” if it appears. Your organization may use its own sign-in page or redirect you to Microsoft’s recovery process.
Check the spelling and account domain before continuing. A personal email address, an old workplace address, or an alias that your organization does not recognize may lead to an account-not-found message.
How do I reset a Microsoft Online account password step by step?
Enter the full email address or username for the Microsoft Online account. Use the account assigned by your employer, school, or organization.
Complete the on-screen security check, if Microsoft displays one. This step helps distinguish a person from an automated request.
Select “I forgot my password” or the closest available reason for being unable to sign in.
Choose an identity-verification method that you can access. A verification method is a previously registered way for Microsoft or your organization to confirm that you control the account.
Request the verification code or approve the notification. Enter the code exactly as received, without adding spaces, unless the form inserts them automatically.
Complete another verification step if the account or organization requires it.
Create a new password that meets the rules shown on the screen. Avoid reusing the forgotten password or a password that the account recently used.
Confirm the new password and wait for the success message before closing the page.
If self-service password reset is not enabled for the account, Microsoft may direct you to an administrator instead of allowing you to choose a new password.
Which verification methods can Microsoft Online offer?
The verification choices depend on the security information registered for the account and the settings selected by the organization. Microsoft Online may show one or more of these methods:
Email: Microsoft sends a code to a recovery email address already associated with the account. The page may display only part of the address.
Phone: Microsoft sends a text message or provides another phone-based verification option when an eligible number was registered earlier.
Authenticator application: Microsoft may ask you to approve a notification or enter a code from an authenticator application that was previously connected to the account.
Only select a method you can access now. Never give a verification code or approve an unexpected sign-in request for another person. If a listed email address or phone number is unfamiliar, stop and contact your organization’s support team.
What do I do if the verification code never arrives?
Confirm that you selected the expected email address or phone number. For email verification, check spam, junk, and filtered folders. For text verification, check that the phone has service and can receive messages.
Do not make many repeated requests in quick succession. A newer request may make an earlier code unusable. When several codes arrive, return to the reset screen and try the most recently requested code.
If the page offers another registered method, select it and complete verification that way. Keep the reset page open while checking the message or authenticator application so you can return without restarting unnecessarily.
What if I cannot access my recovery email, phone, or authenticator?
If none of the displayed verification methods is available, look for an option such as “I can’t use this method” or “Sign in another way.” The choices shown depend on the account and the organization’s security policy, so an alternative may not appear.
For a work or school account, contact the organization’s IT help desk, account administrator, or internal support team. Explain that you forgot the Microsoft Online password and cannot access the registered verification method. The administrator may need to confirm your identity and reset the account or update its authentication setup.
Do not create a replacement account unless the organization tells you to do so. A new account will not automatically provide access to the files, messages, permissions, or services attached to the original username. Microsoft Online password reset cannot be guaranteed when identity verification is unavailable.
What should I do after resetting my Microsoft Online password?
Return to login.microsoftonline.com and sign in with the same username and the new password. Type the password manually the first time so a saved old password does not fill the field.
If sign-in still fails, check the username, keyboard language, Caps Lock setting, and accidental spaces. Update the saved password in the browser or password manager after confirming that the new password works.
Other Microsoft sign-in prompts on your devices may continue using the old password until you enter the new one. If the account becomes locked or the new password is rejected despite careful entry, stop repeated attempts and ask the organization’s support team to check the account status.
How do I contact support when Microsoft Online password reset fails?
For an employer, school, or organization account, start with that organization’s IT help desk or account administrator. Microsoft generally cannot override identity and access rules controlled by the organization.
Provide the username, the exact error message, where the error appeared, and which verification method failed. Do not send your password, full verification code, backup codes, or authenticator approval to support staff.
If the organization directs you to Microsoft support, use the verified support options presented through its official account or support pages. Avoid phone numbers or reset pages copied from unverified messages, advertisements, or search results.