How to Recover a Microsoft Account Password

To recover a Microsoft account password, start the official password-reset process, verify your identity, and create a new password. If you cannot use the listed recovery options, submit Microsoft’s account recovery form with information that only the account owner should know.

These steps apply to a personal Microsoft account used with services such as Outlook, Hotmail, OneDrive, Xbox, or Skype. A work or school account may be controlled by an organization, so its administrator may need to reset the password.

How do I start Microsoft password recovery?

Use Microsoft’s official sign-in page rather than a password-recovery service found in an advertisement or message. Have the full email address, phone number, or Skype name connected to the account ready.

1. Open {site} and select the option to sign in.
2. Enter the email address, phone number, or Skype name for the Microsoft account.
3. Select the option for a forgotten password or another sign-in method.
4. Follow the prompts shown for that account. The available choices depend on the security information previously added to it.

If you are unsure which address belongs to the account, check a device where Microsoft services are still signed in. You can also look for earlier Microsoft messages in your other email inboxes. Do not sign out of a working device until account access has been restored.

How do I verify my identity for a Microsoft password reset?

Identity verification confirms that the person requesting a reset controls a security method connected to the Microsoft account. Microsoft may offer a recovery email address, a phone number, an authenticator approval, or another security option already associated with the account.

1. Select a recovery method that you can access now.
2. Confirm any requested part of the email address or phone number.
3. Ask Microsoft to send or display a security code.
4. Retrieve the code from the selected method and enter it on the Microsoft verification screen.

Read the masked recovery details carefully before requesting a code. A partially hidden email address or phone number may be old, shared, or different from the one you expected.

Never give a security code to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Enter the code only in the official Microsoft recovery process that you started yourself.

How do I reset and confirm a new Microsoft password?

After Microsoft accepts the identity check, the reset screen asks for a new password. Create a password that is different from passwords used for Microsoft or any other account.

1. Enter a new password that meets the requirements displayed on the reset screen.
2. Enter the same password again in the confirmation field.
3. Save the change and return to Microsoft sign-in.
4. Sign in with the Microsoft account name and the new password.

A password manager can generate and store a unique password. If you write the password down temporarily, keep it somewhere private and remove the note after saving it securely.

Some devices and apps may continue trying the old password. Update the saved password when prompted. If repeated automatic attempts cause another lockout, stop retrying on those devices until their stored credentials have been updated.

How can I recover a Microsoft account without access to the verification email or phone?

If none of the displayed verification methods are available, choose the option that says you do not have access to them or cannot use the listed method. Microsoft may direct you to an account recovery form. The recovery form is a questionnaire used to compare your answers with information already associated with the account.

Complete the form from a device and location previously used with the Microsoft account when possible. Provide a working email address where Microsoft can contact you; it does not have to be the address being recovered.

Answer as many questions as accurately as possible. Depending on the account, useful details may include:

• Earlier passwords you remember.
• Your name, birth date, and other profile details as originally entered.
• Contacts or recent email subject lines associated with the mailbox.
• Microsoft services, devices, or account identifiers you have used.

Do not guess repeatedly or submit invented information. If the form is not accepted, review old records and try again with more accurate details. Microsoft support cannot bypass identity verification simply because a person explains that the account is theirs.

What should I do if Microsoft password recovery keeps failing?

For a missing security code, check spam or junk folders, confirm that the displayed recovery destination is correct, and make sure the phone can receive messages. Use the newest code requested because an earlier code may no longer work. Avoid making many requests in quick succession.

For an unrecognized account, check the spelling and domain of the email address. Try another email address, phone number, or Skype name that may have been used for Microsoft sign-in. An address managed by an employer or school may require that organization’s password-reset process.

For a locked account, follow the unlock or security-review prompts displayed during sign-in. A lock can require an additional code or account review before a password can be changed.

For repeated reset failures, clear typing errors, turn off automatic password filling, and try a private browser window. If the new password works in a browser but not in an app or device, remove the saved old password there and sign in again.

How do I contact Microsoft Support about account recovery?

If self-service Microsoft account password recovery does not restore access, open {site} and look for Support or Contact Microsoft Support. Choose the product and the sign-in or account-access issue that most closely matches the problem.

Prepare the account name, the exact error message, the recovery steps already attempted, and whether any trusted device remains signed in. Do not send a password or security code to a support representative.

Support can explain the official recovery options and help diagnose technical problems. Support representatives generally cannot reveal account information, manually replace required identity checks, or grant access to another person’s account. If the account belongs to a workplace or school, contact that organization’s administrator instead.