Resetting Your Microsoft Account Password

To reset a Microsoft account password, open the Microsoft sign-in page, select “Forgot password?”, verify your identity, and create a new password. If you cannot use any verification method shown, try Microsoft’s sign-in helper or submit the Microsoft account recovery form.

Resetting a Microsoft password changes the password for services connected to the same Microsoft account. This may include Outlook, OneDrive, Microsoft 365, Skype, or Xbox when they use that account.

What do you need before resetting a Microsoft account password?

Before resetting a Microsoft account password, confirm the email address, phone number, or Skype name used for the account. A spelling mistake can start recovery for the wrong account or produce a message saying the account does not exist.

Have access to any email address, phone number, or authentication method Microsoft offers on the verification screen. Microsoft may display only part of an address or phone number for privacy.

It also helps to have the following information ready:

• A device and location previously used to sign in to the Microsoft account.
• Earlier passwords you remember, even if they no longer work.
• A separate working email address that Microsoft can use to contact you.
• Information about Microsoft services used with the account, if recovery questions request it.

If you think another person changed the password, use a device you trust. Do not send verification codes or passwords to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.

How do you reset a Microsoft account password?

The official Microsoft account password reset process begins from Microsoft’s own sign-in screen. Follow these steps:

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 “Forgot password?” or the equivalent password-recovery choice shown on the screen.
4. If Microsoft asks why you cannot sign in, choose the option that accurately describes the problem.
5. Select one of the identity-verification methods offered for the account.
6. Enter any requested part of the email address or phone number to confirm that it belongs to you.
7. Request the security code, then enter the code on the Microsoft page.
8. Create a new password that is different from passwords used previously.
9. Complete the prompts and sign in with the new password.

The exact wording and available choices can differ by account. Follow only the options displayed in the official Microsoft sign-in process.

How does Microsoft verify your identity?

A security code is a temporary code Microsoft sends or provides to confirm that the person requesting a Microsoft password reset controls a verification method connected to the account.

Microsoft may offer one or more verification choices, depending on the security information already associated with the account. Possible choices can include:

• A code sent to a recovery email address.
• A text message sent to a phone number.
• Approval or a code through an authentication method already set up for the account.
• Another identity check displayed during sign-in.

Select only a method you can currently access. Check that the partial address or phone digits match your information before requesting a code. If several codes were requested, use the newest valid code and enter it only on Microsoft’s official page.

What should you do if the Microsoft security code never arrives?

If a Microsoft security code does not arrive, first check the spam or junk folder for a recovery email. Confirm that the phone or email account can receive new messages, and make sure you selected the intended verification option.

If the listed email address or phone number is no longer available, look for wording such as “I don’t have any of these,” “Use a different verification option,” or another recovery choice. Microsoft displays only the alternatives that apply to that account.

Microsoft’s sign-in helper can guide you when the username, password, or verification method is causing the problem. If Microsoft offers no usable security method, the account recovery form may be the next official option.

Do not repeatedly guess codes or give a code to a person claiming to provide support. Microsoft support representatives cannot safely replace the account’s identity checks simply because someone says the account belongs to them.

How do you use the Microsoft account recovery form?

The Microsoft account recovery form is an identity questionnaire for an account that cannot be recovered with the verification methods shown during password reset. Use it when Microsoft directs you to account recovery and you can provide details that help establish ownership.

Submit the form from a familiar device and location when possible. Provide a separate working email address so Microsoft can communicate about the request.

The form may request information such as:

• Previous passwords associated with the Microsoft account.
• Basic account details entered when the account was created or updated.
• Information about Microsoft products or services used with the account.
• Recent contact names or email subject lines when those questions apply.
• Other account-specific details displayed in the form.

Answer as accurately as possible and do not invent information. The questions depend on how the account has been used, so not every person receives the same fields.

Two-step verification means sign-in requires an additional security method beyond the password. If two-step verification is enabled and every approved verification method is unavailable, the recovery form may not be able to restore access; follow the options Microsoft presents for that account.

What should you do after resetting your Microsoft password?

After resetting your Microsoft password, sign in again on the devices and apps that use the account. Replace any saved old password when a browser, email app, or device asks for updated credentials.

Then review the Microsoft account security area. Check recent sign-in activity, recovery email addresses, phone numbers, and authentication methods. Remove information you do not recognize and update recovery details that you can no longer access.

If the password may have been compromised, choose a unique replacement that is not used for another account. Also review forwarding rules, connected applications, and other account settings for changes you did not make.

How do you get official Microsoft account support?

If self-service recovery does not work, open {site}, find Microsoft Support, and choose the category for account access or sign-in problems. Use Microsoft’s sign-in helper or the contact options that the official support page offers for your issue and location.

Support can explain the available recovery process, but it cannot guarantee access or bypass identity verification. Never provide a password or security code to someone who contacts you outside the official support process.