UMD Password Reset and Account Access Help

Where to Reset Your UMD Password

Use the University of Maryland Division of Information Technology account-management system for a UMD password reset. Open {site}, find the information technology section, and select the option labeled Directory Password Reset or Forgot Passphrase. UMD calls the main account password a passphrase.

Confirm that the page belongs to the university before entering account information. It should open from the official UMD site, use a secure browser connection, display university branding, and refer to your Directory ID and passphrase. Avoid reset pages reached through unexpected messages, advertisements, or unofficial search results.

A legitimate reset page will not ask you to reveal your current passphrase to a support representative. If the page looks different from the university account system or requests unrelated personal or payment information, close it and begin again from {site}.

Steps to Reset a Forgotten Password

Have your Directory ID and access to a recovery method registered with UMD before you start. The available verification choices depend on the recovery information connected to your account.

1. Open the official account-management system and choose Forgot Passphrase.
2. Enter your UMD Directory ID and submit the request.
3. Select one of the verification methods shown for your account.
4. Wait for the verification PIN to arrive through that method.
5. Enter the PIN on the UMD verification screen and select Verify.
6. Enter a new passphrase in both required fields.
7. Select Reset Password to complete the change.

Follow every rule displayed beside the new-passphrase fields. The system may reject a passphrase that does not meet its current security requirements or that does not match in both fields. Because those rules can change, rely on the requirements shown during the reset instead of an old checklist.

Create a passphrase that is unique to UMD and difficult for another person to guess. Do not reuse a password from a personal email, banking, or social media account. Store it in a trusted password manager if you normally use one.

After the reset is confirmed, return to the normal UMD sign-in page and enter the new passphrase. If a browser or password manager fills in the old one, remove the saved entry or type the new passphrase manually.

Resetting Your UMD Email Password

Your Directory ID and passphrase provide access to most central UMD services. Faculty, staff, and graduate students generally use UMD Gmail, while undergraduate students generally use TERPmail. The exact email service assigned to you depends on your university role.

For UMD Gmail, the university sign-in process uses the same Directory ID passphrase managed by the central account system. An UMD password reset therefore updates the credential used to reach that email and other services that rely on central authentication. You may also be asked to complete multifactor authentication when signing in.

TERPmail is also connected to the student’s Directory ID, but its mailbox password is managed through the TERPmail management page after signing in with the Directory ID and passphrase. If you can reach the management page but cannot open the mailbox, review the TERPmail password setting there rather than repeatedly changing your central passphrase.

After changing an UMD email password, update the saved credential in any mail app, browser, phone, or password manager that still uses the old one. Repeated automatic attempts with an outdated saved password can make troubleshooting confusing.

What to Do If Password Reset Does Not Work

If UMD does not recognize the account, check the spelling of your Directory ID. Do not substitute your full email address unless the screen specifically requests it. A new user may need to activate or claim the account before using the forgotten-passphrase process.

If no verification option is available, the recovery information may be missing or outdated. If a PIN does not arrive, confirm that you selected a method you can currently access. Do not keep guessing the PIN or ask another person to receive it for you. Contact the IT Service Desk for identity-verification help.

A PIN or reset session may stop working after it has been used or after the session is no longer valid. Start a fresh Forgot Passphrase request from the official account-management system. Use only the newest verification message and keep the reset open in one browser tab.

If the reset succeeds but login still fails, try these checks:

• Type the new passphrase instead of accepting an automatically saved value.
• Confirm that the username belongs to the same UMD account you reset.
• Close old sign-in tabs and begin a new session.
• Complete the multifactor authentication prompt when it appears.
• Check the university service-status information for a current authentication problem.

Continued failure can also mean that the account is inactive, locked, expired, or affected by a change in your university status. Only UMD support can confirm the account’s state and tell you what verified action is required.

Contact UMD Account Support

The University of Maryland Division of Information Technology IT Service Desk is the official support team for Directory ID, passphrase, central sign-in, multifactor authentication, and university email access. Its official support area offers phone, email, live chat, online help requests, and support articles. Use the verified contact block shown with this page for the current details.

Before contacting support, have your full name, Directory ID, university role, and a clear description of the error ready. Mention which service you were trying to open, the step where the reset failed, and whether you can access your registered verification method. If possible, record the exact error text without including sensitive information.

Never send your current or new passphrase, verification PIN, multifactor approval code, or complete recovery details. Support may need to verify your identity through an approved process, but a representative should not need your password. If someone requests it, end the contact and return to the official UMD support channel.