Microsoft accounts are all the rage among professionals and thus becoming important to most of the working people. In case you use any Microsoft domain like Outlook or Hotmail for your email account, you should know how to reset your password whenever the need arises or when you are unable to access your account. Here we have provided a detailed guide on how to reset Microsoft password. read:
Some reasons why you might need to reset your Microsoft password:
- Forgot your account password
- Two-step verification and not receiving the key
- You have switched to a new device
Some basic things to check:
- If caps lock is on
- You have entered the wrong email address
- Have you cleared your browser history, cache and cookies?
However, if your case is complex and none of the above tricks apply to you, try resetting your password. This text contains everything you need to know:
Reset your forgotten Microsoft Outlook password:
To reset your Microsoft password, try the following method:
- Open your browser and go to https://account.live.com/resetpassword.aspx
- Now select the reason for “reset your Microsoft password” and click Next
- Enter your email address, phone number, Skype ID, and make sure you’re using the same information you used to create your account. Typically, Microsoft IDs end with the domains “hotmail.com or Outlook.com”.
- Now type the characters you find on the screen and click Next
- You can select an alternate email address/phone number or recovery information on file to receive a password reset control code.
Your Microsoft account settings play an important role in how your account works, so in many cases, changing your settings affects the sign-in process. In such cases, resetting the password alone will not help. Some of these scenarios are:
Don’t get the security code? Do this:
There may be several reasons why you are not receiving a security code. Possible causes are:
- You have blocked calls or messages from unknown numbers
- You have recently updated your phone’s security settings.
- Your email lands in the “Junk” folder.
So what’s next?
First check your phone settings and allow unknown numbers to call or text you. Then go to the Microsoft recovery page and select “I don’t have a code.” You will receive another code shortly.
Then keep an eye on your email settings and be sure to check your spam or spam folder in your email account. Search for “@accountprotection.microsoft.com” as valid verification codes are only sent from this address. Also, add this account to a trusted sender so you don’t lose any email from Microsoft in the future.
Another important thing is to make sure that the recovery information or alternate information you entered to receive the code is correct and not misspelled or entered incorrectly.
If necessary, reset the recovery data:
Microsoft displays only the last two digits of your phone number or the first two characters of your email address to protect user privacy. So if you want to check whether the security information is correct or not, follow these steps:
- Sign in to your Security Basics page with your Microsoft account.
- Click “Update Information”
- Replace the recovery data by selecting “I don’t have any of this” or simply by one of the registered methods.
To change your recovery information, you must first verify ownership of your account. To do this, you must answer a series of questionnaires that ask you, such as the subject lines of emails you have recently sent from your account, the date of birth you provided at the time of registration, your credit or debit card details, and any other personal information. You don’t need to be exact on every answer, close enough will suffice. But you are expected to answer some questions correctly to change the recovery data. After all, it all comes down to security.
The next important thing is if you are using another Microsoft account to recover your Microsoft account. If so, you may be confused with both accounts. Check which account you are logged into. Make sure you’re signed in to a work account and not the one you want to recover from.
Some other cases where resetting your password can help:
Losing access to your Microsoft account and not being able to get it back is a scary scenario as it can end up as data loss. Microsoft gives you a 30-day waiting period to maintain access if you have forgotten your password. So if you have no luck answering the questions, you have to speed up and collect all the necessary data to reset the recovery data to get the verification code. Even if you have changed your data, recover your account as soon as possible! So, if you’ve changed your security information but get the message “We’re not ready for you yet,” you may be living in a 30-day waiting period.
Can’t log in due to temporarily blocked profiles?
Sometimes a brand locks you down to protect you from unauthorized access. Therefore, to recover your locked Microsoft account, you need to verify your identity. You can even use a new phone number for this. It does not need to be linked to your account.
Reasons to block Outlook/Hotmail profiles:
- When you are detected as spam:
- While traveling or using a new device:
If Microsoft detects you as spam, suspicious, or fake, your access can be controlled by blocking your profile. This usually happens when you violate Microsoft’s terms and conditions
Whenever there is unusual activity, Microsoft pulls back its protection mechanism and starts checking what is happening. Therefore, you may need to verify that it is you when you sign in from a new location or from a new device.
Follow the given steps to unlock your account by resetting your password:
- Open https://account.microsoft.com/account/ and sign in to your locked account.
- Now enter your phone number to receive a security code via text message. You can use any phone that can receive text messages.
- Once the text arrives, enter the security code on the login page.
- Now create a new password to unlock your account.
Are you using your computer with a local account instead of a Microsoft account?
There are two types of sign-in options available when using Windows, Microsoft accounts or local accounts. When Microsoft accounts are available to everyone and across all Microsoft devices, apps, and services, local accounts can only be used on the specific device on which they were created. In such cases, your Microsoft account password can be recovered using the Microsoft website, but to reset your local account password, you need to follow the steps below:
How do I reset my Windows 10 account password?
- If you have forgotten your local account password, you must reset your device, which will erase all data, programs, and settings. So be sure to back up everything first.
- Then start the device and click the Power icon in the right corner of the screen.
- Hold down the Shift key, then reboot your device.
- Now, in the Boot Options menu, select “Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything”.
- Your device will reboot after that.
Important note: If you’ve set up a PIN instead of a password to sign in to your Windows 10 PC, you need to reset your PIN, not your account password.
How do I change my Microsoft account password?
If you’re having trouble signing in to your Microsoft account, there could be a number of causes for the problem, such as forgetting your password, turning on two-step verification, or trying to sign in on a different device.
Below are the little tips you need to follow to gain access to your account.
- In case your password doesn’t work even if you type the correct one, see Caps Lock. If it is on, turn it off and re-enter the password.
- Sometimes browser cache becomes the cause of login issues so remove it as soon as possible. However, please try a different browser to log into your account.
If the tips above aren’t helpful in gaining access to your account, password reset might do the trick for you. Also check the other situations below that may prompt you to reset your password.
If you have enabled two-step verification
Two-step verification is very useful for users, it increases account security. But sometimes it creates problems for users as many apps or devices are out of date or do not support these features. Therefore, you must use apps that support this feature.
When you turn on 2-Step Verification, you may not be able to sign in to third-party platforms with the same password because 2-Step Verification also changes the way you sign in to apps and programs. So if you’re confused about this, it’s pretty easy to figure out that instead of your Microsoft account password, you should now use your app password.
You can change your Microsoft password here:
But if you are already logged in on any platform, you can easily change your password by following the steps below;
- To change your Microsoft password
- First, go to the place where you signed in or can access your Microsoft account.
- Now to the “Security” option,
- After that click on Password Security
- Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice to set it as your account login credentials.
- Now click Save to apply the changes.
All the information we have provided is tried and tested, but in case you want specialized help, it is always advisable to try Microsoft support, which is only available through the official website. Do not fall into the trap of any type of fraud.
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Source: HIS Education