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Your Microsoft account holds the keys to many other accounts you may have, for example, Hotmail, Live.com, Xbox, or Skype. If you forgot your Microsoft password and don’t have it saved in a password manager, unfortunately, you won’t be able to recover it. However, all is not lost, because you can reset your password in a few simple steps.
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How to reset your Microsoft account password
Go to the Microsoft Account page and click on the user icon in the upper right-hand corner.
Type in your email address, phone number, or Skype name and click “Next.”
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3. On the next page, click “Forgot password?”
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4. Microsoft needs to verify your identity by sending you a security code. Here, you’ll have an option to either get it sent to an alternative email address or your phone number. The option you get will depend on what contact details you’ve previously provided. In this case, we chose an email.
If you don’t have access to either your alternative email or phone number, and can’t get a security code, please follow the instructions in a section below, which details how you can reset your password if you can’t verify your identity.
5. Now select your alternative email address to confirm that it’s yours and click “Get code.”
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Check your inbox for the recovery code, copy the code into the required field, and click “Next.”
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6. You should now be able to reset your password. Create a new one and enter it twice to confirm the changes.
How to reset your password if you can’t verify your identity
Repeat the first three steps described above. When you are on the “Verify your identity page,” click “I don't have any of these.”
A new page will open. Enter a new email address that isn’t the one connected to your Microsoft account. Then complete the CAPTCHA below.
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3. Microsoft will send a code to your new email address. Check your inbox for the security code and enter it into the text field. Click “Verify.”
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4. Now enter your new password and click “Save.”
How to change your Microsoft password
Go to the Microsoft account page and sign in with your current username and password.
Now click the “Security” tab at the top of the page.
Under the “Password security” tab, click “Change my password.”
Enter your current password and then enter a new password. Your new password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.
Confirm your new password, then click “Save.”
Your Microsoft account password has now been changed. You will need to sign in again on all devices and services where you use your Microsoft account.
How to set up passwordless authentication for your Microsoft Account
Passwordless authentication is a hot topic these days. It seems like everybody is ready to ditch passwords and embrace passkeys. Well, there’s a good reason for that — passkeys are more secure and incredibly convenient since your device becomes your gateway into your account. With passwordless authentication enabled you will no longer need to remember or type out passwords to access your Microsoft account. Sounds incredible, right? Here’s how you can set it up:
Download the Microsoft Authenticator app either from the App Store or Play Store and install it on your mobile device.
Start the Authenticator app and follow the instructions to set up your account.
Sign in to your Microsoft Account Additional security options.
Under Password-free account, click “Turn on.”
Follow further instructions to verify your account.
Approve the request sent to your Microsoft Authenticator app.
That’s it — you no longer need to use a password to access your Microsoft account.
Note that you can always go back to using password-based authentication whenever you please.
How to prevent losing your passwords
Understandably, truly secure passwords are easy to forget. They are long, complex, and should be tricky to remember because if you can’t, then a hacker will struggle with it too. However, you shouldn’t have to go through the recovery process every time you forget your password.
With a password manager like NordPass, you can save all your login details in one place. All you need is to remember your master password. Password managers not only protect your credentials and help you organize them, but also simplify your digital life. NordPass autosaves new passwords in a click and autofills them when you visit your favorite websites. You can use it on desktop, mobile, or as a browser extension.