Reset Your Outlook Password
If you forgot your Outlook password, that’s okay. Microsoft offers an easy-to-complete password reset process. All you need is your username (Outlook email address) and your verification method handy.
Here’s how to reset Outlook password on the web:
- Go to https://login.live.com/.
- Enter your username, then press Next.
- On the Enter your password screen, choose Forgot your password? below the password box.
- From here, you will be asked to verify your identity. The options here will vary based on the security settings you previously established, but you will be given at least one of the following options:
- You will be prompted to enter the code generated by your authenticator app.
- You will have the option to select your secondary email address or cell phone number to receive a verification code.
- Once you select the best verification option, you may have to press Get Code before moving to the next step.
- Paste or type the code you received.
- Select Next.
- Now, you will reset your password. Type a new password, then click Next.
💡 Tip: If resetting isn’t necessary, follow our guide on how to change your password in Outlook.
If You Couldn't Reset Your Outlook Password
Sometimes, even if you try to walk through the password reset tool, you don’t have any luck resetting your password.
Before going further, Microsoft recommends you do the following:
- Ensure Caps Lock is not on.
- Verify that you have entered your email address (username) correctly.
- Ensure you added any additional endings to the domain (i.e., @outlook.com.uk vs just @outlook.com).
- Double-check that you are looking at the right verification method.
- Verify that you entered any verification code provided correctly.
If you have done all of these things and still have issues, you can try using Microsoft’s Sign-In Helper tool to troubleshoot the issue further. It can help you perform an Outlook password reset or troubleshoot many other sign-on issues.
Microsoft Account Recovery: A Last Resort
Unfortunately, no Outlook password reset method is foolproof. If all else fails, Microsoft offers an option to recover your account even if you can’t reset your password or gain access to your account in another way.
Here’s how to fill out the Microsoft Account Recovery form:
- Go to https://account.live.com/acsr.
- Enter the Outlook email address you’d like to regain access to.
- Next, provide another valid email address Microsoft can use to contact you.
- Finally, you will fill out the security CAPTCHA to ensure you aren’t a bot.
Once you complete these steps, you will get a verification code sent to the email address you provided. In some cases, Microsoft may ask you for additional information, such as email subject lines in your inbox, contacts you have saved, or other defining characteristics of your inbox.
Additionally, Microsoft recommends you complete the form at a location where you commonly connect to the internet (like your home or work) and use a device you previously used to sign into your account. This helps determine if you are legitimate versus someone trying to hack an account.
Keep Your Inbox Safe With Clean Email
Passwords protect your accounts, but they can still be compromised—often through malicious emails with harmful links or attachments. To reduce this risk, you need a tool that helps manage and control your inbox. Clean Email provides features that support a cleaner, more organized mailbox.
Most notably, its Privacy Monitor tool regularly checks your email address against known security incidents and data breaches. If your email address appears on any lists of potentially compromised data, it will display to let you know how many incidents our system has identified.
In addition to Privacy Monitor, Clean Email offers other tools to help you avoid spam messages and maintain a clean inbox. For example, the Screener feature keeps all emails from new senders away from your Inbox, so you can first review them in the Screener tab and block spam right from there.
Clean Email offers many more tools to keep your inbox clean and secure, works with all IMAP-based email providers, and is available for macOS, mobile, and as a web app.
How To Reset Outlook Password - FAQs
What to do if I forgot my Outlook email password?
Go to the Outlook or Microsoft sign-in page and select “Forgot password?”. Follow the prompts to verify your identity using your recovery email, phone number, or security methods, then create a new password. If you no longer have access to recovery options, you may need to complete the account recovery form.
How to reset password in Outlook app on mobile?
You cannot reset your password directly in the Outlook mobile app. To recover access, you need to use Microsoft’s password reset page in a browser and then sign back into the app with your new password.
Why am I not getting my Microsoft Outlook verification code texts?
There are several reasons why you may not be getting your Outlook verification code texts or emails. First, check that they haven’t gone to a spam folder (yes, even SMS messages have a spam location). Next, check to make sure the number isn’t blocked. Finally, check that the number is entered correctly, as even one digit being off will cause issues.
