How to change your Outlook password (or reset a forgotten one)

Your Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live or MSN email uses your Microsoft account password. You change it on Microsoft's account site, not inside Outlook. Here are the official steps, whether you know your current password or not.

By David Ray · Updated October 30, 2026 · 5 min read · How we research

Which password are you changing?

Outlook is the app. The password belongs to the account behind it:

• @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com or @msn.com: a personal Microsoft account. The steps on this page apply.
• An address at your company or school that uses Outlook: a work or school account. Microsoft says to use passwordreset.microsoftonline.com, or ask your IT help desk. Your company may have its own rules.
• A Gmail, Yahoo or other address added to the Outlook app: change the password with that provider. Then update it in Outlook when Outlook asks.

Changing your Microsoft account password changes it everywhere you use that account: Outlook.com, Windows sign-in, Xbox, OneDrive and Microsoft 365.

Change your password when you know the current one

1. Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in.
2. Open account.microsoft.com/security and select Change password near the top.
3. You may be asked to confirm it's you with a code sent to your email or phone.
4. Enter your new password. Use one you haven't used before on this account.
5. Optional: Microsoft offers a box that reminds you to change it every 72 days.
6. Select Save.

After that, other devices signed in to the account may ask for the new password. On your phone, open the Outlook app and sign in again when prompted.

Microsoft also lets you go further and remove the password entirely, signing in with the Microsoft Authenticator app, a security key or a passkey instead.

Reset a forgotten Outlook or Hotmail password

These are the steps from Microsoft's help page "Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password":

1. Go to the Microsoft sign-in page (for example, from outlook.com, select Sign in), type your email address and select Next.
2. Select Forgot password? If you don't see it, use Microsoft's reset password link and enter your email address.
3. Choose where to get a verification code: your recovery email or phone.
4. Type the first part of that email address, or the last four digits of the phone number, and select Get code.
5. Enter the code, select Next, and type a new password.

No access to your recovery email or phone? Microsoft points you to its sign-in helper. If that doesn't work, there is an account recovery form. Microsoft says it replies within 24 hours to a working email address you give it, which can belong to a friend or family member. Answer as many questions as you can, and fill it in from a device and place where you normally sign in. Our guide to recovering an email account covers the form in more detail.

Watch out for fake password pages

Password reset is a favorite trick for scammers. Keep these rules in mind:

• Microsoft won't send you a reset link you didn't ask for. Its help pages say support agents are not allowed to send password reset links or access and change account details.
• Type the address yourself. Go to account.microsoft.com or outlook.com directly instead of clicking a link in an email or text.
• Check the address bar. Real Microsoft sign-in pages are on microsoft.com, live.com or microsoftonline.com. Look-alikes use extra words or odd spellings.
• Never share a verification code with anyone who calls or messages you, even if they say they're from Microsoft.
• Ignore "your mailbox is full, sign in to keep your email" messages. They are one of the most common phishing emails.

Not sure about an email? See how to tell if an email is legit. You can report scams to Microsoft at microsoft.com/reportascam.

Pick a strong new password

• Make it long. A short phrase of four or five random words is easier to remember than a jumble and harder to guess.
• Use it only here. If the same password is on a site that gets breached, attackers will try it on your email. You can see if your address shows up in known leaks with our data breach check guide.
• Use a password manager so you don't have to remember it.
• Turn on two-step verification on your Microsoft account, so a stolen password alone isn't enough.
• Keep your recovery email and phone current. They are how you get back in next time.

Questions people ask

How do I change my Outlook password?

Sign in at account.microsoft.com/security, select Change password, enter the new password and select Save. It changes the password for your whole Microsoft account.

How do I reset my Hotmail password?

Hotmail uses a Microsoft account. On the sign-in page select Forgot password?, get a code sent to your recovery email or phone, and choose a new password.

Can I change my Outlook password inside the Outlook app?

No. You change it on Microsoft's account site. The Outlook app then asks you to sign in with the new password.

What if I can't get the verification code?

Use Microsoft's sign-in helper, then the account recovery form if needed. Microsoft replies within 24 hours to a working email address you provide.

Will Microsoft call me about my password?

No. Microsoft says its support agents are not allowed to send password reset links or change account details. Treat calls and messages like that as scams.