Reset a Lost Hotmail Password

If you've forgotten your password or have been locked out of your Hotmail account due to unauthorized access, you can use the Microsoft Account recovery tool to reset your password. You will need to have a recovery email, phone number, or verification app associated with your account, or be able to answer a few questions about your account to verify your identity.

Steps

  1. Open the Outlook.com home page. Hotmail has changed names to Outlook.com, but it can still be accessed through the Outlook.com sign in page. Your Hotmail account still works with Outlook.com.
    • You can recover inactive accounts for up to 365 days since the last time you logged in. Accounts that have not been accessed in over a year will be deleted.
    • After manually deactivating an account, you have 30 days to retrieve and reactivate it before it is permanently deleted.
  2. Click the "Can't access your account?" link. This can be found beneath the email and password fields.
  3. Select "I forgot my password" and click "Next".
  4. Enter the Hotmail address you need access to in the "Microsoft account" field. Fill out the Captcha and click "Next".
  5. Select a verification method. In order to get access to the password reset page, you'll need to verify your identity with Microsoft. There are several methods for doing so, depending on the contact preferences you have set for your account.
    • Email - If you have a recovery email address associated with your account, a verification code will be sent to it. You must have previously set a secondary email for your account.
    • Use an app - If you have downloaded the Microsoft Account app, you can use it to generate a unique code to verify your identity. You must have previously set up your account to use this app when you had access to it.
    • Text - If you have a mobile phone number associated with the account, Microsoft can text you a unique code to verify your identity. You must have associated a phone number with your account when you had access to it.
    • I don't have any of these - This may also be labeled "I don't use these anymore". If you don't have any recovery information associated with your account, you can choose this option to answer a questionnaire that will prove your identity to Microsoft. This method is not guaranteed to work, especially if you can't remember old details about your account.
  6. Fill out the questionnaire (if necessary). If you had to select the "I don't have any of these" option, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to prove that you are the owner of the account. This is to prevent unauthorized users from accessing your private emails. You will need to provide an alternate contact email address before you start, but if you don't have one you can Make-an-Email-Address-for-Free.[1]
    • You will be asked questions such as previously-used passwords, account creation dates, and other questions about your account usage. Try to answer these as accurately as possible. These surveys are reviewed by support staff and matched against records to check for accuracy. Receiving a response may take a few days.
  7. Get your verification code. Once you've selected your verification method, retrieve your code to access the password reset page.
    • If you selected email as the verification method, make sure to check all possible locations for the verification email, including Spam. If you are using Gmail or Google Inbox, check the "Updates" section.
  8. Enter your verification code. If you still have the page open, you can enter the code in the box. If you've closed the verification page, you can open it again by starting the account retrieval process over again and choosing the same contact method.
  9. Create a new password. After entering your verification code, you'll be taken to the account reset page. Here you can create a new password that you'll use to access your Hotmail account. Click here for tips on creating a strong yet memorable password.
  10. Log into your account. Once your password has been reset, it will immediately become your account password. Use it to access your Hotmail account from the Outlook.com sign in page.[2]

Tips

  • There is no support email or phone number you can contact for account-related issues such as forgotten passwords. You need to use the automated tools outlined above.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://blogs.microsoft.com/cybertrust/2014/03/25/how-to-recover-an-account-if-you-havent-already-added-security-information-to-it/
  2. ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-live/account-reset-password-forgot-faq
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