Recover Microsoft Account

If you don't use a password manager, those complex passwords can be hard to remember. If you forgot your Microsoft account password, which could be an account on outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com or even skype.com, you can't really recover that same password, but it's easy enough to recover your account resetting your password to something new.

Recoveryour Microsoft account password

In your web browser, go to the Microsoft Account page and then click on "Login" in the upper right corner.

Enter your Microsoft username and then click on the "Next" button.

Please note that due to changes over the years, you may have used any Microsoft-related email account such as your Microsoft account. This includes outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com and skype.com. Microsoft even allows you to sign up for a Microsoft account using external email addresses, such as your Gmail address. But the password of your Microsoft account will be different from the password of an external account.

Under the password field, click on the "I forgot my password" link.

On the next screen, choose the "I forgot my password" option and then click on the "Next" button.

You will be asked to type some characters you see on the screen as a security measure. Do it and then click on the "Next" button.

Verify your identity with an email address or phone number already in the file

If you set up your Microsoft account with an alternate email, select it from the list, verify the email address and then click the "Send code" button.

Alternatively, if you have a mobile device connected to your account, you can receive this code by SMS instead of by email.

Enter the code you received in the email and then click on the "Next" button.

Enter your new password, confirm your new password, then click on the "Next" button.

Your password has now been changed. Click on the "Next" button once more and you will be directed to the login screen where you can use your new password to login.

Verify your identity if you don't have an alternative email in the file yet

If you choose "I don't have any of these" from the list of contact methods, Microsoft will have to send a security code to a different email address as verification.

Enter the email address where you want to receive the code and then click on the "Next" button.

After receiving the code, enter it in the field provided and then click on the "Verify" button.

On the following screens, you must complete a form with information related to your account, such as first and last name, date of birth, country where you created the account, sent emails, etc. Click on "Next" and submit the form.

Once you have submitted the form, Microsoft will review the information you have provided and respond to your decision within 24 hours to the email address you provided.

If you entered enough correct information and your request has been accepted, you will receive an email with the steps to reset your password.

If your request was denied, you have the opportunity to test up to twice a day. If you cannot remember enough information to recover your account, you may need to create a new account.