Microsoft account password forgotten

If you forgot your Microsoft account password, or if you need to reset it, you can use the solutions on this page. If you don't know the email address associated with your Microsoft account, see Find your Microsoft account.

Note Microsoft account is the new name for what used to be called Windows Live ID. These two names mean the same thing.

If you know the email address for your Microsoft account but can’t remember the password, you'll need to reset your password. Here's how:

1. On your computer, go to the Reset your password page. The following screen appears:

1. In the first text box, type your Microsoft account.
   Note If you don't know your Microsoft account, see Find your Microsoft account.
2. In the second text box, type the characters that appear just above the second text box.
3. Click Next.
2. After you click Next, the following screen appears:

Choose the option that works best for you.

• Email me a reset link – Choose this option to have a reset link sent to the alternate email address that is associated with your account. When you open the password reset email, click the link to reset your password.
• Use my trusted PC – Choose this option if you have associated a trusted PC with your account, and you’re currently using that trusted PC. When you choose this option, the system confirms that you’re using a trusted PC, and you’re prompted to reset your password.
• I can’t use any of these options – Click this link if the reset link and trusted PC options do not work for you. For detailed information about how to proceed after you click this link, see the next section.

If you can't use any of the password reset options, you can still get access to your Microsoft account by completing an online account recovery form. To do this, go to Recover your Microsoft account, follow the steps in the section above, and choose I can’t use any of these options. Then, follow the prompts to complete the online account recovery form to recover your account.

To help maintain security for your Microsoft account, you will be prompted for several pieces of identification information that you provided when you initially set up your Microsoft account.

Tips for completing the online account recovery form

• Provide an alternate email address – make sure you have access to this email address so that we can send your account information to you.
• Answer as many questions as you can.
• Use the information you provided when you created the account or last updated it.
• Submit the form from a computer you frequently use.
• Keep in mind that your email address may be country-specific. For example, if you created your account in Sweden, your domain would be “hotmail.co.se” instead of “hotmail.com.”

If you have access to your Xbox console and are able to sign into your profile, you can locate the following information on the console:

• First name
• Last name
• Country or region
• State
• Zip Code
• Name on your credit card
• Last four digits of your credit card
• Expiration date for your credit card

To locate this information on your Xbox console, sign in using your Xbox LIVE gamertag. Here's how:

1. Go to Settings, and then select Account.

2. Select Manage Payment Options to view information about your payment instruments and account information.

The following is information that you may know but that is not located on your Xbox console:

• Date of birth – The date of birth used when you created your Xbox account.
• Answer to your security question – If you set up a security question on your account and you know the answer.
• Other passwords you've used for this account – If you've changed your password before and can remember the previous passwords, be sure and include them on the form.
• Email information – Provide this information if your Microsoft account is an email address that ends in one of the following:
• hotmail.com
• live.com
• msn.com
• outlook.com email address

What can I expect once I complete the online form?

After you complete the online account recovery form, you'll receive an email acknowledging that your request has been received, and you'll receive a response to that request within 24 hours.

If you're still not able to reset your password after you've completed the online account recovery form, try the following:

• Check your spam or junk folder to see if any of the account recovery emails are there.
• If you received an email indicating that the information you provided was not sufficient, follow the instructions in the email to resubmit to form. Be sure to use the tips above to help you complete the form.