Change your Hotmail password through your account settings

To change your Hotmail password, sign into your account, go to your account settings, and select the security option to create a new password. Microsoft (which owns Hotmail) walks you through the process on the same screen where you make the change. The whole process takes about two minutes if you remember your current password.

If you cannot remember your current password, you will need to use the account recovery process instead — that route is longer and requires you to verify your identity through a phone number or backup email address you set up earlier.

Key Takeaways

  • Sign in to your Hotmail account, then click your profile picture or initials in the top right corner and select "View account".
  • Click "Security" in the left menu, then "Change password" under the Password section.
  • Enter your current password, then type your new password twice to confirm it matches.
  • If you forget your current password, use the "Can't access your account" link on the sign-in page to verify your identity and reset it.
  • A strong password contains at least 8 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Step-by-step: changing your password when you know the current one

Start by going to outlook.com or hotmail.com and signing in with your email address and current password. Once you are signed in, look for your profile picture or initials in the top right corner of the screen — click on it to open a small menu.

From that menu, select "View account" or "Manage your Microsoft account" (the exact wording depends on which version of Hotmail you use). This takes you to your account dashboard. On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu with several options — click on "Security".

Under the Security section, find the "Password" area and click "Change password". Microsoft will ask you to enter your current password one more time to confirm it is really you. After you do, you will see two blank fields: one for your new password and one to confirm it. Type your new password in both fields — they must match exactly, including capital letters and symbols.

Click "Next" or "Save" (depending on your version). Microsoft will confirm the change and may ask you to sign in again with your new password. Do that, and you are finished.

What to do if you cannot remember your current password

If you do not remember your current password, you cannot use the method above. Instead, go to the Hotmail or Outlook sign-in page and click "Can't access your account?" or "Forgot my password?" — this link appears below the sign-in fields.

Microsoft will ask you to enter your email address, then it will ask you to prove you own the account. You can do this in several ways: by entering a code sent to a phone number you registered, by entering a code sent to a backup email address, or by answering security questions you set up in the past. Choose whichever method you have information for.

Once you verify your identity, Microsoft lets you create a new password. You do not need to know the old one. After you set the new password, sign in with it and you are done.

Creating a password that is hard to guess

A strong password is at least 8 characters long and uses a mix of uppercase letters (A–Z), lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and symbols (!@#$%^&*). For example, "BlueSky2024!" is stronger than "password" or "12345678".

Avoid using words from the dictionary, your name, your email address, or information someone could find on social media (like your birth year or pet's name). The harder the password is to guess, the safer your account is.

Microsoft will tell you if your new password is too weak — if it does, try adding a number or symbol, or making it longer.

What happens after you change your password

After you change your password, you stay signed in on the device you used to make the change. On other devices — your phone, tablet, or another computer — you will need to sign in again with your new password the next time you open Hotmail or Outlook.

If you use Hotmail on your phone through the Outlook app or through your phone's email settings, you may need to delete the account and add it again with your new password. This varies by phone type, but your phone will usually prompt you to update your password if it stops working.

Recovering access if you are locked out

If you change your password and then forget the new one, or if someone else changes it without your permission, use the "Can't access your account?" process again. Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity using a phone number or backup email, just as described above.

If you no longer have access to the phone number or email address you registered with Microsoft, the recovery process is much slower. You will need to answer security questions or provide other proof that you own the account. Keep a backup email address and phone number current in your account settings so you can recover access if you need to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my password on my phone?

Yes. Open the Outlook app or go to outlook.com in your phone's browser, sign in, tap your profile picture, and follow the same steps as on a computer. The screens look slightly different on a phone, but the process is the same.

What if I change my password and my phone stops receiving email?

Your phone is still trying to sign in with your old password. Delete the Hotmail or Outlook account from your phone's email settings, then add it again and enter your new password when prompted. On iPhones, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts; on Android, go to your email app's settings and remove the account, then add it again.

Do I need to change my password regularly?

You do not need to change it on a schedule, but you should change it if you think someone else knows it, if you used the same password on another website that was hacked, or if you have not changed it in several years. Microsoft will sometimes ask you to change it if it detects suspicious activity on your account.

Will changing my password sign me out everywhere?

You stay signed in on the device where you made the change. On other devices, you will be signed out and will need to sign in again with your new password the next time you use them. This is a security feature — it prevents someone else from staying logged in if they somehow got your old password.