Change your password from your Xbox console or online account page

You can change your Xbox password in two places: directly on your console, or through your Microsoft account online. The console method is faster if you are already signed in. The online method works if you are locked out or prefer to manage your account from a computer or phone.

Both routes take about five minutes and do not require you to sign out of your console or lose your game progress. You will need to know your current password for either method, unless you have already lost access to your account — in which case, use the account recovery process instead.

Key Takeaways

  • From your Xbox console, go to Settings > Account > Security > Change Password and follow the prompts without signing out.
  • Online, sign into account.microsoft.com, select Security, then Change Password, and enter your current password before creating a new one.
  • Your new password must be at least eight characters and include uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and a symbol.
  • After you change your password, you will stay signed in on your console, but other devices will sign you out for security.
  • If you cannot remember your current password, use the account recovery page instead of the change password option.

Change your password on your Xbox console

Start from the home screen and press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide menu. Select your profile picture in the top left corner, then choose Settings.

Go to Account, then Security, then Change Password. Enter your current password when prompted. Xbox will then ask you to create a new password. Type it twice to confirm you did not make a typo. Select Next and the change takes effect when ready.

You will remain signed in on your console. If you are signed into Xbox on other devices — a phone, tablet, or computer — those devices will sign you out automatically within a few minutes. You will need to sign back in with your new password on those devices the next time you use them.

Change your password through your Microsoft account online

Open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com. Sign in with your email address and current password. Select Security from the left menu, then find the Change Password option and select it.

Enter your current password again, then type your new password twice. Microsoft will check that your new password meets its requirements: at least eight characters, with uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and at least one symbol (like ! @ # $ % or &). If your password does not meet these rules, the page will tell you what is missing.

Select Next and Microsoft will confirm the change. You can then close the page. Like the console method, you will stay signed in where you are, but other devices will sign you out.

What password requirements Microsoft enforces

Your new password must be at least eight characters long. It must contain uppercase letters (A–Z), lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and at least one symbol. Symbols include ! @ # $ % & * ( ) - _ = + [ ] { } ; : ' " , . < > / ? \ | ` ~

Microsoft does not allow passwords that are too similar to your email address or your username. It also blocks passwords that appear on public lists of compromised passwords — if you try to use one, the page will reject it and ask you to choose something else.

Avoid passwords based on dictionary words, even with numbers added at the end. A password like "Sunshine2024!" is weaker than one like "Tr0pic@lSunset" because password-cracking tools check common words first. The longer and more random your password, the harder it is to guess.

What happens after you change your password

Your new password takes effect when ready on the device where you changed it. You stay signed in and can keep playing without interruption. On any other device where you were signed into Xbox — a second console, a phone, a PC — you will be signed out within a few minutes as a security measure.

The next time you try to use Xbox on another device, you will see a sign-in screen. Enter your email address and your new password. If you have two-factor authentication turned on, you will also need to enter a code from your phone or email before you can sign back in.

If you change your password because you think someone else may have accessed your account, check your recent activity. Go to account.microsoft.com, select Security, then Recent Activity. Look for sign-ins from places or devices you do not recognize. If you see any, select them and choose This wasn't me to flag them as suspicious.

If you cannot remember your current password

The change password option requires you to enter your current password first. If you do not remember it, you cannot use that route. Instead, go to account.microsoft.com/security/password-reset and select I forgot my password.

Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity. You can do this by entering a code sent to your recovery email address, a code sent to your recovery phone number, or by answering security questions you set up in the past. Once you verify, you can create a new password without knowing the old one.

If you do not have access to your recovery email or phone, and you do not remember your security questions, account recovery takes longer. Microsoft may ask you to provide a government ID or other proof that you own the account. This process can take several days.

Why you should change your password regularly

Changing your password every few months reduces the window of time that a stolen or guessed password can be used. If someone obtained your password months ago but has not used it yet, a new password locks them out when ready.

Change your password right away if you have reused it on other websites and one of those websites was breached. Hackers often test stolen passwords on popular services like Xbox, email, and banking sites. If your password appears in a public breach list, Microsoft may warn you — but do not wait for a warning to act.

You should also change your password if you shared it with someone who no longer needs access, if you typed it where someone else could see it, or if you used it on a public or shared computer. The longer a password has been in use, the more chances someone had to intercept it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to sign out of my console when I change my password?

No. You stay signed in on the console where you made the change. Other devices sign out automatically as a security measure, but you can sign back in with your new password whenever you use them next.

Can I change my password from the Xbox mobile app?

The Xbox app itself does not have a change password option. You must use either your console or the Microsoft account website at account.microsoft.com. The mobile app can help you manage your account in other ways, but password changes go through those two routes only.

What if I change my password and then forget the new one?

Use the password reset page at account.microsoft.com/security/password-reset. You will need to verify your identity through your recovery email, recovery phone, or security questions. You do not need to know your old password to reset it.

Will changing my password affect my Game Pass or Xbox Live subscription?

No. Your subscription is tied to your Microsoft account, not your password. Changing your password does not cancel, pause, or change any of your subscriptions or game library. You will still have access to everything you owned before.

How often should I change my Xbox password?

Microsoft does not require you to change your password on any schedule. Change it when you suspect someone else knows it, when you reuse it on other sites that get breached, or when you have not changed it in over a year. If you use a strong, unique password, you do not need to change it more often than that.