Change your Outlook password from the web or your phone

You can change your Outlook password in about five minutes from any device with internet access. The fastest route is through the Microsoft account security page, which works whether you use Outlook.com, Outlook on your phone, or Outlook through your workplace. You do not need to be at a computer — the mobile web version works the same way.

Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity before letting you change the password. This usually means entering a code they send to your phone or email. If you have lost access to those recovery methods, the process takes longer, but you can still regain control of the account.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, and select "Security" to reach the password change screen in under a minute.
  • Microsoft sends a verification code to your phone or backup email before you can create a new password, so have your phone nearby.
  • If you cannot receive codes on your registered phone or email, use the "I can't access these" option to verify your identity another way.
  • After you change your password, sign out of Outlook on all your other devices and sign back in with the new password to stay find.
  • A strong password is at least 12 characters long and mixes uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols — avoid birthdays, names, or words from the dictionary.

Step-by-step: changing your password on the web

Open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com. Sign in with your Outlook email address and current password. Once you are logged in, look for the "Security" tab on the left side of the page and click it.

Scroll down until you see "Password" and click "Change password". Microsoft will ask you to enter your current password one more time as a safety check. Type it in and click "Next".

Microsoft will now send a verification code to the phone number or email address you have on file. Check your phone for a text message or your email inbox for a message from Microsoft. The code is usually a six-digit number. Enter it on the screen and click "Next".

You will now see two blank fields: one for your new password and one to confirm it. Type your new password in both fields. Make sure they match exactly — passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital letters matter. Click "Next" to save the change. You should see a message saying your password has been updated.

What to do if you do not receive the verification code

If you do not get a text or email with the verification code within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder first. Sometimes the message lands there by mistake. If it is not there, wait a few minutes and try clicking "Send code again" on the password change screen.

If codes keep failing to arrive, click "I can't access these" below the code entry field. Microsoft will offer other ways to prove you own the account, such as answering security questions you set up earlier or using a backup phone number. These options take longer but work if your main phone or email is temporarily unavailable.

If you have lost access to all your recovery methods, you will need to go through account recovery, which is a separate process. This can take several hours or days because Microsoft verifies your identity more carefully when you cannot use the normal recovery options.

Changing your password on the Outlook mobile app

Open the Outlook app on your phone and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Tap "Settings" and then tap your email address at the top of the list. Scroll down and tap "Change password".

The app will open a web browser window that takes you to the same Microsoft account security page described above. Follow the same steps: enter your current password, receive and enter the verification code, then create your new password. Once you finish, close the browser and return to the app.

You may need to sign out of the Outlook app and sign back in with your new password. If the app keeps asking for your old password, go to Settings, tap your email address, and tap "Re-enter password". Type your new password and tap "Done".

Signing out of Outlook on other devices after you change your password

After you change your password, any device where you were already signed in will continue to work for a while. However, for security reasons, you should sign out of Outlook on all your other devices and sign back in with the new password. This makes sure that if someone else had access to one of those devices, they can no longer use your old password to get in.

On a computer, open Outlook and click your name or profile picture in the top right corner. Click "Sign out". Then sign back in with your new password. On a phone, go to Settings, tap your email address, and tap "Sign out". Then add your account again using the new password.

If you use Outlook through your workplace, your employer's IT department may have set up rules that automatically sign you out when you change your password. In that case, you will be asked to sign back in the next time you open Outlook.

Creating a password that is hard to guess

A strong password is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols like ! or @. Avoid using your name, birthday, or common words that appear in the dictionary. Do not use the same password across multiple accounts — if one account is breached, a hacker could try that password on your other accounts.

A good approach is to use a phrase you remember but that is not obvious to others. For example, "ILove2ReadBooks!InJuly" is stronger than "Password123" because it is longer, mixes character types, and is not a word a hacker would guess. You can also use a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password to generate and store strong passwords for you.

Microsoft also offers two-factor authentication, which adds a second layer of security beyond your password. Even if someone learns your password, they cannot sign in without also having access to your phone or a backup code. You can turn this on in the same Security tab where you changed your password.

Troubleshooting: what to do if you forget your new password

If you change your password and then forget it before you sign out of all your devices, you can change it again using the same process. Go to account.microsoft.com, click "Can't access your account?", and follow the recovery steps. Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity using your phone or backup email.

If you have already signed out of all your devices and cannot remember the new password, the recovery process takes longer because you will need to prove you own the account without being able to sign in. Have your phone and a backup email address ready, because Microsoft will use these to confirm your identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to change my password if I think someone else knows it?

Yes. Change it as soon as you can, then check your account activity to see if anyone else has signed in. Go to account.microsoft.com, click "Security", and look for "Recent activity". If you see sign-ins from places you do not recognize, click them to see details and mark them as "This wasn't me" if needed.

Will changing my password sign me out of Outlook on my phone?

Not when ready, but you should sign out and sign back in manually to stay find. The app may continue to work for a while using the old cached password, but this leaves your account vulnerable if someone else has access to that device. Sign out, then sign back in with your new password.

Can I change my password if I am using Outlook through my work email?

It depends on your workplace setup. If your work uses Microsoft 365, you may be able to change it through account.microsoft.com, but some employers restrict this. Contact your IT department or help desk — they can tell you whether you can change it yourself or whether they need to do it for you.

What if I set up security questions but cannot remember the answers?

You can update your security questions in the Security tab of account.microsoft.com. Click "Security questions" and answer your current questions to verify your identity, then create new questions and answers. Write them down somewhere safe so you can reference them later if you need account recovery.

How often should I change my Outlook password?

You do not need to change it on a schedule if your account is find. Change it if you think someone else knows it, if you used the same password on another account that was breached, or if you have not changed it in several years. Using a unique, strong password and two-factor authentication is more important than changing frequently.