If you’re like most computer users, you probably created your email account years ago and haven’t updated your login info since. Most email services like Outlook don’t require you to update it, so most people don’t bother to make changes unless there’s a security concern.
It’s important to know that changing your Outlook password on a semi-regular basis can protect your information more effectively. Even if you don’t want to change your info frequently, knowing how to do it is essential. Here are the steps you need to follow.
Change your Outlook.com password
Changing your password in the Outlook desktop client doesn’t change your email provider password. If you’re using an Apple, Yahoo, or Gmail email in Outlook, follow our guides on how to change your password with those services, then skip to the section directly below to learn how to alter your credentials in the Outlook app itself. Other email providers will require you to visit their respective websites to change your credentials there.
If you’re using an Outlook email address, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Log in to the Microsoft security page
Visit Microsoft’s dedicated security page and sign in. Select Password Security from the dashboard, and follow the on-screen security instructions.
Step 2: Choose a new password
The next page will ask you to confirm your current password again and input your new password. Choose something unique, secure, and long — mixing numbers, special characters, and both lowercase and uppercase letters — and input it twice as requested. Then hit the blue Save button.
And that’s it! You’ve changed your Outlook.com password. If you’re using the Outlook email client, read the next section to learn how to alter your password there.
Change your Outlook client password
If you’ve changed your password with your email provider and you want to make sure that your Outlook email client knows it, follow these steps below to change it.
Note: If you are using an email account other than Outlook, you will need your app password. You can get help finding or generating those at the respective pages for Yahoo, Gmail, and Apple.
Step 1: Open Outlook’s account settings
Launch the Outlook application. When it’s loaded, select File in the top menu, followed by Account Settings, and then Account Settings again in the drop-down menu.
Step 2: Change your password
If you have an Office 365 subscription that gives you semiannual updates or a stand-alone version of the Outlook client, select the email address you want to change, click Change, and type in your new password in the respective fields. Then click Finish.
According to Microsoft, if you have a monthly update subscription for Office 365, you should instead choose File > Account Settings > Update Password. Change your password and click OK.
Step 3: Make sure it works
This step is quite possibly the most crucial one: Making sure your new password works. To check if it does, close all of your open menus and re-open Outlook. Click on the Send/Receive button to see if all your emails showed up. If they’re all there, then your password change was successful.
If you are unable to access your emails, double-check that you entered your password correctly.
You might have to use the app password service rather than your login password if you use Gmail, Yahoo, or Apple. Click these links for Yahoo, Gmail, and Apple for more information.
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