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Summary: Need to change your Hotmail password, but you forgot it? There are a couple of ways to change your Hotmail password - if you set things up properly when you created the account.
Passwords seem to be a hot topic among MSN Hotmail users. Apparently people lose them frequently, because I get a lot of questions relating to password loss and theft.
If you've simply forgotten your password, MSN Hotmail does provide at least one level of back-door that you can use to recover it - your alternate email address or secret question. If you don't have those, you're probably out of luck.
Here's the approach to take when you've lost your password....
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If your sign in to Hotmail fails, notice that there's a link immediately below the password field:
Click on that, and you'll be taken the "match the picture" question:
This dialog exists solely to prove that you are human ... current technology makes it extremely difficult for computers to examine that picture and understand the letters that are displayed within it. It's not always that easy for humans either! But the point is to prevent computer programs from being written which can try to guess passwords in some high-speed automated fashion ... you have to prove you're human first.
Assuming you are human, you're then given two options:
If you've configured Hotmail with an alternate email address, as I strongly recommend you do, you can have Hotmail email you at the alternate address a special message with a link that will then allow you to select a new Hotmail password.
Since most people having problems are using Hotmail as their only email address (another practice I strongly discourage), we'll go the other route and click on "Provide account information and answer your secret question." (If you don't know the answer to your secret question, see the related articles below.)
You'll then see this screen:
Enter the requested information exactly as you answered it when you set up the account. Assuming you get it correct, you'll then be taken to the Create a Password screen:
Once your password has been changed, if you do not have an alternate email address, Hotmail will prompt you to optionally create one:
And you're done!
Related:
Ask Leo! - How do I change my MSN Hotmail password?
Ask Leo! - I've forgotten the answer to my MSN Hotmail secret question, *and* my password, what do I do?
Ask Leo! - I've lost my Hotmail password, can you help get it back?
Ask Leo! - Someone has stolen my email account. What can I do to get it back?
Ask Leo! - Are free email services worth it?
Article C2355 - May 20, 2005
I know my password how do I make a new one
Posted by: eshe manselle at September 1, 2005 7:12 PMeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee qqquiox weer todo s depaswrod quiro saber todo de passwrd
Posted by: edwin at September 1, 2005 10:02 PMwhy email id is not opening i m putting my email address the writing my password cant open my inbox why?//
Posted by: hajra at September 2, 2005 12:23 PMhelp now
Posted by: katie at September 2, 2005 9:35 PMhow do I change my password?
Posted by: eshe manselle at September 3, 2005 4:20 PMso can u help me about pasword because i have forget my pasword this email besfort_gangsteri@hotmail.com
so send to me
Posted by: Shkelqim at September 3, 2005 4:37 PMin
kimi_aurora@hotmail.com
For my account information, is there any other way for me to get access to my account information, since i had no access to my hotmail account.
Thanz
Posted by: Calvin at September 4, 2005 9:49 PMYou must be able to log in. Otherwise anyone could get at it.
Posted by: Leo at September 4, 2005 9:53 PMi lost my MSN Hotmail password my email rajaa_mer@hotmail.com how can i retarn it the last password motdepass
Posted by: rajaa at September 4, 2005 11:49 PMI'm closing comments here because people are asking the same questions over and over.
1) PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE - it answers many questions that people keep asking.
2) PLEASE READ THE RELATED ARTICLES - they answer many more questions that people keep asking.
3) I CANNOT GET YOUR ACCOUNT OR PASSWORD BACK FOR YOU.
Posted by: Leo at September 5, 2005 8:36 AM