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
You 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 AMI have forgotten my password and for some strange reason i am not given the option of the secret question , can you please advise why?
Posted by: Danielle at July 6, 2009 1:03 AMthis doesnt even work
am on the bit where it sayz..
''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:...
Posted by: jesy at July 8, 2009 2:27 PMi get stuck on dat bit it dont even work plz can sum1 help me???????????????????
it said i was using the wrong password but i was using the right. the other stuff didnt help me. what do i do? :x
Posted by: Red P. at July 9, 2009 7:32 AMHello, I seem to be having an issue with this. I have an old hotmail account I'd like to get into, but every time I try to reset my password, I type in my email address and the captcha shown, but it always shows this message every time:
The sign-in e-mail address is incorrect or the typed characters don't match the picture or audio. Please try again.
(Note that I have tried this multiple times, and every time I receive this same message.)
If you have any adivce on this issue, please email me at samantha_mroz@yahoo.com
Posted by: SLM at July 18, 2009 2:44 PMhow can u login 2 my account at [email address removed] @hotmail.com i cant login i 4get my password then try 2 do the id thing and this pop up "This e-mail address is part of a reserved domain such as live.com, hotmail.com, or msn.com. Please enter a different e-mail address."... so i dont know what 2 do plz help! thankz...
Posted by: claudia at July 28, 2009 5:58 PMeverytime i click "forgot password?" i do my email, then the code and the only thing that comes up is, and i dont get to the secret answer, i didnt put in my alternate email either,
"Send password reset instructions to me in e-mail
Select an e-mail address:
[email address removed] @hotmail.com
Alternate e-mailng but the only thing that comes up is"
can you please help ?
Posted by: leigh at July 30, 2009 1:44 AMI am sure my msn was hacked my password was changed along with alternate email and secret question.Do you know what can be done about that?
Posted by: Kelly at September 2, 2009 10:11 PM