Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Many people fail to set up alternate email addresses correctly, rendering password resets and reminders useless. We look at how best to set them up.
I'm unable to login to my Hotmail account, so I wanted to try the option of sending a password reset via email. But how can I receive that reset password link if the whole problem is that I can't login and get my email because I don't have the password?
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A classic chicken and egg problem. You need your password to receive the reset, but you need the reset in order to get your password.
I see this happen also when people specify bogus "alternate email" addresses, or don't specify one at all.
In a nutshell, you're SOL - severely out of luck.
The best we can do is prevent this situation from coming up again in the future.
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The whole idea behind an email password reset or reminder is that the email should go do a different account. That's why it's called an alternate email address. Obviously if you can't login to get the reminder, the reminder is useless.
So when you set up your account, be it Hotmail, Yahoo, or whatever - simply make sure that you specify an alternate email address:
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that is valid
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that you have access to
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that you will continue to have access to ... you won't let it expire and you won't lose the password
That way, when you need a password reminder or reset for one email account, it gets sent to the other.
This doesn't need to cost anything at all. If you're using a free email account, then set up another, and have them be each other's "alternate" email address.
In fact, I actually recommend that you use different services. For example, when creating a Hotmail account, also create a Yahoo account. Then have the Hotmail email address be the alternate address for the Yahoo account, and have the Yahoo email address be the alternate email address for the Hotmail account.
Lose or forget one, and you'll be able to pick it up at the other.
Based on the questions I get, this one simple step would save a lot of people a lot of grief and anguish.
Important: Even though it's called out in the notes with the comment form below, people still insist on asking, so to be clear: I cannot recover your account or password. Requests to do so will be deleted.
Article C2909 - January 25, 2007
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
How do I change my yahoo password reminder question and answer?
Posted by: kristopher stewart at October 15, 2008 1:05 PMIm having a problem with my friendster account, i forgot my password.now im asking them to send my password thru email, but the problem is i used my alternate email address..how can i retreive my password? because my default & alternate email address have same password.or is it possible if i could change the default address to alternate address that im using? please do help me.thanks
Posted by: gm at November 17, 2008 7:16 PMI put my hotmail account as my alternate e-mail for yahoo and it doesnt recieve the reminder message. The yahoo e-mail was very important and is where all my personal and work e-mails are sent. Has this happened to anyone else or is it just my luck?
Posted by: rha at January 2, 2009 7:52 AMI fortgot my hotmail password so I set up a new live account but there has not been any response for a new password. It is critical that I retrieve this information. Can you help me? Thanks!
Posted by: Kim R. Duell at January 6, 2009 6:22 PMDear Sir
Posted by: Harry Foo at August 12, 2009 7:02 PMHow to delete away un-used alternate primary email address
Thanks
Harry Foo