Outlook is a ubiquitous email platform used around the world for professional and personal communication. Making sure that your login credentials are updated regularly is a standard security requirement. Whether your account has been compromised, your password has expired, or a routine update is due, users must change Outlook password details while retaining access on other devices. The process changes by account type and device. In this guide, let us get the right steps for Windows, web, Android, and Mac.

What Is an Outlook Password Change?


An Outlook password change helps you recreate the credentials that secure your mailbox. Where you can change it depends on how your account is set up:

  • Hotmail, Outlook.com, and Live Accounts: Your Outlook.com password is the same as the Microsoft account password. Thus, you can change it on the official Microsoft account website.
  • Exchange Work Account or Microsoft 365: Access and Password rules are handled by the administrator of the organization.
  • Third-party Accounts Connected to Outlook: Yahoo, Gmail, iCloud, and Xfinity password are modified by the provider, not inside Outlook.

To change Outlook email password details on any of your accounts, you will have to re-enter your old password and then type your new password. Outlook then connects your account with the updated password. 

When Do You Need to Change Your Password?


  • Your account is compromised because an authorized person has gained access to your passwords, or your password has been stolen.
  • The email provider has provided you with a password reset link.
  • You have forgotten the existing password.
  • You need to do your routine security refresh.

How You Can Change Outlook Password on Outlook.com?


Microsoft account holders can ensure the password update by following a few simple steps:

  1. Proceed to account.microsoft.com and login with your existing password.
  1. Choose the option “Security”, then choose “Change Password” present on top of the page.
  1. Provide a new password and then confirm it.
  1. Optionally, you can also tick the box to enable a prompt to remind you to change your password every 72 days.
  1. Choose the option “Save.”

For enhanced protection, Microsoft also allows users to enable two-step verification or go password-less by removing the password altogether. However, it is always recommended to keep a password irrespective of whether you use the account for minor or major purposes.

Change Password in Outlook on the Web (Work or School Accounts)


Change Outlook Password on the Web

 Businesses that access their emails on the Outlook Web App get a sign-in URL through their administrator:

  1. Log in with your username as well as password.
  1. Choose Settings (the gear icon), then tap on the option “Change Password.”
  1. Use the instructions given on the “Change Password Page.”

Key points to note are as follows:

  • Password needs are set up by the administrator.
  • A few mailbox settings prevent changes from the Options page. In such cases, the helpdesk can be contacted.
  • Tablets, phones, and other email apps, like Mozilla Thunderbird or Apple mail, must be updated with the new passwords later.

How to Change Outlook Password on Windows? 


To change Outlook password on Windows, follow the below-mentioned sequence:

  1. Change your password with the email provider: Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Yahoo, Gmail, Xfinity, iCloud, or a corporate Exchange server.
  1. Then, open Outlook app for Windows.
  1. Provide your updated password when Outlook asks for it.

This is true for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, 2024, 2019, 2021, 2016, and the new Outlook for Windows. Xfinity users, for instance, need to make the change on the Xfinity website. A separate guide on the Comcast Email Password covers the whole process in great detail.

How to Change Outlook Password on Mac?


As per Microsoft, a password cannot be directly changed inside an Outlook app for Mac. Once the password has been changed elsewhere, the new password can be synchronized to the Mac app:

  1. Select the tab “Tools,” and choose “Accounts.”
  1. On the right pane, choose the account that requires a new password.
  1. Choose the disconnect symbol which appears next to your account name. It shows up when you have changed the new password, but you have not synced with the Mac.
  1. On the credentials window, provide the username as well as the new password.

This method is applicable across Outlook 2016, 2021, and 2024 for Mac.

How to Change Outlook Password on Android?



 There is no direct field in the Outlook mobile app for providing a new password. The account password must be first changed, either with an email provider or browser on the phone. You can then update by following the below-mentioned sequence:

  • Wait until the sign-in prompt appears on screen. IT support suggests that it can take up to two hours once you change the password.
  • Select the option “re-enter password” and then provide your new password when you see the prompt.
  • If no prompt shows up, select the profile icon, and then open “Settings” (gear icon), choose the account, and then tap on “Reset Account.” New mail should begin syncing within a few minutes.
  • If the error continues, remove the account from the app and add it again with the new password.

Menu labels can be different depending on device manufacturers and app versions. If you are using the old version of the Outlook app, you can update the app from the Google Play Store.

What You Can Do If the Password Is Forgotten?


You can reset Microsoft account password at account.live.com/ResetPassword.aspx. Just provide your email address, complete your verification, and then create a new password. Users of other providers can follow an in-depth guide on how to reset email password for detailed recovery options.

How to Create a Strong Outlook Password?


  • The password must have at least eight characters. There are accounts that need more.
  • Use a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, punctuation, and numbers.
  • Avoid birthdays, names, and common words.
  • Utilize a password that is not reutilized on any other website.
  • Set up two-step verification wherever applicable.
  • You can update the password on each app and device that connects to the account.

Read More: Creating a strong password sometimes creates a situation where you forget your password and cannot access your account. Users that get locked out of Google account can follow the steps mentioned in our guide to Recover Gmail Password.

Conclusion


The straightforward steps to change Outlook password settings are explained in this blog. Once you are clear about your account type, you can perform the relevant steps to reset your password. Microsoft and Outlook.com account users can make the changes online, while Mac, Windows, and Android apps just need the updated credentials. Avoid repeated sign-in errors by first changing your Outlook password on the web and then re-utilizing it on the app. A unique and strong password combined with two-step verification enabled ensures that your device remains secure.