Change your Outlook password from the web or your desktop app

You change your Outlook password through your Microsoft account settings, not through Outlook itself. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Outlook on the web (in a browser), Outlook on your desktop computer, or Outlook on your phone. The fastest route is usually the web version, which takes about two minutes and works from any device.

Your Outlook password is the same as your Microsoft account password — the one you use to sign into Windows, OneDrive, or any other Microsoft service. When you change it in one place, it changes everywhere. After you change it, Outlook may ask you to sign in again on your devices to confirm the new password.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your Outlook password through your Microsoft account settings at account.microsoft.com, not through the Outlook app itself.
  • On the web version of Outlook, go to Settings, then Password, then Current Password, and follow the prompts to enter your new password.
  • On desktop Outlook, you cannot change your password directly in the app — you must use the web method or Windows Settings.
  • After you change your password, desktop Outlook and mobile Outlook may ask you to sign in again with the new password within a few hours.
  • If you forget your current password, use the "Can't access your account" link on the Microsoft sign-in page to recover it first.

Change your password in Outlook on the web

Open a web browser and go to outlook.office.com. Sign in if you are not already signed in. Look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen and click it, then select View all Outlook settings from the menu that appears.

In the settings panel on the left, click Password. You will see a section labeled Change password. Enter your current password in the first field, then enter your new password in the second field. Enter the new password again in the third field to confirm it. Click Save when you are done.

Outlook will confirm that your password has been changed. You may see a message asking you to sign in again on your other devices — this is normal and happens within a few hours. If you do not see this prompt, you can manually sign out and sign back in on your phone or desktop to speed up the process.

Change your password through Microsoft account settings

If you prefer to change your password outside of Outlook, you can do it directly through your Microsoft account. Go to account.microsoft.com in a web browser and sign in with your Outlook email address and current password.

Click Security in the left menu, then look for the section labeled Password. Click Change password. Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice (once to set it, once to confirm). Click Next and then Finish.

This method works the same way as changing it in Outlook settings — your new password will take effect immediately across all Microsoft services. You will need to sign in again on your devices to use the new password.

Update your password on desktop Outlook

Desktop Outlook does not have a built-in password change feature. You must change your password using one of the web methods above, then update it in Outlook on your computer.

After you change your password online, open Outlook on your desktop. You may see a prompt asking you to sign in again — if so, enter your new password. If you do not see a prompt, go to File in the top menu, then click Account Settings, then Account Settings again. Find your email account in the list, click it, and click Change. Enter your new password in the password field and click Next, then Finish.

Outlook will test the connection with your new password. If it succeeds, you are done. If it fails, double-check that you typed your new password correctly — passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital and lowercase letters matter.

Update your password on mobile Outlook

Like desktop Outlook, the mobile app does not let you change your password directly. Change it using the web method first, then update it in the app.

Open the Outlook app on your phone. You may see a sign-in prompt within a few hours of changing your password — if so, enter your new password and tap Sign in. If you do not see a prompt, open the app settings. On iPhone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom, then tap Settings. On Android, tap the menu icon at the top left, then tap Settings. Find your email account, tap it, and tap Change password or Re-enter password. Enter your new password and save.

What to do if you forget your current password

If you cannot remember your current password, you cannot change it using the methods above — you will need to recover your account first. Go to account.microsoft.com and click Sign in. On the sign-in screen, click Can't access your account.

Microsoft will ask you to enter your email address and a security code. You can receive this code by text message, email, or authenticator app, depending on what you set up when you created your account. Enter the code, then follow the prompts to reset your password. Once you have a new password, you can sign into Outlook and your other Microsoft services with it.

Troubleshooting password change problems

If you changed your password but Outlook still will not sign you in, make sure you are using the correct new password. Passwords are case-sensitive — if you set your password as "MyPassword123" and you type "mypassword123", it will not work. Check that Caps Lock is off and that you did not accidentally add a space at the beginning or end.

If you are certain your password is correct but Outlook still will not connect, wait a few hours and try again. Microsoft sometimes takes time to sync password changes across all its services. If the problem continues after several hours, sign out of Outlook completely, close the app, wait five minutes, and sign back in with your new password.

On desktop Outlook, if you see an error message about your password being incorrect even though you know it is right, try removing and re-adding your account. Go to File, then Account Settings, then Account Settings. Click your email account, then click Remove. Close Outlook, reopen it, and click Add Account. Enter your email address and new password.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my Outlook password sign me out of Windows?

No. Your Outlook password and your Windows password are separate, even though they are both part of your Microsoft account. Changing your Outlook password does not affect Windows sign-in. However, if you use your Microsoft account to sign into Windows, you can change that password separately through Windows Settings under Accounts and Your info.

Do I need to change my password on each device separately?

No. You change your password once through the web or Microsoft account settings, and it takes effect everywhere. Your devices will ask you to sign in again with the new password within a few hours, but you only set the new password one time. You do not need to change it separately on your phone, desktop, or tablet.

How often should I change my Outlook password?

Microsoft does not require you to change your password on a schedule. Change it if you think someone else knows it, if you used the same password on another service that was hacked, or if you have not changed it in several years. For most people, changing it once a year or when you suspect a problem is sufficient.

Can I use the same password I used before?

Microsoft will not let you reuse one of your last five passwords. If you try to set a password you have used recently, you will see an error message asking you to choose a different one. This is a security feature to prevent old passwords from being used again.

What if I see a message saying my password is too weak?

Microsoft requires passwords to be at least eight characters long and to include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols (like ! or @). If your password does not meet these requirements, you will see an error. Create a new password that includes all four types of characters and try again.