Sciencetext Tips & Tricks

Tech talk, social media, blogging, computing tips and tricks

Reset Your Windows Live Password

November 15th, 2007 · by David Bradley >> 36 Comments

Did you fall for the wonder that is a Windows Live account. It does have several unique advantages over other systems in that acts as a passport for MSN, Office Live, and Microsoft Passport sites, including the likes of Hotmail (now 5 Gb of storage space), Spaces, and OneCare.

Reset Windows Live Password

But, what do you do if you forget your password? Well, there are some simple steps to take to reset your Windows Live Password. The page to visit is https://account.live.com/ResetPassword.aspx but you don’t have to take my word for it, instead you can visit the Live site, click sign in, and then “Forgot password”. Either way you should see a screen like that shown (click the graphic for a larger view). You simply enter your ID (often your Hotmail email address) and complete the captcha (that is, type the letters seen in the box or use the audio option. If you cannot read the graphic, then use the reload button to get a fresh view).

Once you’ve done that successfully, you will be presented with your security questions. You must enter your country/region, this will pop up a post code box too, fill that in and then answer the actual security question, which might be something like “What is my son’s middle name?”.

Once you’ve done that, you will be presented with yet another dialog, this one allows you to choose and enter a new password. Choose something memorable (try my passwords for scientists tip for inspiration) and make sure it’s strong. The password strength meter should allow you to gauge how well you’ve done in coming up with something close to uncrackable.

Windows Live Password

At this point you can also opt to make your password expire automatically after 72 days. One thing to watch out for is a scam email you might receive periodically that purports to be the 72-day alert but is not, read this post on the Windows Live Password scam for more information and never click a link in an email, always go to the original site by typing in the browser address bar when you want to change or confirm any account details for any site.

Everything there is to be said about this is included in the post and previous comments and their responses, so as of April 1, 2008, I’ve disabled comments on this post.

36 responses so far ↓

  • Lorna // Dec 18, 2007 at 8:59 pm

    I do not know my password and do not know my secret question to review my password, how do I go about alleviating this situation and what do I do?

    Lorna

  • David Bradley // Dec 19, 2007 at 6:53 am

    Lorna, if you can still download email from the alternate email address you used to register with live.com you can simply ask the server to send you re-set instructions.

    db

  • Brian // Jan 11, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    Lorna, I am having the same problem. Plus, I do not know my alternate email addy. My little bro set my account up and skipped these steps. I am currently on the line with tech support and have been waiting to talk with someone for about 45 min

  • David Bradley // Jan 12, 2008 at 3:17 pm

    45 minutes Brian? A mere blink of the eye in tech support waiting times, which can be of the order of geological epochs.

    db

  • Jens-Otto // Jan 19, 2008 at 1:20 am

    Hi!

    I have received two mails the last few days from “Microsoft Customer Support” (postmaster@live.com). The mails say:

    We received your request to reset your Windows Live password. To confirm your request and reset your password, follow the instructions below. Confirming your request helps prevent unauthorized access to your account. If you didn’t request that your password be reset, please follow the instructions below to cancel your request.

    I haven’t requsted to change my password. Is this scam? Should I do something about this?

    I would be thankful for any help:-)

  • David Bradley // Jan 19, 2008 at 9:07 am

    If it’s not a scam, it’s definitely a spam. I’d just ignore it. I don’t think someone at Microsoft doesn’t already know about this particular type of phishing email

    db

  • david // Feb 4, 2008 at 8:59 am

    when u get that mail from microsoft its because someone really is messing up with ur account, u can see for urself if u reset ur password, u will see the message so u can now see that is real.

  • David Bradley // Feb 4, 2008 at 5:11 pm

    @David I suppose that on occasion it might be generated by someone actually messing with your account, but I suspect like a shipload of other junk email it’s actually just text that’s been scraped by a bot at some point and is now incorporated into automatic spamming and scamming software.

    db

  • sarah // Feb 9, 2008 at 9:46 am

    hi
    i forgot my password, alternate email and my secret question

    i really need help
    plz help

  • David Bradley // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:23 pm

    Sarah. That was a bit silly wasn’t it? Scuppered now, you are.

    db

  • steve // Feb 11, 2008 at 9:20 pm

    i have a small problem. i have forgotten my windows live/msn password and have had the reset link sent to my alternate email numerous times now but when i click or cut and paste it into the address bar it only comes up with a windows live loading screen and does nothing else. could this be something to do with a setting on mu computer? i have never had a problem like this before, any ideas anyone?

  • Raul // Feb 12, 2008 at 8:06 am

    Hi!

    I forget my password, i try to follow this steps but after the first window it send me and email and nothing more, no more windows.
    If i cannot enter my account, how can i see the mail??

    Thx

  • David Bradley // Feb 12, 2008 at 8:44 am

    @Raul, @Steve

    Try clearing your cache or open the link in an other browser…

    db

  • Réal Rousseau // Feb 12, 2008 at 4:12 pm

    I try to change my password and you send me in
    my E-Mail I can not open rousseaureal@sympatico.ca send me the information by realrousseau@hotmail.fr

  • David Bradley // Feb 12, 2008 at 4:44 pm

    Real, I didn’t send you an email, you’ll have to contact your provider for advice.

    db

  • Vik // Feb 13, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    i have forgot my password .
    when i try resetting it ..i enter the security code then the page opens up and says email reset instructions will be sent to ur email address
    it does not show me the location option
    how can i check the instruction without password

    help plz

    thanx

  • David Bradley // Feb 13, 2008 at 4:54 pm

    Vik, did you check your secondary email account for the reset password email?

    db

  • Vik // Feb 14, 2008 at 5:17 am

    actually the email account to which it sends the password is the same .

  • David Bradley // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:05 am

    Vik, you mean you used your MSN address as the secondary address for them to send your password reminder to when you’d forgotten the password to your MSN address? Hmmmm.

    db

  • Vik // Feb 14, 2008 at 11:20 am

    yup u r right

  • David Bradley // Feb 14, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    I think you’re stymied Vik!

    db

  • mero // Feb 15, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    hi
    i forgot my password, alternate email and my secret question

    i really need help
    plz help

  • David Bradley // Feb 16, 2008 at 8:54 am

    @Everyone, if you forgot your password, username, secret question, alt email address etc. There is very, very, very, very little chance you’re ever going to get back into whatever login you forgot those details for. Learn the lesson – don’t forget those details.

    db

  • Sam // Feb 17, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    Hey, I have forgotten my password on my other email account. I would really like to have it back. Sadly, I skipped the alternate email step. I know all my account information but, I don’t want to change my password, I simply want to know what it is. If you can help me that would be great thanks.

    |SH|

  • jenalyn // Feb 27, 2008 at 3:41 am

    how to reset my email address and password last February 15,2008. please help me to see my inbox as email address jenalynbarawid@yahoo.com

  • David Bradley // Feb 27, 2008 at 9:03 am

    Jenalyn, follow the instructions. If you’ve not set a password reminder or a secondary address you will not be able to access your email ever again.

    db

  • jenalyn // Feb 29, 2008 at 7:21 am

    how to reset my email address and password last February 15,2008. please help me to see my inbox as email…

  • Rola // Mar 18, 2008 at 9:26 pm

    I have forgotten my password and when i come to send it to my alternative email adress it says it has sent but then when i go to my inbox/junk/drafts/sent/deletd everything it is not their. PLEASE HELP ME I BEG OF YOU!!

  • David Bradley // Mar 19, 2008 at 7:25 am

    @Rola – there’s actually nothing, nothing, nothing you can do, unless you can get to your email or know your secret question etc. Give it another ping, it may have just been lost in transit…

    db

  • xvmon // Mar 19, 2008 at 7:45 am

    i cant even access to my email, how can i reset my msn pw?

  • Lost... // Mar 21, 2008 at 5:28 am

    I lost my password and tried to recover it using the location option. I tried to answer my secret question a couple times, then it finally came to me. But now it says that I tried to many times with the location option and I have to try again later even though I got the secret question right! help please!

  • Jc // Mar 28, 2008 at 3:17 am

    i forgot my password but when i go to reset it says that my email doesn’t exits even though i added myself on my friends account and i can see its perfectly right.

  • cathy // Mar 30, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    i have forgotton my password and the alternat email is there any way to get around this to reset my password?
    plez help

  • kit // Apr 1, 2008 at 7:39 am

    I have a good one, when I try to recover my password, the secret question appears in chinese script! truly!

    confusus say…

  • Michael // Apr 1, 2008 at 8:33 am

    Hi i recenlty forgot my password to my hotmaill acount and i used the alternate email to send the password reset link. But every time i click it or copy and paste it just says the link has expired….i tried many times, any tips on what i could do?

    PS: Sorry about the bad enlgish

  • David Bradley // Apr 1, 2008 at 10:37 am

    @kit – bizarre. Clear your cache, uninstall international settings, particularly Chinese, make sure you’re not using a proxy and try again. Or, better still learn Chinese.

    @Michael – Clear your cache and try again.

    db


← →