Outlook.com: Forgotten password or other sign-in problems

Occasionally when you sign in to Outlook.com, you might see an error like, “It looks like there’s a problem with Outlook.com right now. It should be fixed soon, so please try again in a few minutes.” These types of errors are temporary and are usually resolved quickly.

If you forgot your password or know it but still can’t sign in, you might need to reset your password to get access to your account for Outlook.com, SkyDrive, and other Microsoft services. You can also try troubleshooting the problem.

Reset your password

First check to make sure that your Caps Lock isn’t on, because passwords are case-sensitive. If you’re sure you’re using the right password, but still can’t sign in, your account might be compromised. For more information, see Hacked account.

To reset your password

Go to the Reset your password page.
Enter your email address and password, and then enter the characters in the picture. Choose a reset option, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

If none of the other reset options work, choose Customer support.

After you’ve reset your password, it’s a good idea to add as much security info as you can to help make your account more secure. If you forget your password, or if someone else tries to take over your account, you can use this info to get your account back. To learn more, see Why do I need to add security info?

Note

If you contact customer support, you’ll be asked to provide as much account information as you can. We take your account security seriously and need the information to help us prevent hackers from getting access to your account.

Troubleshoot your sign-in problem

Try signing in on a different computer

See if you can sign in to your account on a different computer. For example, if you normally use your computer at home, try using a different computer on a different Internet connection. If you can sign in on that computer, it's possible that there has been a temporary issue with your connection, computer, or browser settings.

Here are some things that you can do to try to resolve the issue:

Restart your computer.
Check to see if your computer’s date and time are set correctly.
Set your browser to accept third-party cookies.

Try signing in to other Microsoft services

See if you can sign in to other Microsoft services, such as SkyDrive or MSN. If you can sign in to one of these sites, the issue is likely with the site you were trying to sign in to, not with your account.

Check your firewall and antivirus programs

Check to see if your firewall or your antivirus programs are blocking the site you’re trying to access. To do this, check the documentation for the firewall and antivirus programs you’re using.