
- #CHECK MY MICROSOFT ACCOUNT HOW TO#
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That means it's time to remove the weakest link in the chain: SMS text messages. Step 6: Remove SMS text messages as a form of verificationīy this point, you should have more than enough secure ways to authenticate yourself and verify your identity. Choose the Use An App option and then, after installing the Microsoft Authenticator app, sign in using your account credentials. To set up Microsoft Authenticator with a Microsoft account, go to the advanced Microsoft Account Security page and click Add A New Way To Sign In Or Verify. Approve the request, and you're done.Īn added bonus is that the Microsoft Authenticator app can be used for passwordless sign-in as well as verification.
#CHECK MY MICROSOFT ACCOUNT VERIFICATION#
In this configuration, any sign-in attempt that requires verification sends a push notification to your smartphone. While robust passwords help you secure your valuable online accounts, hardware-based two-factor authentication takes that security to the next level.Įven if you use another authenticator app for most services, I recommend using Microsoft Authenticator for use with your Microsoft account.
#CHECK MY MICROSOFT ACCOUNT HOW TO#
(For more on these options, see "Protect yourself: How to choose the right two-factor authenticator app.")
#CHECK MY MICROSOFT ACCOUNT PASSWORD#
Smartphone apps that generate Time-based One-time Password Algorithm (TOTP) codes are an increasingly popular form of multi-factor authentication, and I highly recommend their use for any service that supports them. Step 5: Set up the Microsoft Authenticator app
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Go to the advanced Microsoft Account Security page and click Add A New Way To Sign In Or Verify.Ĭhoose the Email A Code option, enter your email address, and then enter the code you receive to confirm that verification option. If necessary, you can have a verification code sent to that address. If you need to reset your password, when two-step verification is enabled, you'll need to supply both of those forms of identification or you risk being permanently locked out.Ī free email address, such as a Gmail account, is acceptable if your security needs are minimal, but a business email address is a much better choice.

Microsoft recommends that you have at least two forms of verification available in addition to your password. Use this dialog box to add secure verification options to your account. If you're helping a friend or relative who's technically unsophisticated and intimidated by passwords, this is a good option.
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This level is sufficient for most ordinary PC users, especially those who don't use their Microsoft email address as a primary factor for signing in to other sites. Security settings for business and enterprise Microsoft 365 accounts, which use the OneDrive for Business cloud service, are managed by domain administrators through Azure Active Directory, using a completely different set of tools.) (It's worth noting that this article is about consumer Microsoft accounts used with Microsoft 365 Family and Personal editions. As always, there's a balancing act between convenience and security, so I've divided the steps into three groups, based on how tightly you want to lock down your Microsoft account. In this post, I list seven steps you can take to help you lock that account down so it's safe from online attacks. Underneath the password field, click the “Forgot My Password” link.Here are ZDNet's top picks for a variety of use cases. But the password for your Microsoft account will be different than the password for an external account. Microsoft even lets you sign up for a Microsoft account using external email addresses-like your Gmail address. Note that because changes over the years, you might have used any Microsoft-related email account as your Microsoft account. Type your Microsoft username, and then click the “Next” button.

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In your web browser, head to the Microsoft Account page, and then click “Sign In” in the top right corner.

If you’ve forgotten the password for your Microsoft account-which might be an account at, ,, or even -you can’t really recover that same password, but it’s easy enough to recover your account by resetting your password to something new. If you don’t use a password manager, those complex passwords can be hard to remember.
