How to Change Your Microsoft Outlook Password
Changing your Microsoft Outlook password isn't always as straightforward as it sounds — and that's because Outlook itself doesn't actually store your password. It's a client that connects to an email account hosted elsewhere. So where and how you change your password depends entirely on what type of account you're using and how Outlook is set up on your device.
What Outlook Actually Does With Your Password
When you "change your Outlook password," you're really changing the password for the email account that Outlook is connected to. Outlook then needs to be updated (or prompted) to use the new credentials.
The two most common account types are:
- Microsoft account / Microsoft 365 — managed through Microsoft's own servers
- Third-party accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, your ISP's email, a work domain) — managed through the provider's own systems
This distinction matters because the steps are completely different depending on which type you have.
Changing a Microsoft Account Password
If your Outlook is connected to a @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or Microsoft 365 account, your password is controlled by Microsoft.
Steps:
- Go to account.microsoft.com in any browser
- Sign in with your current credentials
- Navigate to Security → Password security
- Enter your current password, then set a new one
- Save the change
Once you've updated it there, Outlook on your desktop or mobile will prompt you to re-enter your credentials. This usually appears as a yellow bar at the top of Outlook or a pop-up asking for your password the next time the app syncs.
On Outlook mobile (iOS or Android), you may need to go to your account settings within the app and manually re-authenticate after the password change.
Changing a Password for a Third-Party Account in Outlook
If you've connected a Gmail, Yahoo, or other external email account to Outlook, you don't change the password in Outlook — you change it at the source.
For example:
- Gmail: Change your password in your Google Account settings at myaccount.google.com
- Yahoo Mail: Change it in Yahoo Account Security settings
- Work or school email: Contact your IT administrator, or use your organization's self-service password reset portal if one exists
After changing the password externally, Outlook will likely stop syncing and display an authentication error. You'll then need to update the stored credentials inside Outlook.
To update credentials in Outlook (desktop):
- Open Outlook and go to File → Account Settings → Account Settings
- Select the affected email account and click Change
- Enter your new password and click Next or Done
- Restart Outlook to confirm the connection is working
🔐 What About Two-Factor Authentication?
If your account has two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled — which is strongly recommended — some versions of Outlook (especially older desktop clients) can't handle 2FA directly. In those cases, your email provider may require you to generate an app-specific password — a separate, one-time password created specifically for that app.
This applies most commonly to:
- Gmail accounts with 2-Step Verification enabled
- Yahoo accounts with account key security active
- Microsoft accounts connected to older Outlook versions
App passwords are generated in your account's security settings, not inside Outlook itself.
Variables That Affect the Process
The exact steps can vary based on several factors:
| Variable | How It Affects the Process |
|---|---|
| Account type | Microsoft vs. third-party determines where you change the password |
| Outlook version | Outlook 365, 2019, 2016, and mobile each have slightly different menu paths |
| Operating system | macOS and Windows versions of Outlook differ in their account settings layout |
| Authentication method | Modern authentication vs. basic authentication changes how credentials are stored |
| 2FA status | May require app-specific passwords for older clients |
| Work/school account | IT policies may restrict self-service password changes |
Outlook on Mobile vs. Desktop 📱
On mobile (iOS and Android), Outlook stores your credentials differently than the desktop app. After a password change, you'll typically see a notification prompting you to sign in again. Tapping that prompt and entering your new password is usually sufficient. If the prompt doesn't appear, go to the app's Settings → your account → Re-authenticate or remove and re-add the account.
On desktop, the credential caching behavior depends on whether your organization uses Modern Authentication (OAuth-based) or the older Basic Authentication method. Modern Authentication, now standard for Microsoft 365 accounts, opens a proper browser-based login window. Basic Authentication (used by some legacy setups) stores the password directly in Windows Credential Manager, which you may need to update manually via Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials.
When the Password Change Doesn't Stick
If Outlook keeps asking for your password even after you've updated it, common causes include:
- Cached old credentials in Windows Credential Manager (desktop)
- Multiple Outlook profiles where only one was updated
- Corporate IT policies enforcing specific authentication flows
- Outdated app versions that don't support your provider's current authentication method
- Compromised account triggering a forced sign-out (worth checking your account's recent activity)
The right fix depends on which of these is actually happening in your environment — and whether you're managing this on a personal device or within a managed corporate setup makes a significant difference in what you're even allowed to change.