Microsoft cannot retrieve your old password. Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP), and ask them to assign a new password to your account.
To complete these steps, you will also need to know your email address, incoming mail server name and outgoing mail server name. Plus any additional security or logon requirements. All of this will be provided by your ISP. Even though you might not use all the data, it's a good idea to double check.
After you get your new password and account setup information, you must check your email account settings and update your password.
To check the configuration of your Internet email account:
- Open the Control Panel and select Mail (Microsoft Outlook 2013).
- In the window that opens select E-mail Accounts.
- Highlight the email account you're receiving the password prompt from and click Change.
- From the information gathered from your ISP verify the User, Server and Login entries. Enter the new password that your ISP provided and check the Remember password box.
- Click Next and Outlook will automatically test your email account.
- Click Close.
- Outlook should start normally.
If the Account Settings test fails
If the Account Settings test fails, try going through the steps above one more time. If it fails a second time, delete the account and create a new one.
To delete your old account and create a new one:
- Open the Control Panel and select Mail (Microsoft Outlook 2013).
- In the window that opens select E-mail Accounts.
- Highlight the email account you're receiving the password prompt from and click Remove.
- Click New.
- Select Manual setup or additional server types and click Next.
- Select POP or IMAP and click Next.
- From the information gathered from your ISP fill in the User, Server and Login entries. Under Deliver new messages to:, select Existing Outlook Data file and click Browse. A window will open to the default data file folder, select your previous .pst file and click OK. Otherwise browse to the folder you used when you originally set up your account. Ensure the Remember password box is checked.
- Click Next and Outlook will automatically test your email account.
- Click Close, then Finish.
- Outlook should start normally.
Note: Use strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. Strong password: Y6dh!et5. Weak password: House27. Passwords should be 8 or more characters in length. A pass phrase that uses 14 or more characters is better.
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