My account has been hacked and language changed

Amy Peel 25 Reputation points
2026-05-05T13:12:15.74+00:00

My account has been hacked and the language changed to Vietnamese

I have tried to change the language setting but cannot change it back. I am trying to do this on my iPhone as I cannot log into my email account any other way

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Answer accepted by question author
Alice-N 13,370 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-05-06T07:40:13.0366667+00:00

Hi Amy Peel

I understand you’re seeing your Outlook.com / Microsoft account pages unexpectedly switched to Vietnamese after a suspected compromise, and you can’t change it back on your iPhone. Could you confirm:

  • Can you sign in to Microsoft account security pages in Safari, or are you only able to sign in inside the Outlook app?
  • When you try to change the language, does it revert to Vietnamese after saving, or does it never save (error/blank/redirect)?
  • On your Recent activity page, do you see any sign-ins/devices/locations you don’t recognize?

Meanwhile, please:

1) Use Microsoft’s hacked/compromised account recovery flow

Start on your iPhone: How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account - Microsoft Support

2) Sign out everywhere (to force the attacker out)

Please choose the “Sign out everywhere” option under Advanced Security options (can take up to 24 hours to fully apply).

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!  

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  1. AI answer

    2026-05-05T13:12:28.1+00:00

    Follow these steps in order, using the iPhone where Outlook still works:

    1. Secure the Microsoft/Outlook account (possible hack)
      1. In Safari on the iPhone, open the official hacked-account recovery flow: How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account.
      2. Use the sign‑in helper there to:
        • Sign in with the affected email address.
        • Change the password immediately.
        • Follow the guided steps to review recent activity and secure the account.
      3. If sign‑in or recovery fails, use the same article’s guidance to submit the account recovery form and follow the prompts. This is the only supported way to recover a hacked personal Outlook.com/Microsoft account.
    2. Unblock the Outlook.com account if it was locked
      1. If Outlook.com says the account is blocked due to unusual activity, go to Unblock my Outlook.com account.
      2. Use the Sign-in Helper button there to:
        • Enter the security code sent to a phone/email (if still under control), or
        • Follow the alternative verification path offered.
      3. If unblocking fails, use the link When you can't sign in to your Microsoft account from that page for further reset and support options.
    3. Fix language on Outlook mobile (iPhone) Outlook for iOS uses the device language:
      1. On the iPhone, go to Settings > General > Language & Region.
      2. Set the iPhone language back to the preferred language (for example, English).
      3. Close and reopen the Outlook app; the app language should match the device language.
    4. Fix language for security messages (if they appear in Vietnamese) Security verification messages use the language set when that phone/email was added as security info:
      1. After regaining access to the Microsoft account security page, remove the affected phone/email from security info.
      2. Re‑add the same phone/email again; messages will then use the current account language.
      3. Do not remove all security info at once, or the account may be restricted for 30 days.
    5. If recovery keeps failing
      1. Re‑try the recovery form from a familiar device and network, providing as much accurate information as possible (old passwords, contacts, subject lines, etc.).
      2. If still unsuccessful and the hacker has replaced all security info, there is no additional method beyond the official recovery process; Microsoft support cannot override it for personal accounts.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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