My account was blocked and recovery of password isn’t working

Question

My Hotmail account is blocked currently and the secondary password reset steps are not working for me.

Answer 1

Hi,

To better understand the issue:

What specific error message or code are you getting when trying to log in to your account?

How do you reset the password, and what issue are you encountering when resetting it?

Do you have any active verification methods linked, such as a phone number or email address?

Answer 2

To unblock a blocked Hotmail/Outlook.com account and address failed recovery attempts, follow these steps in order:

1. Use the official Sign-in Helper to unblock the account
   • Go to the Outlook.com unblock page and select Sign-in Helper: Sign-in Helper.
   • Sign in with the blocked account if prompted.
   • Follow the on-screen steps to:
     • Receive and enter a security code, and
     • Change the password if requested.
2. If the account is still blocked or recovery fails
   • If entering the security code or changing the password does not unblock the account, follow the guidance in When you can't sign in to your Microsoft account (linked from the unblock article). This path helps with:
     • Password reset issues.
     • Cases where the standard unblock flow does not work.
3. If the password itself is not being accepted
   • Use the standard password reset flow:
     1. On the Microsoft account sign-in page, select Forgotten your password? or use Reset password: Reset password.
     2. Enter the username (Hotmail/Outlook.com address) and select Next.
     3. Choose a verification option (email, phone, etc.), then select Next.
     4. Enter the verification code received.
     5. Set a new password.
   • If no verification option works or is available, use the sign-in helper tools referenced in the password reset article to proceed with account recovery.
4. If the username or password suddenly stopped working
   • Follow the My username and password have stopped working flow:
     1. Use Recover your account: Recover your account.
     2. Ensure the correct email domain is used (for example, .com vs .co.uk).
     3. Try any alternate alias or phone number on the account if the primary email is not recognized.
     4. Complete the security code verification and set a new password.
   • If the message "We couldn't find an account with that username" appears even after checking spelling and domain, contact support using the Contact support option from that article.
5. If recovery attempts are rate-limited or locked
   • Too many failed sign-in or recovery attempts can temporarily lock the account and block further password resets or verification.
   • Wait for the lockout period (typically about 24 hours) without making additional attempts, then:
     • Retry using the Sign-in Helper for unblocking, and
     • Submit the account recovery form again from a familiar device and network, providing accurate details.
6. If two-step verification or security options are causing issues
   • When 2-step verification is enabled, at least one security method (phone, email, or authenticator app) must be available to complete sign-in or recovery.
   • If none of the listed verification options are accessible, use the sign-in helper tools and the account recovery form as directed in the password reset and unblock articles.

If all automated methods fail, use the support/contact options linked in the unblock and password reset articles to reach Microsoft Support, choosing the Microsoft account or Outlook.com account category and explaining that the account is blocked and standard recovery is not working.

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References:

• Unblock my Outlook.com account
• Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password
• My username and password have stopped working
• How to sign in to Hotmail
• Locked out of my Outlook account and recovery options not working - Microsoft Q&A
• Unable to change password in my Outlook - Microsoft Q&A
• Can't sign in to my email - Microsoft Q&A
• I need to speak with a real person and it seems impossible. - Microsoft Q&A
• hello my email was (Moderator note: PII removed)@icloud.com and now its (Moderator note: PII removed)@jerkoffmail.com can please someone help me and the team change it my username in xbox is (Moderator note: PII removed) please help me team and change it - Microsoft Q&A