Forgot Microsoft account password while still signed in the desktop outlook app

Question

Forgot the password for my personal Microsoft account, but I am still signed in to the account on my laptop.

The account is currently signed in and working in:

• Microsoft Edge, with Sync enabled
• Outlook Desktop
• Windows
• Microsoft 365 / Office

What I have already tried:

• I used the Microsoft Forgot password option.
• Instead of allowing me to reset the password, Microsoft redirects me to the Account Recovery form.
• The account was newly created, and my family member bought the laptop and created that account, and he forgot the password shortly after creating it.
• The account was mainly created/used to obtain and activate Microsoft 365 on my laptop.
• I gave as much info as I could for recovery, and it replies me with we can't send you the password reset link or something else.
• I checked Windows Credential Manager, and there are Microsoft credentials associated with the account, but they do not reveal the original password.
• When I open the Microsoft account security settings, Microsoft asks me to enter the password again, so I cannot access or change the security information.
• The account is still accessible through the existing Outlook and Edge sessions, and I have not signed out of them.

I would like help recovering the account or finding a way to reset the password while I still have access to these active sessions.

I am not including my account email address, password, phone number, recovery information, or any other credentials in this post for security reasons. forgot the password for my personal Microsoft account, but I am still signed in to the account on my laptop.

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

I'm sorry you're experiencing this problem. I understand how important recovering your account is to you.

If you no longer have alternate security contact methods, such as a recovery phone number or email address, you may be asked to use Microsoft’s account recovery form during a password reset process.

This often happens with a new Microsoft account, especially if you skipped that step during account creation.

The easiest option is to try to remember your password first. Because the account is very new, there is a lower chance of being verified through the account recovery form, which is fully automated and does not involve a human involvement.

Since you’re already signed in to Edge with the same email address and syncing is enabled, check the password manager for the live.com entry. You can open:

edge://settings/autofill/passwords

Then, under Passwords and passkeys, select live.com from the list. Look up the account name to find the saved password.

If you still can’t find it, continue trying the account recovery form. Use a familiar device and a familiar location whenever possible. Microsoft reviews the responses and usually replies within 24 hours. If you’re verified, you’ll receive instructions for signing back in. If you aren’t verified, you’ll need to submit the form again. You can do this up to twice every 24 hours.

Alternatively, submit an account reinstatement form the Microsoft account digital safety team here.

Select "I am having problems with my password, or I can't log in or reset my password." and submit the form.

https://www.microsoft.com/digitalsafety/account-reinstatement

Let me know if you still need more help.

Answer 2

Because the account is a personal Microsoft account, recovery and password reset must go through Microsoft’s account recovery flow. Being still signed in to Edge, Outlook desktop, Windows, or Microsoft 365 does not provide a separate supported way to reveal the existing password or bypass the password check for security settings.

Use this path:

1. On the Microsoft sign-in page, select Forgot password?
2. Enter the account username and continue.
3. If Microsoft shows normal verification options, choose one, get the code, and reset the password.
4. If Microsoft does not offer a usable verification option, or redirects to recovery, use the Sign-in Helper tool.
5. If needed, submit the Account recovery form again.

For the recovery form, the supported guidance is:

• Complete it on a device previously used to sign in to the account.
• Complete it from a location commonly used with that device, such as home or office.
• Provide as much accurate information as possible.
• If available, check saved passwords in Microsoft Edge or Windows Web Credentials before submitting, since those may help with remembered password history.

Important limits for this scenario:

• If the account has two-step verification enabled and there is no access to any alternate verification method, support agents cannot send password reset links or change account details.
• If the account is still signed in but security settings ask for the password again, that is expected; the active session does not replace password re-entry for sensitive changes.
• If Microsoft says the account does not exist or the username is not recognized, use the Sign-in Helper tool.
• If the account has not been signed in to for more than two years, it may have been deleted and cannot be reopened.

Since the account was newly created and mainly used for Microsoft 365 activation, the most useful supported actions are:

1. Keep the existing signed-in sessions active and do not sign out.
2. Check Microsoft Edge saved passwords and Windows Credential Manager/Web Credentials for any saved password history.
3. Retry the Sign-in Helper.
4. Retry the Account recovery form from that same laptop and usual location.

There is no supported method in the provided guidance to extract the current password from Outlook desktop, Edge sync, Windows sign-in, or Microsoft 365 while already signed in.

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