Microsoft account recovery. I don't remember my Office account username or password Find my Microsoft account name

The list of reasons why you should use a Microsoft account in Windows 8 has generated quite a bit of discussion! Today I'll answer questions about your Microsoft account that you've asked in the comments, mail, and forum.

The list also includes answers to questions about Skype, since you can now sign in to the program with a Microsoft account. In addition, it became possible to link Microsoft and Skype accounts, which also raised many questions.

[+] Questions and answers

Microsoft Account Basics

You can always create an account using this link. Alternatively, you can do this directly in Windows 8, as described below.

Where can I view my account settings?

Your Microsoft account is managed at https://account.live.com/.

What personal information is required for a Microsoft account?

Email address and phone number. You may need this information to provide more secure two-step authentication when performing actions that involve changing key account settings.

What is two-step verification?

Two-step authentication minimizes the risk that the actions are not performed by you. Let's say you want to change your account password.

In this case, the two stages look like this:

To access your account settings on the Microsoft website, you need to enter your account password.
To change your password, you need to enter a code that is sent as an SMS to the phone number you specified, or follow the link sent to you by email.

Why does Microsoft offer additional addresses and phone numbers?

In this case, you will receive a code for the second stage of authentication, even if you find yourself without a phone and/or forget the password to one of your email addresses.

In other words, providing additional information reduces the risk of account suspension. You can add up to 10 email addresses and/or phone numbers to your account.

When creating a Microsoft account, the index is not accepted. What index should I enter?

Before entering the zip code, please enter your desired email address and make sure it is available.

Make sure you select your country.
Enter your postal code. If that doesn't work, enter any postal code for your country's capital or largest city. For example:

121087 (Moscow)
194100 (Peter)
01001 (Kyiv)
200400 (Minsk)

What requirements does Microsoft have for account password complexity?

The password must contain at least eight characters, but no more than 16 (thanks, Artem). Additionally, in your account settings on the Microsoft website, you can set the requirement to change your password every 72 days.

Enlarge picture

What should I do when I can't log into my account?

If you can't log into your profile, all is not lost.

What to do if your password is forgotten?

You can easily reset your password.

What to do if your account is blocked?

Read: Recovering your Microsoft account after being blocked or hacked. You may also find the instructions in the article Temporarily blocking your Outlook.com account helpful.

If these steps do not help you regain access to your account, create a temporary account and contact free Microsoft technical support

Trusted PCs

Strictly speaking, the concept of a trusted PC is not new, as it relates more to the Microsoft account management aspects than to Windows 8. However, Microsoft's new OS introduced features that only work on trusted PCs.

Why make your PC trusted?

The main point of a trusted PC is to simplify a number of actions related to changing and synchronizing confidential data.

On the one hand, only between trusted Windows 8 PCs can you synchronize credentials.

On the other hand, you can change most account settings from a trusted PC without 2-step verification, although you may still need it in some cases.

Which PCs should be trusted?

There are two aspects to take into account here:

This should be your personal computer, not a public or work one.
I do not recommend that you trust a PC that leaves your apartment, because loss or theft can have unpleasant consequences.

The main home PC can be made trusted.

How to make your PC trusted?

Read Windows Help.

How to remove a trusted PC?

Visit this page (requires login).

Working with a Microsoft Account in Windows 8

Windows 8 was the first Microsoft OS in which you can create a Microsoft account and switch between it and a regular account without losing your familiar environment.

How is a Microsoft account different from a regular local account on Windows?

A Microsoft account in Windows is the most common local account where you sign in with your Microsoft credentials. She has exactly the same profile (%UserProfile%), she can also be a member of any groups (for example, Users and Administrators), etc. You can always link any local account to your Microsoft account, as well as break the link.

However, some Windows 8 benefits are only available when you sign in with a Microsoft account.

How to create a Microsoft account in Windows 8?

In Windows 8, you can start working with a Microsoft account both during system installation and afterwards.

When installing the system

The standard Windows Installer options prompt you to sign in with an existing Microsoft account or create one.

Enlarge picture

After installing the system

Find your account in Control Panel and switch to your Microsoft account.

Enlarge picture

How do I switch from a Microsoft account to a regular account?

www.outsidethebox.ms

Microsoft account recovery

Mail, OneDrive cloud storage, Windows 8, 10 - all this is a Microsoft account. It is not surprising that the loss of a Microsoft account can be a tragedy for the user. But not everything is as bad as it might seem at first; the service is equipped with a convenient tool for restoring a profile, even if the user has forgotten his login and password.

Password recovery

Before you begin the procedure for recovering a lost Microsoft profile password, you must make sure of the following:

When entering a password, Caps lock is disabled, that is, the function of entering upper case;
The layout is set to English (it is in this language that the security code for the account is set);
Please check the correct spelling of the email used to login.

If all the above points are met, then you can proceed to resetting and recovering your password. For this:

Go to the official Microsoft website and click the “Login” button in the upper right corner;
The user will be redirected to the account login panel. At the bottom, click “Forgot my Password”:

At this step, you need to select the reason why the account owner cannot log in. There are no global differences when recovering a password, but for your reference, it should be noted:

a) “I forget my password” - the user has forgotten the password;

b) “I know my password, but can’t sing in” - the profile owner is sure that he enters the code correctly, but cannot enter;

c) “I think someone else is using my Microsoft account” - there are suspicions that the account has been hacked.

We choose the 1st option, since the code was forgotten;
In the next window you must enter the email or phone number to which the profile is attached:

After entering the email, the user will receive a letter containing a link to reset the password. We go through it and enter a new code.

If the account owner has entered a phone number, an SMS message with a secret code will be sent to it. Entering these numbers will allow you to replace your lost password.

What to do if you lose your login

To sign in to your Microsoft account, use your email address as your login. If the user has forgotten it, then it will be impossible to send a request to restore the account. You can find out the email to which your profile is linked in several ways:

If you still can’t recover your email, then your only option is technical support:

To submit a request for account recovery through technical support, you must provide detailed information of the following nature:

Full name indicated in the profile;
Phone number and lost email;
Account details: date of birth, country of residence, city and time zone, etc.

There are no specific deadlines for consideration of an application for account restoration. Usually the answer comes within three days. If the account information is correct, the profile will be restored.

Video with visual instructions for restoring your Microsoft profile if you lose your password or login:

Restoring a Microsoft account if you lose your login or security code is a fairly simple procedure. The main thing is to follow the instructions and enter the data correctly. If possible, it is recommended to write a letter to technical support in English, since this section works faster than the Russian language.

recoverit.ru

How to create a Microsoft account, what is an account, sign in and password recovery

A Microsoft account is a tool for synchronizing your files and documents on your computer with various services, such as Skype, Outlook.com, OneDrive, Windows Phone and Xbox LIVE. Using a Microsoft user profile, you can always restore access to these services in the event of any problems, virus infection, or when your computer or account has been hacked. And also control your devices: phone, tablet, laptop. And in case of theft or loss, take measures to protect personal data or to search for a stolen gadget. This is only a small fraction of the functions and capabilities.

Creating an account via the website

Please note that your email address will be used as the username; if you do not have one, then you can create it here by using the form to create an email address by following the appropriate link. The registration form has a box for entering a phone number, this is convenient when restoring access, but is not necessary. This item may not be filled out.

Create an entry in Windows 10

You can create a user profile in Windows 10 during the installation of the operating system, following the step-by-step instructions of the OS installation wizard.

We mark or uncheck items to improve impressions of the product and advertising mailings and click “Next” again.
Setup will follow; you can do this later or immediately, following the prompts and step-by-step instructions on the screen.

Changing screen resolution on Windows

A profile button will appear in the window, which can now be used to log in. By clicking on it and the “Manage” button, you will be taken to the Microsoft website for further configuration and synchronization of your account documents with applications and services.

Creating an entry in Windows 8

Creating a user profile in Microsoft with Windows 8 is a little different from “ten”. Here you need to swipe your finger from the right edge of the screen, scrolling the menu to the “Options” button.
Select “Change computer settings”.

If you are using a computer that does not support touch input, but only mouse and keyboard, you need to move the mouse pointer to the lower right corner of the monitor and select “Options”.

Next, you need to click on “Change computer settings”.
Then select “Accounts” and “Other Accounts”.
Click on the “Add account” link.
Enter your registration details.

Here you need to enter your email address, which will subsequently be used as a login to log into your Microsoft account. Or create it by following the prompts on the monitor.

composs.ru

Unlock the power of your Microsoft account

Password recovery

Before you begin the procedure for recovering a lost Microsoft profile password, you must make sure of the following:

When entering a password, Caps lock is disabled, that is, the function of entering upper case;
The layout is set to English (it is in this language that the security code for the account is set);
Please check the correct spelling of the email used to login.

If all the above points are met, then you can proceed to resetting and recovering your password. For this:

Go to the official Microsoft website and click the “Login” button in the upper right corner;
The user will be redirected to the account login panel. At the bottom, click “Forgot my Password”:

At this step, you need to select the reason why the account owner cannot log in. There are no global differences when recovering a password, but for your reference, it should be noted:

a) “I forget my password” - the user has forgotten the password;

b) “I know my password, but can’t sing in” - the profile owner is sure that he enters the code correctly, but cannot log in;

c) “I think someone else is using my Microsoft account” - there are suspicions that the account has been hacked.

We choose the 1st option, since the code was forgotten;
In the next window you must enter the email or phone number to which the profile is attached:

After entering the email, the user will receive a letter containing a link to reset the password. We go through it and enter a new code.

If the account owner has entered a phone number, an SMS message with a secret code will be sent to it. Entering these numbers will allow you to replace your lost password.

What to do if you lose your login

If you still can’t recover your email, then your only option is technical support:

To submit a request for account recovery through technical support, you must provide detailed information of the following nature:

Full name indicated in the profile;
Phone number and lost email;
Account details: date of birth, country of residence, city and time zone, etc.

If you're thinking about creating an account like this, check to see if you're already using one of Microsoft's services, such as OneDrive, Skype, Outlook.com, Hotmail, or Windows Phone. If so, your login credentials are the email address and password you use to log into one of these services. Thus, you already have a Microsoft account and with its help you can log in to other system services, synchronize your profiles on social networks Facebook, Google and Twitter, purchase applications in the Microsoft Store and create cloud storage in the OneDrive service for storage and exchange of documents and photographs.

If any problems arise, such as losing your password, you can recover your data through the linked email address or create a new Microsoft account based on an already registered address in any mail system or a newly created mailbox in the system.

Create a new account based on your email address or from scratch

To create a new Microsoft account using your permanent email address, open https://login.live.com/ in your browser and click the Sign Up button in the lower right quarter of the page. The Create an Account page opens. Fill out the form fields, enter your email address in the “Username” field, and create a strong password. For better data protection, enter your phone number. Reliable date of birth information is also required; this information will help restore access if you forget your password. Confirm the verification code symbols and click “Create Account”.

Registration takes a few seconds. During these seconds, a letter from Microsoft technical support will be sent to your inbox asking you to confirm your email address by clicking on the link in the letter. You will then be automatically taken directly to your account, to the General Information section, where your name and personal information will be displayed.

To create an account from scratch and simultaneously register a new email address with Microsoft, on the “Create an Account” page, click the “Or get a new email address” link under the “Username” field. Create your own username (the system itself will determine the availability of the address) and select one of two domain name options for the email address: outlook.com or hotmail.com.

A solution with a Microsoft account integrating into Windows looks appropriate in modern realities. But, users often wonder how to find out their Microsoft account on a computer?

Let's look into this issue.

Account Purpose

The main account option is setting up synchronization. On the other hand, it is a tool for using the system safely and saving settings on the computer. The importance of this element cannot be overestimated, because first of all, the account provides access to the system itself.

Synchronization

The most useful is the synchronization tool, which allows you to maintain the same system state on different computers. This allows you to feel at home at any computer or “take your work home” without any extra effort.

More information about synchronization can be found in a separate article. It provides maximum benefit if you have several computers running Windows 10, and ideally if you have a smartphone running Windows Mobile. Then the functional features of the tool are fully revealed.

Other account options

An additional feature of accounts is a number of functions designed to limit user capabilities. They are especially useful in businesses or when there are children.

Windows 10 demonstrates the greatest flexibility in such settings (since it contains not only blocking mechanisms, but also mechanisms for tracking user actions).

Full list of features:

parental control. The ability to limit the time or period of time for using the computer. A number of tools have also been added that block certain system options (connecting to certain sites or paying for purchases);
account control. It is also known as UAC, through which you can block the user’s ability to install programs (or prohibit the installation of programs from some manufacturers, which requires a lot of effort);
distribution of rights Block changes to individual documents or creation of new ones. You can also prohibit the creation of documents on specific local drives or the deletion of previously created ones;
changing system settings. You can either create a pre-installed package of settings or prohibit changing anything;
creating files in the cloud (Win10 only). Allows you to transfer or store files using allocated remote disk space.

The main part of the account options is aimed at blocking certain actions. Typically, working with such settings prevents unintentional damage to the state of the operating system (installation of unnecessary programs that should speed up the computer, but in fact harm it).

Difference between accounts

It depends on the OS version you are using. The largest supply of restrictions and features is provided in Windows 10, where it is not a standard user account that is used, but a Microsoft account, which must be registered in advance or created during installation.

What you need to know:

windows An account is created on the Microsoft website. Such an account is not a Windows user (being one only part-time), but rather a separate person registered in the services;
other Windows. The user is solely the user of the computer itself. Its capabilities are limited by the device. Therefore, user accounts in older versions of the OS are not Microsoft accounts.

Microsoft Account

There is only one nuance associated with the enormous functionality of a Windows 10 account: using the functions makes the account open for viewing by the creators of the OS. The so-called “Windows spying” works completely in this case (its options are used for most functions).

This “espionage” should not be compared with total espionage. It consists in constructing optimal selection and proposal algorithms. YouTube uses similar espionage by building viewing suggestions based on videos previously watched by the user.

While shopping in the store, the user will gradually begin to receive offers that are targeted at him. And news in the RSS feed will not be arranged randomly, but based on previous interests. You should not be afraid of such “surveillance”.

Where to find an account

There are 2 ways to find an account. The first allows you not only to find it, but also to change some settings. The second only allows you to view your current account.

The method only works if you have administrator rights. From here you can make changes to other accounts, but the list of options is limited.

Standard access method

Significantly simpler and immediately gives access to the lion’s share of account settings. The user only needs to open the Start menu and click on the account icon.

A menu will open with the following options:

change account settings. In addition to the account name itself, you can change its configuration. This issue is discussed in more detail below;
block. Perform “lock Windows”. Same with pressing “Win+L”, which locks the screen but saves all running processes. A convenient option when you need to step away from the computer at work;
exit. Unlike the previous method, it takes you to the account selection screen with the closure of all active processes and data loss. Can be useful when certain programs or games freeze.

Available settings

Let’s look at what settings “account settings” have. The list is not large, but each of the options can be useful in its own way.

Your data. Contains the name of the Microsoft account and access to basic financial settings:

e-mail adress; application accounts. Helps optimize login to various programs. For example, set up logging into Google services for the browser without additional steps (works only with standard browsers; in Mozilla, for example, it’s more logical to set up logging into your browser account);
login parameters. Responsible for entering a password or PIN code when starting the system. This is also where password entry is disabled when starting the computer;
access to a location account... A useful option for office workers and students that allows them to do work remotely. Requires additional settings;
family and other people. A list of accounts that are allowed to interact with your system;
synchronization. Settings for data exchange within an account between different devices.

You can use your Microsoft account with almost all services or devices using the same set of credentials, which includes your email address, selected profile information, and billing information that you can use to make payments.

In addition, any account is supported by privacy settings, which are represented by a unique password that can only be used by the author.

The account will allow its owner to use various programs (for example, Skype), subscriptions (Office 365), buy interesting games, download favorite music, edit selected photos and videos, and also take advantage of OneDrive online storage.

The main advantage of such an application is that you can edit individual settings, as well as view your address book and documents from any device, since it is unified for any gadget.

This is what a Microsoft account looks like.

Create a Microsoft account

To create a Microsoft account, simply follow the step-by-step illustrated instructions.

Microsoft account registration Windows 8 is represented by an algorithm of sequential actions of the PC user and the global network.

Initially, you need to activate the panel for changing computer settings. The following window will appear in front of you:

After clicking on the selected area, you will see the following image where you need to select the top row.

During account creation, the user will also be offered a local account, although the first option is more acceptable for most consumers.
It allows you to work normally with the updated operating system, synchronize Windows 8 settings and use the Windows Live web application complex, originally provided by software from the creators of the product.
Unfortunately, a local account does not support such options. An account is your profile in the system, thanks to which you can operate any interconnected applications.

An application for free and free communication with family and friends

One of the most acceptable ways to store files in the SkyDrive cloud service:

Receive or send messages using the Hotmail mail system:

Take advantage of the largest information portal MSN, the online gaming service on Xbox Live, and a store of various applications for Windows Phone:

The benefits of the account are obvious.

So, we selected the line “ADD USER”.

After this, the user must enter his name, his email address or the address of an additional mailbox that was previously created specifically for these purposes.
After these simple manipulations, a captcha is entered, which confirms that the actions are performed by a person and not a robot, and the “APPLY” key is pressed. Visually the process itself looks like this.

Next, a window pops up with the following message, in which you need to confirm that the selected email address belongs to you. To do this, go to your mailbox, to the “INCOMING MESSAGES” folder.

In this folder you will see a letter confirming your account, in which you must enter a code sent via SMS to your phone number.

After clicking the “CONFIRM” button, you will be informed that the first stage of the Microsoft account registration operation has been successfully completed, after which you can proceed to configure your account and computer interface settings.

Note! On their PC, the user should go to the "SETTINGS" tab and select the "CHANGE COMPUTER SETTINGS" option to customize their account interface, take advantage of accessibility features, sync settings, create a home group, upload a pre-selected profile photo and activate the center for available updates that subsequently optimize the application.

So, we have read step-by-step instructions on how to create a Microsoft account.

Every user should take certain security measures that will protect you from fraudulent activities of home-grown hackers.

You need to fill in the fields with confidential data on the electronic form, with which you confirm yourself as the copyright holder. As a rule, a password is used for this, represented by an eight-digit set of letters and numbers.

In addition, the system will analyze the complexity level of the password and offer you to change it to a more complex one. The user also needs to answer a security question.

Typically, the questions here are the same as those on various social media accounts (mother's maiden name, pet's name, etc.). After this, the user enters his current phone number and the address of a functioning mailbox, which is used most often.

These precautions will not only protect you from illegal actions of attackers, but will also help you recover your password if it is lost. For example, you have forgotten your password and you urgently need to log into a system to which access is restricted.

The program will prompt you to enter your phone number or mailbox address, to which in a few seconds you will receive a code to unlock your account. Security and privacy settings look like this:

How to create a Microsoft account

How to create a Microsoft account (Microsoft) - detailed instructions