microsoft account hacked

RUSS MILLER 20 Reputation points
2026-06-10T19:01:33.1766667+00:00

I received an email alert early this morning that there was suspicious activity on my Microsoft account. Before I could change my password, folder titles, and other information changed to a different language. When I go to settings it shows English is the preferred language.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Email
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Answer accepted by question author
John Jefferson Doyon 88,635 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-06-10T19:40:44.9166667+00:00

Hi, I'm John! I will help you with this.

If you received a suspicious activity alert and things on the account started changing, the first priority is securing the account.

Were you able to sign in and change the password already? Please test https://account.microsoft.com

If not, try securing the account immediately through the Microsoft account security page and review recent sign-in activity to see if there were any unfamiliar logins.

The language issue could be because someone changed the account region, browser settings, or specific Microsoft service settings. Even if the account's preferred language still shows English, other settings may have been modified.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-06-10T19:01:51.0433333+00:00

    Follow these steps to secure the account and correct the language behavior:

    1. Secure the Microsoft account immediately
      1. Go to the Security basics page and sign in.
      2. Select Change password and set a new, strong password that is not used on any other site.
      3. On the same Security page, review and update security info (phone, alternate email) so only trusted contact methods are present.
    2. Check for unusual or unauthorized sign-ins
      1. Go to the Recent activity page for the Microsoft account.
      2. Review sign-ins from the last 30 days. If any activity is not recognized:
        • If it appears under Unusual activity, expand it and select This wasn't me.
        • If it appears under Recent activity, expand it and select Secure your account.
      3. Follow any prompts to further secure the account.
    3. Confirm the account has not been fully compromised
      • If sign-in is no longer possible or it appears someone changed the password or security info, follow the guidance in How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account and use the account recovery process referenced there.
    4. Fix language-related issues
      1. Check Windows or device language settings (PC, browser, and Outlook.com) as they can affect how pages display.
      2. Verify Microsoft account language:
        • Sign in to the Microsoft account profile and confirm the display language is set correctly.
      3. If security verification messages (codes, alerts) arrive in the wrong language, remove and re-add the security info (email/phone) one at a time so that messages are recreated in the correct language. Do not remove all security info at once, or the account may be restricted for 30 days.
    5. Monitor Outlook.com and account activity
      • Regularly check the recent activity page for any new suspicious sign-ins.
      • If any new unusual activity emails are received, verify they are from ******@accountprotection.microsoft.com and then review activity as above.

    If there is ongoing suspicious behavior or access cannot be restored, use the official Microsoft support/contact options referenced in the documents to escalate.

    References:

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

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