Managing personal Outlook.com account settings, security, and privacy
Use the Microsoft sign-in helper first. It is the primary path for hacked or blocked Microsoft accounts and can either guide through self-help or offer the chance to talk to an agent.
Recommended order:
- Start the sign-in helper: Start
- If access to the PC used with the account is still available, run a malware scan before changing any password:
- Open Windows Security
- Go to Virus and threat protection
- Select Scan options > Full scan > Scan now
- If sign-in is still possible anywhere, go to Security basics and review recent activity:
- Select Review activity
- For activity that is not recognized, choose This wasn't me or Secure your account
- Then select Change password
- If sign-in is no longer possible because the attacker changed the sign-in details:
- On the sign-in page, select Forgot my password
- Then select I think someone else is using my Microsoft account
- Follow the recovery steps
- If Outlook.com is blocked because of unusual activity, use the unblock flow: Sign-in Helper
- If the recovery path keeps failing, use Microsoft Support: Contact Microsoft Support Enter the problem and select Get Help, then Contact Support.
Important limits:
- Support agents are not allowed to send password reset links or access and change account details.
- If the attacker changed the account’s sign-in and recovery information, recovery must still go through the official recovery and sign-in flows.
If the account now shows as not linked to the original email, that matches cases where the sign-in information was changed. The supported next steps are the sign-in helper, password recovery flow, recent activity review if any session still works, and Contact Support.
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