How to Verify or Recover your Microsoft Account in Windows 8.1
InformationOccasionally, Microsoft might ask you to verify your security info again—for example, if you haven’t signed in for a long while. This is just Microsoft's way to double-check whether your security info is current, and to help prevent a hacker from accessing your sensitive info by pretending to be you. It won’t happen every time.
Microsoft uses security info that you provide to raise the security level of your Microsoft account by associating it with multiple forms of identification. This makes unauthorized access to your Microsoft account substantially more difficult. Also, if you ever forget your password or someone tries to access your account, we’ll be able to reach you to reestablish appropriate control of your account.
Security info helps to make unauthorized access to your account substantially more difficult. This info includes:
This tutorial will show you how to recover or verify your Microsoft account identity in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.
Microsoft uses security info that you provide to raise the security level of your Microsoft account by associating it with multiple forms of identification. This makes unauthorized access to your Microsoft account substantially more difficult. Also, if you ever forget your password or someone tries to access your account, we’ll be able to reach you to reestablish appropriate control of your account.
Security info helps to make unauthorized access to your account substantially more difficult. This info includes:
- Email accounts
- Phone numbers
- Recovery code
- Trusted devices
This tutorial will show you how to recover or verify your Microsoft account identity in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.
Here's How:
1. Open PC settings, and click/tap on Accounts. (see screenshot below)
2. Click/tap on Your account on the left side, and click/tap on the Verify link under "You need to verify your identity." on the right side. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not have a Verify link, then your Microsoft account is currently verified, and you can go to step 10 below.
3. Type your Microsoft account password, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NoteIf you forgot or lost your password, then you can click/tap on the Can't access your account? link to go to step 5B in OPTION TWO of the tutorial below instead to reset your Microsoft account password.
How to Change or Reset Password of Your Microsoft Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
How to Change or Reset Password of Your Microsoft Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
4. If you did not set up two-step verification for your Microsoft account, then go to step 10 below.
5. If you did set up two-step verification for your Microsoft account, then do step 6, 7, 8, or 9 below for how you would like to receive a security code to verify your account.
NoteIf you added this PC as a trusted device, then you may not always be asked to do two-step verification to get a code.
The options you have available to receive your code will depend on what security info you added to your Microsoft account.
The options you have available to receive your code will depend on what security info you added to your Microsoft account.
6. To Receive your Code by Text Message to a Phone
A) In the drop down menu, select the Text (your phone number) option, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Enter the code sent as a text message to your phone, click/tap on Submit, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: If this option should fail, then click/tap on Use a different verification option, and go to step 5 above.
7. To Receive your Code by Automated Phone Call
A) In the drop down menu, select the Call (your phone number) option, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Enter the code given to you over the phone, click/tap on Submit, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If this option should fail, then click/tap on Use a different verification option, and go to step 5 above.
8. To Receive your Code by Email
A) In the drop down menu, select the Email (your email address) option, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Enter the code sent to you in an email, click/tap on Submit, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: If this option should fail, then click/tap on Use a different verification option, and go to step 5 above.
9. To Recover your Account with your Recovery Code
NOTE: You would only want to use this option if you were unable to use the options in step 6, 7, and 8 above to get a security code, and already set up your recovery code.
A) In the drop down menu, select the I don't have these any more option, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Enter your recovery code, and click/tap on Use recovery code. (see screenshots below)
C) Enter an email address that's not currently associated with your Microsoft account to send a security code to, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
D) Enter the code sent to you in an email, and click/tap on Verify. (see screenshots below)
E) You will now be provided with a new replacement recovery code. Write down or print your new recovery code, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
WARNING: Your recovery code is only helpful if you've printed it or written it down somewhere safe, separate from your PC or device, before there's a problem.
F) Your Microsoft account has been recovered. You can either click/tap on Done to be finished, or click/tap on Enable two-step verification to turn it on. (see screenshot below)
G) Go to step 1 to make sure that your Microsoft account is verified.
10. Your Microsoft account has been verified. (see screenshot below)
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Sign up for and Create a Microsoft Account
- How to See Detailed Information about your Microsoft Account Recent Activity
- How to Close Your Microsoft Account
- How to Switch from a Local Account to a Microsoft Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Change or Reset Password of Your Microsoft Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Change Email Address of Your "Microsoft Account" in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Add or Remove Aliases for your Microsoft Account
- How to Change your Microsoft Account Primary Alias Email Address
- How to Add or Remove Trusted Devices for your Microsoft Account
- How to Turn "Two-step Verification" On or Off for your Microsoft Account
- Create or Remove App Passwords in your Microsoft Account when Two-Step Verification is Turned On
- How to Set up or Replace your Microsoft Account Recovery Code
- How to Fix 'Click here to enter your most recent credential' in Windows 8 and Windows 10
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