

Or you could simply use the keyboard shortcuts of Windows logo key + I to open Settings. If you want to change the password on your Windows 8 - 8.1 PC, then swipe from the right to left if you're using a touch-enabled device, or move your mouse to the upper right corner to open the Charms menu. I recall thinking Hotmail, are you flipping kidding me? An online site that script kiddies in kindergarten can hack? But Microsoft says you don't have to use a Microsoft account to setup flavors of Windows 8. In Windows 8.1, for example, your Microsoft account password is likely tied to your Microsoft email account.


If you haven't enabled two-step verification, then you really need to. Lastly, the security option under your Microsoft account settings will now allow you to choose how Microsoft notifies you for suspicious or unusual logins. For each type of activity, we show you what kind of device and browser was used, and what location the request came from, including a handy map from our friends at Bing. There are numerous activities reported, ranging from successful sign-in, password changed, two-step verification turned off, to alias added or deleted.Īs you can see from the example picture, this page displays different types of activity, including successful and unsuccessful sign-ins, the addition and deletion of security information and more. If you see a login that wasn't made by you, or an unknown IP addy accessing your account, then you can click on that sign-in or account change notification to report it via hitting the "This wasn't me" button. The option to view your recent account activity will allow you to see when your account was accessed. You can only request one recovery code at a time requesting a new code cancels the old one." Your recovery code is like a spare key to your house - so make sure you store it in a safe place.

But it obviously happened often enough that it made it into the two-step verification FAQ.Īt any rate, now "anybody can add a recovery code to their account (even if you don't turn on two-step verification). "Because two-step verification setup requires two verified pieces of security information, like a phone number and email address, it will be a rare occasion when both options fail, but in the event they do, we've got you covered," said Doerr.
