How to Enable and Set App Passwords for your Outlook Account

Facing issues with two-factor authentication while signing in to your Outlook account in some apps or devices? There are more chances that the device or application you’re trying to signing in with doesn’t support two-factor authentication/two-step verification. Although, in order to enhance the security of your account, enabling two-step verification is a nice idea, but that doesn’t mean it prevents you from accessing your account.

Two-factor authentication requires a password as well as a verification code to give you access to your account. If you’ve turned it on (2FS) in your account and when you sign in to it you’ll be asked for your password as usual and additional security code. But, if the application you’re using doesn’t prompt you for the verification code, for such situations you can set app passwords. It is a long password, which generates randomly, you can use it on the email programs that are not compatible with two-step verification. And the great thing is that it disables automatically and quickly when something unsafe happens.

How to enable and set up an app password for Outlook account

An app password is an addition to the security of your account, especially for situations where two-factor authentication doesn’t work. You can set it up separately, which means you don’t need to disable two-factor authentication or any other things in your account. Here is how to enable and set app passwords.

1.   Go to ‘Outlook.com’ and sign in to your account.

2.   After that, click on your Outlook ‘Name or Profile Picture’ under the top navigation bar on the right side. This will open a menu labeled My account.

3.   Look for the ‘My Account/View Account’ option and open it.

4.   Now, go to the ‘Security’ section.

5.   And click on the ‘Update’ option.

6.   Under the Security basics screen, look for ‘More security options’ and select it. You may need to authenticate with your password before you view these settings.

7.   Scroll down and find the ‘Set up two-step verification’ option.

8.   Click on ‘Set up two-step verification.’

9.   Select ‘Next’ to begin the two-step verification wizard.

10.  Now, enable the two-step verification by following the screen instructions.

11.  When you pass two steps of the process, an option for enabling app passwords for your Android, iOS or Blackberry will appear. Select the option for your device on which you want to sync your Outlook.com email.

12.  Then continue and finish the process on your mobile device by following the screen instructions.

When you complete the process correctly, the app password will be enabled and set for your Outlook account. Now, you can try or use it in the app as well as change it anytime when you require.

Tip: You have one more easy way that doesn’t even require entering the code or app password, i.e., Microsoft Authenticator app. This could be the quickest way to access your Outlook account on the email apps with security. Once the Microsoft Authenticator app is activated on your device, you can quickly allow an app to access the Outlook account by just tapping on the approval notification.

How to change the app password for Outlook account

When you see anything unsafe, you can immediately change your app password from the App passwords section under Additional security options. There is no specific limit for changing the app password. You can change it anytime you want. Here is how.

1.   Navigate to the ‘My Account/View Account’ screen by clicking on your ‘Outlook ‘Name or Profile Picture’ at the top.

2.   Go to the ‘Security’ section.

3.   And click on the ‘Update’ option.

4.   Under the Security basics screen, look for ‘More security options’ and select it.

5.   Go to ‘Additional security options.’

6.   Find the ‘App passwords’ heading.

7.   Then, select ‘Create a new app password’ from the App passwords heading.

A new app password will generate by the Outlook. Now, you need to use the changed app password to access your Outlook account in the synced apps.

How to disable app passwords for your Outlook account

If you no longer want to use the app passwords to access your Outlook account in the apps, then it can be disabled easily. Here is how.

1.   Go to ‘Outlook.com’ and sign in to your account.

2.   Navigate to ‘My Account’ screen.

3.   Select ‘Security.’

4.   Then select ‘More security options.’

5.   Go to ‘Additional security options.’

6.   And find the ‘App passwords’ heading.

7.   Now, select ‘Remove existing app passwords’ from the App passwords heading.

8.   Click ‘Remove.’

All the app passwords for your Outlook account will be removed.

Devin Smith is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cyber security. He writes about the latest updates regarding mcafee.com/activate and how it can improve the work experience of users. His articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs and websites. 

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