How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account

If your account has been hacked, use our sign-in helper tool below to help guide you to the right solutions.

The tool will ask for your email address or phone number, and either show appropriate self-help, or offer the chance to talk to an agent.

Start

Step 1: Clear your PC of viruses or malware before you change your password

If you have a good antivirus program installed, make sure it's up to date and then do a full scan of your system. If you don't have an antivirus app installed on your PC, Microsoft offers some solutions if you're running Windows 8.1 or Windows 10/11.

If you're running Windows 8.1 or Windows 10/11, you already have Windows Defender. Do the following to turn on malware protection:

Select Start
On the Start screen, type Windows Defender in the Search box, or select Windows Defender.
Follow the instructions on the screen.

Important: Regardless of which antivirus app you install, run a full scan on your PC before you change your password. You should also set up your antivirus app to automatically get updates and scan your PC on a regular basis.

Step 2: Change or reset your password

After you run the antivirus app, sign in to your account and change your password. Make sure you create a strong password.

If you can't sign in, reset your password.

Step 3: Check your account settings

Because someone else had access to your account, we've reset some of your account settings. To check and change your account settings, go to connected accounts, forwarding, and automatic replies.