I’ve Forgotten My Password – What Should I Do?

This is for you if… you cannot get into an account, you are nervous about pressing the wrong reset link, or you keep getting asked for codes and passwords that do not make sense.

Not long ago, I was helping someone in Fairfield who had been locked out of an email account. The stressful part was not the password itself. It was working out which reset page was genuine and which messages to ignore.

Forgetting a password is normal. Most people have more accounts than they can realistically remember. The important thing is to reset it safely.

Start in the Right Place

Open the real app or website yourself. Do not click a password reset link from an unexpected text, email, advert or pop-up.

Look for wording such as:

• Forgotten password?

• Reset password

• Can’t sign in?

• Account recovery

Use Your Recovery Options

You may be asked to prove it is you using a code sent by text, a code sent by email, a trusted device, security questions or an authenticator app.

If the code goes to an old phone number or email address, look for another recovery option rather than starting again from a random link.

Choose a New Password Carefully

A good password should be long, unique and not reused on other accounts. A password manager can help because you do not have to remember every password yourself.

At minimum, make sure your email password is different from everything else. Your email account is often the key to resetting other accounts.

Turn On Extra Security

After you get back in, check whether the account offers two-step verification or two-factor authentication. It adds an extra step when someone tries to sign in, which makes the account harder to access without permission.

Watch Out for Fake Help

• Sponsored adverts pretending to be support

• Unexpected messages saying your account is locked

• People asking you to share a reset code

• Websites asking for payment to recover a free account

Never share a verification code with someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

A Simple Rule to Remember

Reset passwords from the real app or website, then save the new password somewhere safe.

If You Need Help Getting Back In

I can help you reset passwords safely, set up a password manager, check recovery details and make your accounts easier to manage without judgement.

If you live in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire or Suffolk and would like ongoing help and peace of mind with passwords, account safety, phones, tablets and everyday tech confidence, take a look at the Confident With Tech Membership. If you only need one-off help with a specific problem, you can book a friendly one-to-one visit.