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I have a Hotmail account that I have used since the 1990s. Recently I forgot my password after being asked to change it. Google Chrome still logs in to my Hotmail account automatically on my laptop, but not on other computers. In the past if I forgot my password I had a text message sent to my cell phone. However, I also lost that cell phone.

The only other option Hotmail offers me is to fill in a questionnaire with detailed information about recent messages and folders I have created. However, no matter how much information I provide, the automated response refuses to provide the password.

Recently I thought maybe Google Chrome would reveal the passwords it saves and would tell me what my Hotmail password is. However, when I go to: chrome://settings/passwords my Hotmail account is not listed (although various other passwords for various other sites are listed).

Is there some way I can retrieve my Hotmail password from Google Chrome?

Alternatively, is there some way I can obtain my Hotmail password from Microsoft by speaking to a live person?

I can read every email sent and received, create folders, provide old passwords, and answer security questions. But none of that is good enough. I can even provide the phone number to which texts used to be sent before I lost the cell phone. However, I cannot change the password without knowing what the current password is.

Thank you for any advice. I do not wish to lose the Hotmail account given that I have used it since perhaps 1998.

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  • Why don't you just do a "Can't access your account". Microsoft will send your details for resetting your password. Since you can access the account this shouldn't take to long to do. All they need from you is your email and fill out a captcha box. Feb 4, 2014 at 10:17
  • @MatthewWilliams Perhaps I did not explain clearly that Microsoft asks me to fill in a questionnaire. I provide very detailed and specific information but the automated reply refuses to provide the password. Feb 4, 2014 at 10:21
  • So you put your email address in the login page, leave the password blank, click "can't access my account" and it gives you a big questionnaire? Feb 4, 2014 at 10:24
  • @MatthewWilliams I am already logged in. I go to account settings. That takes me to a log-in page with my address filled in but with the password blank. I click on 'cannot access your account'. The next option is to provide a cell phone number. One or two options later it asks me to fill in a questionnaire. Feb 4, 2014 at 10:32
  • Using a different browser do a password reset and use the email option rather than phone. Put down the email you are trying to access as the ID and see if they will send you a reset code that way. EDIT: I just tried this and it works fine. Easy way to get a reset code. Feb 4, 2014 at 10:39

6 Answers 6

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If your Google Chrome was set to remember my password & if you are authentic local account user.

You can retrieve your passwords following the instructions below:

  1. Go to chrome://settings & scroll down to the bottom
  2. Click on Show Advanced Settings

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  1. Scroll down to Passwords & forms section & click on Manage Passwords

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  1. Search for the site in Manage Password list & click on Show
  2. Authenticate using your computer password when asked
  3. Yo should see the password after successful authentication enter image description here
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The same thing happened to me. I hope this information helps.

"The customer service number for Hotmail is 866-672-4551 or 800-642-7676. A customer service representative is available between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. from Monday through Friday – or between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday."

You can try call the number above, but the only way to retrieve the account is by online and filling in information.

Afterwards I went to support.microsoft.com to talk to the person directly online, and fortunately received the web link for the form which leads to directly to the technicians.

Right now I am just filling in. "I want to set proper expectation that the success of this will depend on the information that you will enter."

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  • So, what you're saying is that the methods already tried by the user are the only available methods. Calling will not work because you still have to fill out the form they have already filled out? Feb 1, 2017 at 21:49
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Ok give this a try.

Go to your login screen on Chrome where it shows the email and hidden password. Right click the password box and click "Inspect Element". On the highlighted line of code double click and change type="password" to type="text" and press enter.

Should show you the password

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  • I see no password displayed when I do this. Feb 4, 2014 at 11:48
  • Lets test something out here then. Load Chrome > Go to hotmail.com > type "someemail" and "somepassword" into the relevant login boxes. Follow the above steps. Does is change the hidden password to a revealed password (in the password box)? Feb 4, 2014 at 11:56
  • Yes, that reveals "somepassword" but I do not see how this will help since it is only revealing what I type into it. The correct password is not present on the log-in screen hidden by a string of asterisks so it does not seem to be waiting for me to reveal it with the steps above. Feb 4, 2014 at 21:15
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If you can't get access to your account through the questionnaire your best bet is to call support, maybe they can help you further.

When you have full control of your account again make sure to change your account settings and add a current phonenumber AND secondairy e-mail address, you might also want to think about password management software like keepass. (I know this doens't help you right now but I've learned to use it the hard way and never lost a password again.)

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  • I see no phone number at the link you provided or at other pages related to Outlook connected to that link. Feb 4, 2014 at 11:14
  • It's a localized page, I get the Dutch page and that does have a number, try searching for any kind of microsoft support, once you have a person on the line they can connect you through to the right department.
    – nhalink
    Feb 4, 2014 at 11:19
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I had a phone number associated with the account. However, as explained in the original post, I lost that cell phone.

Fortunately, that phone number was out of service this month. I had to purchase another cell phone and have that old phone number assigned to the new phone. Then I was able to have a security code sent to that new phone and I created a new Hotmail password.

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Since google chrome is making auto login for the hotmail account eventhough you are unable to find the password for it.

Google chrome would store the password and history information in the following location for default profile C:\Users\\Appdata\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\ so there is tool called Gmail Password Dump which would export the password.

You can download the tool Gmail Password Dump.It would get installed in the location C:\Program Files (x86)\SecurityXploded\ChromePasswordDump.To use the tool you need to use the command prompt to navigate the location and then try to run the command ChromePasswordDump.exe.

If the profile is in different location,you can execute the command

C:\Program Files (x86)\SecurityXploded\ChromePasswordDump>ChromePasswordDump.exe -f "C:\Users\vembu\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default"

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