Microsoft Password Management

Audience

Faculty, staff, and students.

Task

Reset your password or unlock your Central Piedmont account using Microsoft’s password management tools.

• Reset Your Password (if you forgot it)
• Change Your Password (if you know it and want to update it)
• Unlock Your Account
• Troubleshooting

Resetting Your Password 

If you know your password and just want to change it, follow the steps in the next section to change it from your account settings instead.

1. Navigate to Microsoft’s Self-Service Password Reset site.

2. Enter your Central Piedmont email address and CAPTCHA, then click Next. Be sure to use the correct email format:

• Students: username@email.cpcc.edu
• Employees: firstname.lastname@cpcc.edu

3. Select "I forgot my password" and click Next.

4. Select your first verification method and follow the prompts to verify.

5. Select your second verification method and complete the verification process.

6. Create a new password that meets the following requirements:

   • Must be at least 14 characters long
   • Cannot reuse any of your last 24 passwords
   • Cannot contain personal information (name, birth date, etc) or a partial spelling of personal information
   • Cannot contain your username
   • Must include characters from at least 3 of the following categories:
     • Uppercase letters (A through Z)
     • Lowercase letters (a through z)
     • Numbers (0 through 9)
     • Symbol/special character (~!@#$%^&*(){}[]:;"'<>,.?/)
   • Previous password must be at least 24 hours old

Note: You can only reset your password once every 24 hours. If you changed your password within the past 24 hours, you must wait before resetting it again. For assistance, please contact the ITS Service Desk.

Change your Password from your Account Settings

If you know your password and just want to change it, follow the steps:

1. Go to myaccount.microsoft.com and sign in with your Central Piedmont email and current password.

2. Click "Change Password" in the Password tile, or "Password" in the menu on the left side of the page.

3. Create a new password that meets the following requirements:

   • Must be at least 14 characters long
   • Cannot reuse any of your last 24 passwords
   • Cannot contain personal information (name, birth date, etc) or a partial spelling of personal information
   • Cannot contain your username
   • Must include characters from at least 3 of the following categories:
     • Uppercase letters (A through Z)
     • Lowercase letters (a through z)
     • Numbers (0 through 9)
     • Symbol/special character (~!@#$%^&*(){}[]:;"'<>,.?/)
   • Previous password must be at least 24 hours old

4. Click Submit.

Unlock Your Account

Your account may be locked if you attempted to sign in with an incorrect password too many times. Follow these steps to unlock your account so you can sign in again.

1. Navigate to Microsoft’s Self-Service Password Reset site.

2. Enter your Central Piedmont email address and CAPTCHA, then click Next. Be sure to use the correct email format:

• Students: username@email.cpcc.edu
• Employees: firstname.lastname@cpcc.edu

3. Select "I know my password, but still can't sign in" and click Next.

4. Select your first verification method and follow the prompts to verify.

5. Select your second verification method and complete the verification process.

6. Once you complete both verification steps, you will see a message stating your account has been unlocked.

Troubleshooting:

For issues resetting your password or unlocking your account, try these steps:

• Make sure you are entering your email address correctly. Be sure to use the correct email format:
  • Students: username@email.cpcc.edu
  • Employees: firstname.lastname@cpcc.edu
• Clear your cache and cookies or use a different web browser (Safari is not recommended).
• Close your browser window or tab to leave the website, then open a new one and try again.
• Double-check that your new password meets all the password requirements.
• For MFA verification issues:
  • If you are using the Authenticator app, confirm that your other device is connected to the internet.
  • If you want to verify with your office phone, omit your extension when you type it in (even if the last two digits are shown in the preview). It will dial your extension automatically.

If your account is repeatedly locking after you've successfully unlocked it, try these troubleshooting steps:

• Check your Wifi settings:
  • If you recently changed your password, and your phone, tablet, or computer is set to connect automatically to a Central Piedmont network, it may still be using your old password. This can lead to repeated failed login attempts, causing your account to lock. Select "forget network" in the network settings to prevent further attempts. Make sure to do this on all of your devices.
• Reset your password to ensure you are entering the correct one.
• Type in your password instead of selecting a saved password when signing in.

Outcome

After completing these steps, your Central Piedmont account password will be successfully changed, or your account will be unlocked.