The Â鶹Éç is committed to protecting personal information, institutional data and the technology systems on which that data resides. Strong password practices are a critical part of this protection and help defend against cyberthreats such as phishing and identity theft.
Setting Your Password
Setting Your Password
To update or reset your password:
- Go to at Microsoft Online.
- Enter your University username in the format username@umsystem.edu.
- Microsoft will send a verification passcode to your registered phone number. You may select “Sign‑in another way” if you prefer a voice call or if text is not available.
- After resetting your password, allow up to 10 minutes for it to sync across systems.
Your University password must meet the following standards:
Length
- Minimum: eight characters
- Maximum: 26 characters
Complexity
Your password must include three of the following four categories:
- Lowercase letters (a–z)
- Uppercase letters (A–Z)
- Numbers (0–9)
- Special characters: ? . _ - ~ + = $ !
(Note: Some systems may not accept commas, so choose from the characters above.)
Passwords Cannot
- Contain spaces
- Match the previous password (case‑insensitive)
- Be any five‑character‑or‑longer dictionary word
- Contain your name or any part of your username (case‑insensitive)
- Contain symbols outside the approved special character list
(Note: Users must not use their University password for non-University or third-party systems.)
When creating your password for the first time, you will be prompted to:
- Provide a mobile phone number
- Provide an external (non‑University) email address
- Answer knowledge‑based questions (used to verify your identity during recovery)
This information is used only for legitimate University purposes and is not shared or marketed externally.
Login Problems
Login Problems
If you are unable to log in to your account, there are steps you can take to regain access. These steps will vary depending on if you are a current student or employee, or a former student.
Current Students & Employees
First, check the page to make sure there aren't any known issues. If there are no system issues, you will need to reset your password.
If you have any problems resetting your password, of if you are experiencing other login-related issues, please contact your campus IT Help Desk.
Former Students & Employees
If you need to change your password, visit the reset password tool.
More information on email usage and management for former students and employees is available under the "account eligibility" section of the Electronic Mail Use and Management Procedures.
Why Password Security Matters
Why Password Security Matters
Passwords remain an essential component of account security. To safeguard University resources, users must maintain strong, confidential passwords and comply with established password requirements. Unauthorized use of a password can result in data exposure, account compromise, service disruption or reputational harm.
If you believe your password has been compromised, you must change it immediately and notify your Information Security Officer.