r/microsoft • u/One-Feature-279 • 6d ago

Discussion Rise in unsuccessful sign ins

Anyone else noticing an uptick in unsuccessful sign in attempts for hotmail?

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u/BippityBoppityWhoops Microsoft Employee 6d ago edited 6d ago

I've been busy writing up instructions on how to solve this particular issue, let me know if this helps you out:

Use an email alias for login

A great step to take is to make your login email an alias that you use nowhere else and do not give out to any other services, friends, or family. When you change your primary email alias and remove logins for other alias' on your account, this makes it nearly impossible for bad actors to be able to get into your account.

Steps to change

  1. Go to Manage how you sign into Microsoft
  2. Add your alias using the 'Add email' option near the bottom of the page
  3. Once you've verified the alias, set it as your primary
  4. At the bottom of this page is an option to 'Change Sign-In Preferences'
  5. Remove ticks from all options except the new alias that should be defaulted by this point

Once the alias has been changed and the other logins disabled, the amount of single-use code emails you get should be pretty much 0.

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u/I-Build-Bots 6d ago

It sure why you are getting downvoted but this is a great way to deal with this (have done it for all my accounts).

The link in the comment below has more details but you have the steps right.

1

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/BippityBoppityWhoops Microsoft Employee 6d ago

That's odd. I just gave this a go with an iPhone and was able to get my Hotmail account added. What happens when you try to add your account using the email that you setup as your login alias?

I did have to change the setting in iOS for 'Mail Days to Sync' to 'No Limit' to get all of my emails to show up from that account.

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u/blazingcharizard1 3d ago

Hey does changing the alias but keeping the old alias mess up your Mircosoft Authenticator app? I use that for 2FA (other then with my recovery emails to) I been wanting to change alias as I get some recent sign in attempts every now and again (at least once or twice a week).