Has this ever happened to you?
You go to log in to a website only to realize...you can’t remember your password.
Well don’t feel bad, it happens to everyone.
The steps to recover your password vary slightly from site to site, but generally speaking
the majority of sites will have a few simple steps you can follow to regain access to your
account.
Here are a few tips for getting started.
On the login screen, most websites will have a “Forgot Password” link.
When you click this link, you’ll usually be prompted to enter your email address, as
well as additional information like your user name, phone number, part of your social security
number, or the answer to a pre-determined security question - basically any information
you provided when you first created your account, that only you would know the answer to.
Sites use this information in part to verify that you are the account holder.
But they’ll also need it for the next step in the process - sending you information on
how to get back into your account.
At this point most sites will give you detailed instructions on how to reset your password.
Some sites may send you a temporary password, though this is less common.
Depending on the site and what contact information you provided, you may even receive a text
with your login details.
After you’ve followed the steps and instructions provided to you by the site, you should be
able to log in to your account...
But if you’ve tried these things and you’re still having trouble getting into your account,
look for the site’s “Contact Us” or “Help” link.
You’ll usually be able to find it at the top or bottom of a page.
There you’ll be able to fill out a form or send a message about the issues you’re
having logging in.
The site should then be able to provide you with more specific details about accessing
your account.
On the other hand, if you receive an email or text about an attempt to change a password
that you didn’t initiate, it could be a sign that someone is trying to gain unauthorized
access to one of your accounts.
If this happens, don’t click any of the links in the email, or confirm the password
change.
In a case like this, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to change your password anyway,
just to be safe.
The best way to do this is by navigating directly to the site by typing the URL into the address
bar.
Then just follow the directions on the site to reset your password.