Having trouble with your Outlook Mail

It’s frustrating when someone’s email account is hacked for some reason. But what are those reasons? Well, if your account is not well-secured and authenticated, chances are that you might end up in serious trouble. An account being hacked is one of the biggest troubles you can get with an email account. However, if you diagnose the error in the early phase, you can do many things to protect your account, such as changing the password and security information and enabling the two-factor authentication settings. 

Causes of a Hacked Outlook Email Account

Well, accounts can be hacked for many reasons. Even if you keep your account secured, hackers may find a way to exploit your account. There are some more reasons, too. 

• Your password is weak and has already been used somewhere. 

• Clicking suspicious and spammy links 

• Your operating system is outdated. 

• You’re using public Wi-Fi or another’s desktop. 

• You didn’t enable two-factor authentication. 

• Any potential virus or malware infection

Solution 1: Change Your Account’s Password and Security Information

If your account is in the wrong hands, it’s a good option to change the password and security info. 

1. First of all, sign in to the Outlook email account. 

2. Then, head to the Security Panel option. 

3. Now, click on the Change Password link on the screen. 

4. After that, continue with the steps to recreate a password and implement the changes.

5. Also, update your account’s security details, including your mobile number and a secondary email, to maintain the account recovery options. 

Solution 2: Turn the Two-Factor Verification

To make your account more secure, you must enable the two-factor authentication option on your email account. 

1. In the beginning, sign in to your Outlook mail account and head over to its Security settings. 

2. Then, move on to the Two-step verification panel. 

3. Now, choose the Two-factor authentication option. 

4. Moving forward, select a verification method either via call or text. 

5. Next, type your mobile number and click Next. 

6. In the next step, type the confirmation code you get on your phone and click Next. 

7. After your two-factor authentication is complete, you’ll need to type a security code each time you sign in to your account from a different computer. 

Solution 3: Check the Account Settings & Recovery Options for Any Changes

To make a change, you should check your mail account settings and the recovery options. The verification steps are below. 

1. Initially, log in to your email account and visit the Account Settings section. 

2. Now, check the details of your account, like name, email, contact number, and some security questions, to see if they are correct. 

3. After that, make sure that your account’s activity detects any suspicious logins or unusual activity. 

4. And then, you will have to verify your recovery options, including your number and recovery email. They should be up-to-date. 

5. In case you find any suspicious activity, you must update the details and create a strong password for your account. 

Solution 4: Update the Antivirus Product and Scan Your Computer

To keep your account from being hacked, you should update your antivirus software and then run a full scan on your operating system. 

1. Start by going to the antivirus software program and looking for updates. 

2. Now, you will have to install the suggested updates on your computer. 

3. When you are done with these updates, you must run a full system scan. 

4. After that, let the scan display its complete results. 

5. In case you see any errors, you have to continue with the basic steps to get rid of them. 

6. In the end, restart your desktop computer to complete the procedure. 

Important Note: These quick and easy instructions may change depending on the software you are using. 

Solution 5: Check the Activity for Any Suspicious Emails or Unauthorized Access

You should check that your account has any suspicious emails or access without permission. Check out the simple steps in the section below: 

1. Firstly, log in to your email account on your device. 

2. And then, navigate to the profile picture on the top right side. 

3. On the following screen, you will have to click on the View Account option. 

4. Next, open the Security section from your left side. 

5. Check your account’s activity under the Your Devices and Recent Activity option. 

6. After that, you need to check for any suspicious activity or logins. 

7. Now, go to Security Info and then make sure all the details are updated. 

8. In case you observe any suspicious activity, change your account’s password and turn on the two-step authentication right away.