![](/pageassets/advice-hub/digital-access/password/Articles_Resetting-your-password.png)
Following an HWU policy change in Summer 2022, all accounts must now have reset, longer passwords.
The new requirements are:
- 16-character minimum
- Contain characters from three of the four categories:
- Uppercase characters (A-Z)
- Lowercase characters (a-z)
- Numbers (0-9)
- Non-alphabetic characters (for example, !, $, #, %)
- Avoid using three consecutive characters from your name or username
I know my password
If you know your password and want to change it:
- Log in to https://myaccount.microsoft.com/ using your Heriot-Watt credentials
- Click CHANGE PASSWORD
- Enter your old password once and a new password twice, ensuring it meets the length and character stipulations.
- Click Submit
More info about changing your password.
I don't know my password
If you have forgotten your HWU student password or have not yet set one, then you can reset it here.
![](/pageassets/advice-hub/digital-access/email/Forgotten-password.png)
Just enter the personal email address that is on your student record when you completed online enrolment
A message should then arrive in your inbox, follow the steps below to create a new password.
Check your Junk or Spam folders if the message does not arrive.
Then click on the Reset your password link.
![](/pageassets/advice-hub/digital-access/email/Reset-password.png)
If you then get an "Oops! Something has gone wrong" message, that usually indicates the link has expired or the password does not meet the rules.
To resend a Reset password email, go back to https://idm.hw.ac.uk/sfpr/ and enter your personal email address again.
Make sure your new password meets the rules.
Still need help?
If you are still unable to set a password then you can email ishelp@hw.ac.uk and they can reset it for you, but this may take longer than doing it yourself.