How to Change Security Settings on Microsoft Outlook: Complete Guide
We use email clients for everything from sharing images to trading the tax documents with our accountants. Basically, email applications are filled with personal information, financial details, photographs, and Social Security numbers. Also, most users’ email inbox incorporate a wealth of identity attributes that could be wreak havoc in wrong hands. So, the question is how to change security settings on Microsoft Outlook?
From the lowest-tech to highest-tech, here are some easy ways that can keep your Outlook email account secure from prying eyes and help to keep your database confidential.
Start With a Strong Password
Well, this is an obvious one, but it is still the first way to enhance and strengthen your Outlook account emails. A strong password that is difficult to detect by humans and computer programs both effectively protect the data from unauthorized accessing. A strong password includes at least six characters (the more characters, the stronger the password), which must be a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols (i.e., $, %, @, #, etc.) is allowed. The passwords are usually case-sensitive thus, a strong password comprises letters in uppercase and lowercase both. Besides, the strong passwords do not contain words, which can be part of the users’ own name or found in the dictionary.
Use Two-Factor Authentication
Change Security Settings on Microsoft Outlook to Two-step verification or two-factor authentication. This is an advanced security layer included on Microsoft Accounts. It makes more complex for hackers to get the access and control of your account. 2FA incorporates Outlook.com, as all the Microsoft services connected through one account. In case, if someone figured out your password then, without the second form of authentication, it will be impossible to access your account. The advantage of utilizing the two-factor authentication is it makes things simpler and Outlook account users will get the security code even if their device is not connected to the cellular network.
Alternate for Windows Login
Utilizing Outlook email for logging into Windows computer is such a risky thing. It is so because if someone is aware of your Outlook account password, or tracks it then, they can simply get the access of your account. Hence, it is better to use a different login email for your system via setting changes. Luckily, Microsoft Windows provides an option i.e., a PIN as well as image login. In order, to apply that login solution, navigate to the Settings in your PC. Then, select ‘Accounts’ and click on ‘Sign in’. Eventually, click ‘Add’ to get the option you would prefer. After this, if your PC is in the wrong hands then, your email information is out of risk.
Enable Password for PST Account
If you use your computer to log in your Outlook account then, it saves all your mailbox data in PST file. Protecting Outlook data file with a password will further enhance Outlook email security settings to your account. But, it is not a preventive trick for cyber attacks. For that, a strong password for PC will be handy.
To Change Security Settings on Microsoft Outlook PST file, apply password on a PST file. Open Outlook on your computer and choose the ‘File’ option. Next, select Account Settings >> Account Settings and click on ‘Data File’ tab. A list will be displayed after that, click on the desired PST file. Select the ‘Settings’ option and click ‘Change Password’. After that, set a strong password and hit the ‘OK’ button.
Monitor Account Activity Regularly
The final way discussed here to change security settings on Microsoft Outlook is checking recent activity log in Outlook account. Just like many other email clients, Outlook also provides an option to review the login details. Using this privilege, one can monitor and figure out all the doubtful login details like location, device, and application. In order to check the login details, one just needs to navigate to the Microsoft account security page and select ‘Review activity’ option. Here, you can check the recent login details along with timings. For eradicating the concerns, this will show you that whether the login attempt was successful or not. In addition, also check that the registered devices that are authenticated for logging in without 2FA code.
Final Words!
Considering a common user query i.e., how to change security settings on Microsoft Outlook, we have come up with this article. Here, we have discussed all the main and essential ways that can keep users’ Outlook email account secure. Implementing the solutions will make users stress-free about their account security.