How to Reset Microsoft Entra Guest User Passwords
Question details
Finding out the correct procedure for a Microsoft Entra guest user to reset their password after being invited to an organization.
- Product
- Microsoft Entra
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A guest user invited to an organization via a personal email address is attempting to reset their password but encounters an error when using the host organization's password-reset procedure.
- Observed behavior
- The guest user is unable to reset their password via the host organization's administration portal because authentication and password management rely entirely on the guest's original identity provider.
Before attempting a password reset, identify the exact type of account the guest is using (e.g., personal Microsoft account, Microsoft 365 work/school account, or a third-party email provider), as this dictates the correct reset procedure.
Reset Passwords According to the Guest's Identity Provider
Guide guest users to utilize the password reset tools provided by their own email or identity provider, as the host organization does not have administrative rights over external credentials.
Because guest accounts are authenticated externally, the host organization's Microsoft Entra administrators cannot reset passwords for them. Password control remains solely with the original identity provider used by the guest.
Instruct the guest user to navigate to the standard Microsoft account password recovery page and follow the prompts to verify their identity and reset their personal password.
Advise the guest user to contact the IT administrator in their home organization (their own tenant), as only the administrator of their native directory has the necessary permissions to reset the password.
If the user signed up using an alternative identity provider (such as Google or Yahoo), they must use that specific provider's standard password recovery process on their respective websites.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do guest users get an error when trying to reset their password in our portal?
Guest users authenticate using their own identity provider rather than your organization's Microsoft Entra directory. Because of this external authentication, your organization's administration portal does not have the authority to process or save their password reset.
Can I just delete the guest user and invite them again to fix the password issue?
No. Deleting and re-inviting the user will not give your host organization control over their password. They will still need to recover their password through their personal email provider or home tenant administrator.
Who can reset the password for a guest using a Microsoft 365 work account?
Only the IT administrator of the guest's home directory (the organization that originally provisioned their work or school account) has the administrative permissions required to initiate a password reset.
