Security Policy Errors

How to Set an Alert for Password Changes in Microsoft 365

Partner Editor Oct 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to properly configure email notifications to alert them when an emergency administrator password is changed or reset.

How to Set an Alert for Password Changes in Microsoft 365

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Configuring security activity alerts to monitor administrative accounts for unauthorized or emergency password resets.
Observed behavior: Email notifications for password changes or resets fail to send, despite other security alerts (like sign-in alerts) functioning correctly.

Before you start

Ensure you are signed in with Global Administrator or Security Administrator credentials, and verify that audit logging is fully enabled for your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Tenant Alert Policies and Audit Log Configurations

Check your Microsoft Purview compliance portal to ensure that the password reset alert policy is active and correctly targeting your administrator accounts.

Activity alerts rely on the unified audit log to detect events. If audit logging is disabled or the specific alert policy is misconfigured, email notifications will not trigger even if the event occurs.

Access the Compliance Portal

Confirm Audit Logging is Enabled

Navigate to the 'Audit' section in the left pane and verify that audit logging is turned on for your organization.

Review Alert Policies

Go to 'Policies' and select 'Alert policies'. Search for the policy related to 'Reset user password' or 'Changed password'.

Verify Policy Settings

Click on the policy to edit it. Ensure the 'Status' is set to 'On', the conditions correctly match your emergency admin accounts, and the designated recipient email address is accurate.

Verify Tenant Alert Policies and Audit Log Configurations

Processing Delays: It can sometimes take up to 24 hours for newly configured alert policies to take effect or for audit log events to generate an initial email notification.

Solution 2

Contact Microsoft Support for Business Premium

If the tenant configurations are correct but emails still fail to send, escalate the issue to the Microsoft 365 Business support team for backend troubleshooting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Microsoft 365 activity alerts delayed?

Microsoft 365 activity alerts can experience delays due to backend system processing times. Microsoft documentation notes that it can occasionally take up to 24 hours for specific audit log events to process and generate an email alert.

Who can receive password change alerts in Microsoft 365?

Any user with a valid email address can be assigned as a recipient for activity alerts. However, for security events like administrator password changes, it is highly recommended to restrict notifications strictly to global administrators or designated security operations personnel.

Are customized activity alerts available in all Microsoft 365 plans?

Basic alert policies are available in most business plans, including Microsoft 365 Business Premium. However, highly advanced customized alert policies may require higher-tier security add-ons, such as Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.

Can I set password alerts exclusively for specific admin accounts?

Yes, when configuring an alert policy in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal, you can define specific conditions so that the alert is only triggered when actions are performed by or on specific users, such as your designated emergency administrator accounts.

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