In the ever-evolving digital landscape, safeguarding your online accounts is paramount. When it comes to e-commerce giants like Amazon, there's a lot of personal data protected by your password, from your photos to your shopping history. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to change or reset your Amazon password but weren't sure how to do it?

If you use Amazon regularly or own an Amazon Echo smart speaker, changing your password is a basic but essential step to keeping your account secure. This guide walks you through the ways to change your password, helps you reset your password if you can't access your Amazon account, and explains how to activate 2FA to keep your account secure.

How to change your Amazon password from your phone or computer

Amazon performs a basic 2FA step before it lets you change your old password. Depending on your account settings, it sends an email via text message (SMS) or email, so keep your phone around when changing your password.

Change your password on the Amazon app for Android and iOS

Follow these steps to change your password on the Amazon app:

While the screenshots have been taken on Android, the process is identical for the iPhone app.

  1. Open the Amazon Shopping app.
  2. Tap the Profile button at the bottom of your screen.
  3. Tap Your Account.
  4. Tap Login & security underneath the Account settings heading. A verification code may be sent to your phone and email, which you'll need to enter to proceed.
  5. Tap the Edit button next to Password. You're taken to the Change Password page.
  6. Enter your current password. Then, enter your new password in the appropriate password fields.
  7. Tap Save changes.
  8. To finish changing your Amazon account's password, verify the action as described above.

Change your password on a desktop

  1. Open the Amazon website on your desktop web browser.
  2. Click Account & Lists in the upper-right corner of your screen.
    Amazon shopping desktop window homescreen
  3. Click Login & Security. You may need to sign in to your Amazon account again to access this page.
    Amazon shopping desktop website login and security button highlighted
  4. Click the Edit button next to Password to access the Change Password page.
  5. Enter your current password, then your new password.
  6. Click Save changes.
  7. Verify the action, and you're done!

Changing your password is easy if you still remember it. But what can you do if you can't remember your password and want to catch a sale?

How to reset your Amazon password

If you forgot your Amazon password, you'll need the email address and mobile phone number associated with your account to attempt the reset process. If you don't have access to either, contact Amazon's customer service to recover your password. You should also contact Amazon's customer service if you do not receive your password assistance email.

Reset your lost Amazon password on the Amazon app

Follow these steps on the Amazon app to reset your lost password:

Due to the Amazon app's security settings, we cannot provide screenshots of all the steps. If you struggle to complete these steps on mobile, try the desktop method.

  1. On the app's login page, tap Forgot password underneath the Need help drop-down menu.
  2. Enter the email address or phone number associated with your account. Amazon may ask you to enter the postcode or zip code associated with your account to continue.
  3. Tap Continue.
  4. Amazon sends you a password assistance email. Check the email for your one-time password (OTP). This takes the form of a six-digit code.
  5. Enter the OTP in the box provided.
  6. You can now create a new password.

Reset your lost Amazon password on a desktop browser

Resetting your Amazon password via the web app is a straightforward process. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Amazon website.
  2. Hover over the Account & Lists drop-down menu in the upper-right corner of your screen.
  3. Click Sign in.
    Amazon sign in pop up window desktop
  4. Click Forgot your password underneath the Need help drop-down menu.
  5. Enter the email address or phone number associated with your account. Amazon may ask you to enter your postcode or zipcode to continue.
  6. Check your email for an OTP (one-time password).
  7. Enter the OTP in the box provided.
  8. There you have it. You now have access to your Amazon account.

Once you've sorted out your passwords, you may want to improve your Amazon account's security further. A password manager keeps your passwords secure, and two-factor authentication makes it nearly impossible for remote hackers to access your account.

Keep your Amazon login secure with two-factor authentication

Changing your Amazon password is an effective way to secure your account, but you're still at the mercy of all the flaws that come with passwords. Activating two-factor authentication (2FA) is the simplest and most effective way to improve your account security.

Activating 2FA requires an external app like Google Authenticator or Authy to use. When activated, you must verify every login to your Amazon account by manually approving it through the app. Strong passwords aren't foolproof, so this is an excellent method to keep your account secure, as bad actors need access to your phone to be able to do anything. Once you've chosen your preferred 2FA app, follow the steps below to add 2FA to your account.

Amazon refers to this method as "Two-step verification." This is another name for two-factor authentication.

  1. Open the Amazon Shopping app.
  2. Tap the Profile button at the bottom of your screen.
  3. Tap Your Account.
  4. Tap Login & security underneath the Account settings heading.
  5. Tap Edit next to Two-Step Verification Settings.
  6. Tap Get Started.
  7. Tap the radio button next to Authenticator app. You can verify via SMS, but this is not as secure as using an external app.
  8. Copy the text code into your Two-Factor Authentication app. If you're setting up 2FA on your desktop, scan the QR code provided on your phone.
  9. Copy the OTP in the 2FA app into the field provided.

A good password manager is a solid idea

Changing your Amazon password regularly and activating two-factor authentication will keep your account as secure as possible. However, if you're worried about forgetting your password, use a secure password manager.