Your personal UW NetID
Your personal UW NetID (and its password) provides access to many UW online services including MyUW and UW Email. Your UW NetID verifies who you are, ensures the privacy of your personal information, and restricts the use of UW resources to authorized users.
Get a personal UW NetID
View and manage your services
Set up a password recovery email address or phone
Reset or change your password
If you know your UW NetID, you can reset a forgotten password or change your password at any time.
UW NetID Account Recovery
UW NetID Password Change
To reset a forgotten password online
Prerequisites:
- You know your UW NetID. If you don’t know your UW NetID see the section below, “Recover Forgotten UW NetID.”
- You have access to your recovery email or phone, if you set one up. If you don’t have access to your recovery email or phone, contact the UW-IT Service Center at help@uw.edu or 206-221-5000. You may still be able to reset your password through this tool if you haven’t set up a recovery email or phone, but in some cases you will be directed to call the Registrar’s Office or UW-IT Service Center.
- StepsActions
- Open a web browser and go to: UW NetID Account Recovery
- Type your UW NetID and click Next. If you don’t know your UW NetID see the section below “Recover Forgotten UW NetID.” Certain types of UW NetIDs (e.g. shared, admin, SCCA, FHCRC) may require you to log in with another UW NetID or your home institution credentials. Two-factor authentication is required to reset admin UW NetID passwords.
- Type the requested information and click Next.
- Click the button for how you want to receive your security code. Keep this web page open while you wait for the code. Note: If you have previously set up only secret questions for account recovery, you will see them instead.
- Type the security code and click Next.
- Type the new password in the Password box, and again in the Verify box. Click Set New Password.
- Your password is changed. You can close your browser or click Continue to go back to the recovery settings page. Note: If you used secret questions to reset your password, they will be deleted and will be prompted to set up SMS or email recovery options.
Common reasons you might not be able to reset your password:
- You began creating your UW NetID but did not complete the process. Visit https://identity.uw.edu/new/ to finish creating your UW NetID.
- Your UW NetID is disabled or password reset is not allowed. Contact the UW-IT Service Center at help@uw.edu or 206-221-5000.
If you need help resetting your password, please contact help@uw.edu.
Recover forgotten UW NetID
You can recover a forgotten UW NetID at the following site:
https://identity.uw.edu/new/find
You will be asked to provide certain information based on how you are affiliated with the University.
Alternatives to online password reset
If you would rather not use the online method, there are alternatives:
By phone:
Current UW faculty, staff, and clinicians can call the UW Information Technology Service Center at 206-221-5000
Changing your password by phone requires verification of your identity.
In person:
Students, student applicants, and alumni should come to the UW Information Technology Service Center with an appropriate photo ID.
If you obtained your UW NetID through another organization that has a relationship with the UW, such as Cascadia College, SCCA, or Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, you can reset your password using the online method described above, or contact your organization’s support services to change your password.
Protect your password
Prevent someone else from using your UW services:
- Use passwords that are difficult to guess.
- Never tell anyone your password. UW staff, including UW Information Technology consultants, will NEVER ask for your password. Email messages that ask you to send your UW NetID and password (such as to “verify your account”) are fraudulent and should not be responded to.
Sponsor a UW NetID
The sponsor a UW NetID process is for UW faculty or staff members to provide a personal UW NetID for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for one.
Other UW NetID types
- Shared
- Shared UW NetIDs are used when a number of people want to share the same account or email address, normally for departmental use.
- Temporary/Visitor
- Temporary/Visitor UW NetIDs provide a visitor or guest with access to UW’s wireless networks. Temporary UW NetIDs are recycled and should not be used for providing access to other systems.
- Admin
- Admin UW NetIDs are used for administering Windows workstations, servers, or domains.
Expirations
Your personal UW NetID does not expire. Your access to specific IT services is based on your current affiliations with the UW, and access to many services will expire when your affiliations change. You will occasionally receive a notification of service expiration from the UW. These notifications are for access to IT services (such as email, web publishing, etc.), and they do not indicate that your UW NetID or email forwarding is expiring. If you have questions about your service expirations, please contact the UW-IT Service Center at 206-221-5000, or email help@uw.edu.
No longer an active student, faculty, or staff member?
Refer to Expiration of access to IT services to learn more about schedules and notifications for IT service eligibility and expirations.
Your UW NetID is permanent
In general, your UW NetID is permanent and cannot be changed except in rare circumstances. For more information, send email to help@uw.edu.