While we have never experienced a true issue with temporary passwords not functioning as expected, there are many ways that you might accidentally use the wrong temporary password.
Caveats about temporary passwords
- Your temporary password is case-sensitive. You must enter it exactly as provided, with upper- and lowercase letters, as well as any special characters.
- It can be easy to make a mistake when manually typing the temporary password, so we recommend copying/pasting it. This can help you avoid swapping an i for an L or a one, or mistaking an O for a zero.
- If you copy/paste, make sure you do not pick up any whitespace around the password when you select it.
- Erase completely anything your browser fills in for you before you type or paste into the reset form.
- Keep an eye on the password input field. If it flashes or blinks after you enter the password and/or it appears to have more characters than you entered, clear it out, tab to the next field (or click outside the field) then click back into the blank field and try again.
Multiple resets may cause mixups
By far, the most common reason for trouble with the temporary password is submitting multiple password reset requests. Each request overrides the previous one, so if they arrive in your inbox out of order, it can be very easy to get one that has been overridden by a more recent request.
- If you request a reset more than once, only the most recent one will work.
- Each request overrides the previous one with a new temporary password. It can be easy to get them mixed up, especially if you request them close together or if your school's mail server delays in processing them.
- Check the timestamp of the reset emails you have received and make sure you are using the most recent one.
- If you are uncertain, go ahead and process a new reset and check the time you submitted it. Reset emails are processed immediately, so your reset email will have the same time within a few seconds.
Secure password requirements
The password security standards are not as complicated as they sound.
- Try using a proper noun, a complete sentence, or a line from a song, followed by some numbers.
- Capitalize at least one letter, don't use "ALL CAPS", and do use at least one number.