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Summary
This article answers the question every Microsoft 365 user eventually asks: "Can I do this myself, or do I need IT?" It maps out exactly which account settings, security options, and preferences you can change on your own — and which ones are controlled by your organization and require a helpdesk request.
Before You Start
- A Microsoft 365 work or school account.
- Access to
https://myaccount.microsoft.com(your self-service account portal).
Instructions
1. Things You Can Change Yourself
The following settings are within your control as a standard Microsoft 365 user. No IT ticket required.
Profile and Identity
| Setting | Where to Change It |
|---|---|
| Profile photo | https://myaccount.microsoft.com > My Account > click your photo. Also changeable in Teams, Outlook, and any M365 app — see How to Change Your Profile Photo in Microsoft 365. |
| Contact information (personal phone, alternate email) | https://myaccount.microsoft.com > Security info. |
| Password | https://myaccount.microsoft.com > Password (or press Ctrl + Alt + Del > Change a password on a domain-joined PC). |
| Language and time zone | Outlook on the web > Settings (gear icon) > General > Language and time. |
| Display name (first/last name) | Some organizations allow this at https://myaccount.microsoft.com > My Account. Others restrict it — if you cannot edit it, contact IT. |
Security
| Setting | Where to Change It |
|---|---|
| MFA methods (add/remove Authenticator, phone, security key) | https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info. |
| Transfer MFA to a new phone | https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info > add the new device, then remove the old one. |
| Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) registration | https://aka.ms/ssprsetup — register backup methods so you can reset your own password without IT. |
| Sign-in activity review | https://mysignins.microsoft.com — see where and when your account was used. |
| App passwords (for legacy apps that don't support MFA) | https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info > App passwords (if enabled by your organization). |
Outlook and Email
| Setting | Where to Change It |
|---|---|
| Email signature | Outlook > Settings > Compose and reply > Email signature. |
| Out-of-office / automatic replies | Outlook > File > Automatic Replies (Classic) or Settings > Accounts > Automatic replies (New Outlook). |
| Email rules and filters | Outlook > File > Manage Rules & Alerts (Classic) or Settings > Mail > Rules (New Outlook / Web). |
| Focused Inbox (on/off) | Outlook > View > Show Focused Inbox (Classic) or Settings > Layout > Focused Inbox (New Outlook). |
| Calendar sharing permissions | Outlook Calendar > right-click calendar > Sharing Permissions. |
| Categories and flags | Outlook > right-click any email > Categorize or Follow Up. |
Apps and Preferences
| Setting | Where to Change It |
|---|---|
| Teams status and custom message | Teams > click your profile picture > Set status message. |
| Teams notifications and quiet hours | Teams > Settings > Notifications. |
| Teams background effects | During a meeting: More actions > Video effects and settings. |
| OneDrive Files On-Demand | OneDrive system tray icon > Settings > Sync and backup > Files On-Demand. |
| Default apps (browser, PDF reader) | Windows Settings > Apps > Default apps. |
| Installed M365 apps | https://portal.office.com > Install apps to download Office desktop apps (if your license allows). |
2. Things That Require an IT Ticket
These settings are managed by your organization's IT administrators. You cannot change them yourself, and attempting to will either result in an error or a greyed-out option.
| Setting | Why It Requires IT |
|---|---|
| Your email address | Tied to your organizational identity and directory. Only IT (or an admin) can rename a mailbox. |
| Your Microsoft 365 license (which apps you can access) | Licenses are assigned and managed centrally. If an app is missing, IT needs to assign the license. |
| Mailbox size / storage quota | Default limits (50 GB or 100 GB) are set by your plan and IT policy. Requesting an archive mailbox requires IT. |
| Distribution lists and shared mailboxes | Creating, modifying, or adding members to these requires admin rights. |
| Email forwarding to external addresses | Most organizations block this for security. IT must configure or approve external forwarding. |
| Device management policies (Intune/Company Portal) | Compliance and security policies are organization-wide. You cannot opt out. |
| Conditional Access rules | These determine where and how you can sign in (e.g., requiring MFA, blocking personal devices). IT sets these. |
| Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies | Rules that prevent sharing sensitive data externally. These are organization-managed. |
| Admin roles and permissions | SharePoint site admin, Teams owner, Exchange admin — all assigned by IT. |
| Retention policies (how long emails/files are kept) | Set at the organizational level. You cannot override them. |
3. Quick-Reference: "Can I Do This Myself?"
Use this table as a fast lookup when you are unsure whether something needs a ticket.
| Task | Self-Service? | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Change my password | ✅ Yes | myaccount.microsoft.com or Ctrl + Alt + Del |
| Reset a forgotten password | ✅ If SSPR is set up | https://passwordreset.microsoftonline.com |
| Add MFA to a new phone | ✅ Yes | mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info |
| Change my email signature | ✅ Yes | Outlook Settings > Compose and reply |
| Set up Out of Office | ✅ Yes | Outlook File > Automatic Replies |
| Change my profile photo | ✅ Yes | myaccount.microsoft.com or any M365 app |
| See who signed into my account | ✅ Yes | mysignins.microsoft.com |
| Share my calendar | ✅ Yes | Outlook Calendar > right-click > Sharing Permissions |
| Get a new app added to my license | ❌ IT ticket | Ask IT to assign the license |
| Change my email address | ❌ IT ticket | Directory change — admin only |
| Increase my mailbox size | ❌ IT ticket | Quota change — admin only |
| Create a shared mailbox | ❌ IT ticket | Exchange admin action |
| Add a guest to Teams | ⚠️ Depends | Some orgs allow Team owners to invite guests; others restrict this to IT |
| Forward email to a personal address | ⚠️ Depends | Often blocked by policy — check with IT |
| Install Office desktop apps | ⚠️ Depends | Allowed on most licenses — try portal.office.com > Install apps first |
4. Where to Find Your Account Settings
Microsoft 365 has several self-service portals. Here is a map:
| Portal | URL | What You Can Do There |
|---|---|---|
| My Account | https://myaccount.microsoft.com | Profile photo, contact info, password, connected devices, privacy settings. |
| Security Info | https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info | Add/remove MFA methods, manage app passwords. |
| My Sign-Ins | https://mysignins.microsoft.com | Review sign-in history, check for suspicious activity. |
| Office Portal | https://portal.office.com | Install Office apps, access web versions of all M365 apps. |
| Password Reset | https://passwordreset.microsoftonline.com | Reset a forgotten password (if SSPR is configured). |
| SSPR Setup | https://aka.ms/ssprsetup | Register backup authentication methods for self-service password reset. |
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know which license I have? A: Go to https://myaccount.microsoft.com > Subscriptions. This shows your assigned licenses and which apps are included.
Q: Why is a setting greyed out? A: Your organization's IT policies have restricted that setting. This is normal — it is a security measure, not a bug. If you need it changed, raise a ticket that answers the two questions IT would otherwise have to ask you: which exact setting is locked and where you found it, and what you are trying to accomplish with it. "The forwarding box is greyed out in Outlook Settings and I need my mail sent to a colleague while I am on leave" gets you a decision; "my settings are locked" gets you a follow-up question.
Q: Can I install Office on my personal computer? A: It depends on your license. Most Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans allow installation on up to 5 personal devices. Go to https://portal.office.com > Install apps to check.
Q: I changed my password. Do I need to update it everywhere? A: After a password change, you may be prompted to re-enter your new password in Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and mobile apps. If an app stops syncing after a password change, sign out and sign back in with the new password.
Q: What is SSPR and should I set it up? A: Self-Service Password Reset lets you reset a forgotten password without calling IT. If your organization supports it, setting it up takes 2 minutes and saves you a helpdesk wait the next time you are locked out.
Troubleshooting
TIP
Bookmark https://myaccount.microsoft.com — it is your central hub for everything you can manage yourself. If you can find a setting there, you can change it without IT. If you cannot find it, you probably need a ticket.
| Symptom / Error | Potential Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "You don't have permission to perform this action" | IT policy restricts this setting | Contact IT — this setting is admin-managed. |
| Cannot change display name | Organization locks directory fields | Contact IT to update your name in Active Directory. |
| "Password reset is not enabled for your organization" | SSPR is not configured by IT | Contact IT to reset your password, and ask if they can enable SSPR. |
| Missing an app (e.g., no Planner, no Power BI) | License does not include the app | Contact IT to request the appropriate license or add-on. |
| MFA setup page does not load | Browser cache or Conditional Access restriction | Clear browser cache, try an InPrivate/Incognito window, or try a different browser. |
| "Your session has expired" on account portal | Authentication token timed out | Sign in again. If it keeps happening, clear browser cookies for microsoftonline.com. |
Related Articles
- How to Change Your Microsoft 365 Password
- How to Set Up an Out-of-Office Reply in Outlook
- How to Create an Email Signature in Outlook
- How to Transfer MFA to a New Phone (Microsoft 365)
- How to Use the Microsoft Authenticator App
- How to Set Up Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
- How to Check Your Sign-In Activity in Microsoft 365
- How to Manage App Permissions and Connected Apps in Microsoft 365
- Understanding Microsoft 365 Account Security — What Protects You and Why
- Understanding Microsoft 365 Licensing and Plan Differences
- Understanding Company Portal, Device Management, and Your Privacy
- Understanding Microsoft 365 Apps — What Each App Does and When to Use It