Uniqnames and Passwords FAQ

You use your uniqname and UMICH password when you log in to Wolverine Access and to most university computing services (such as M+Google, MFile, your MCommunity Directory profile, and more). People on U-M's Medical Campus refer to the UMICH password as the Level 1 password.

A uniqname is like a user ID or user name and is part of your email address. Uniqnames are made up of three to eight alphabetic characters (for example, bjensen). You can tell anyone your uniqname.

Your UMICH password proves you are who you say you are. NEVER tell anyone your UMICH password — not even your parents, best friend or computer support personnel. Doing so would put all of your personal information stored within the U-M computing environment at risk.

Find out how to select a safe UMICH password.

See Procedures for Getting a Uniqname and MCommunity Directory Profile.

If you are having trouble getting an OTID (One-Time Identifier) or using an OTID to create your uniqname, you can contact the ITS Service Center at (734) 764-HELP [764-4357] for assistance.

Incoming U-M students on the Ann Arbor campus, as well as new staff hired through the university's online job posting and hiring system, receive an OTID when they join the U-M community. They use their OTID, along with their U-M ID number (UMID), to create their own uniqname via a web page. The ITS Service Center can resolve problems that occur at any point in the OTID and uniqname creation process.

For your protection, the Service Center does not provide IDs, usernames or passwords by email. To obtain this information, please contact the ITS Service Center by phone.

No. Absolutely not. A thousand times, no. Don't send it.

No one other than you should know your UMICH password. You should never tell anyone your password, and you should never send it to anyone through e-mail.

No one at U-M should ever ask you your password for any reason. We ask you to use it when you log in to ITS and other U-M computing services, of course, but we will never ask you to tell or give it to us or to any other person. Your password is yours, and you need to keep it private.

Be suspicious of password requests—and all requests for identity information. People who send you email asking for your password are up to no good. They want your password so they can get access to your U-M computing account and, perhaps, to U-M computing services generally. Attempts to trick you into revealing your password or other private information are called "phishing" scams.

• Phishing resources (ITS Safe Computing)

• Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert: How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam

If you are ever in doubt as to the legitimacy of a message, you can contact the ITS Service Center. They will help you figure out whether the message is valid or not.

Every member of the U-M community with a profile in the MCommunity Directory has an Active Directory account. This account is used to access a number of services at the university, including MWireless. Beginning May 19, 2012, when you change your UMICH password, your new password is synchronized to Active Directory for you so that both passwords are the same.

If you have not changed your UMICH password for some time, you may have an Active Directory password that is different from your UMICH password. If that is the case, we recommend that you change your UMICH password so it can be synchronized to Active Directory.

When you change your UMICH password, your new password is synchronized to Active Directory for you. If you forget or don't know your Active Directory password, you can reset it by changing your UMICH password. Instructions for using the Change Password page are in Choosing and Changing a Secure UMICH Password (R1162).

You can change your UMICH password on the web at the U-M Password Change page:

1. Log in with your uniqname and UMICH password.

2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

3. Click logout when you are finished.

See also:

• Choosing and Changing a Secure UMICH Password (R1162)

See Choosing and Changing a Secure UMICH Password (R1162) for tips and guidelines.

Many people forget their password at one time or another. If you forget your UMICH Kerberos password and you set a hint for yourself last time you changed it, go to the password hint page and enter your uniqname to retrieve your hint.

If you did not enter a hint, or the hint doesn't help, you can ask the people at the ITS Service Center to reset your password for you. Phone (734) 764-HELP [764-4357] to request a password reset.

For your protection, the Service Center does not provide IDs, usernames or passwords by email. To obtain this information, please contact the Service Center by phone.

For Alumni Only. Alumni who are not faculty, staff or student can reset their password on the Alumni Uniqname Management website.

You can request a uniqname change for reasons such as misspellings, legal name changes, marriage, divorce, harassment, or if your originally selected uniqname contains profanity. Your uniqname is used for access to multiple systems at U-M, so changing it can be time-consuming, particularly if you have administrative or elevated access to data or systems. Please consider carefully if you are contemplating a uniqname change and plan ahead to minimize disruption. See Changing Your Uniqname for details.

See What Happens to Your Uniqname, Directory Profile, and Computing Services After You Leave U-M.

The ITS Service Center can answer your questions about uniqnames and passwords.

These services are available to members of the University of Michigan community only.