Password Management and FAQ

Resetting E-mail / Portal Password

You must set your password before you will be able to login to your Fresno State e-mail, My Fresno State,Canvas, The Help Center, Bulldog Wireless and more.

  1. Go to the password.csufresno.edu web site.

  2. Click My Devices are disabled or turned off. This step is to ensure your old password does not lock the account. For more information, click here.

  3. Click Forgot Password and click the Next button. 

  4. You will be asked to enter your Username and Fresno State ID.

  5. You will then be presented with a page with your Security Question.

  6. Type in the Answer to your Security Question. 
    Note:If you do not know your secret answer or you have not set one, please contact the Technology Service Desk for a temporary password.

  7. Enter a new 9 character password in New Password which follow the password parameters.

  8. Enter the new password again in Confirm New Password. 

  9. Click the Finish button.
  • If you were successful in this process, you should see the words that indicate the password was reset successfully. If not, you will see the reason why it was not successfully reset.

Password FAQ's

Q: How often am I required to change my password?
A: You are required to change your password every 180 days.

Q: What happens if I don't change my password before it expires?
A: Your account will become locked. See the instructions at the top of this page to reset the password.

NOTE: You will not be able to access your e-mail, login to the Bulldog wireless network, login to Canvas, login to The Help Center, or login to My Fresno State until your password has been reset.

Q: How long does my password have to be?
A: You can find the requirements for your password here. Length is only one parameter that must be met by your new password.

Q: Can I just change my password to my old password?
A: No. Your previously used passwords are remembered in a password history to prevent re-use of old passwords. The system remembers the last 12 passwords you used and will not allow you to use any of those same passwords.

Q: I typed my password in wrong 5 times, and now I can't login. What do I do?
A: You will need to wait 5 minutes before attempting to login again. Your password is temporarily locked to prevent dictionary-based password cracking attempts. If you urgently need access to your account, you can reset your password using these instructions.

Don't see your question listed? Please contact the Technology Service Desk and we will answer your question.