Activating your NetID and UM Email: Your Key to Online Success (and Access) at UM
PART ONE: FINDING AND LOGGING IN WITH YOUR NetID
There are two different ID numbers that new students need to familiarize themselves with right away: their student ID
number and their NetID.
The student ID number is a nine-digit number that starts with 790. This number helps UM staff and faculty identify each
individual student in the university-wide database system. The NetID is a username assigned to the student so s/he may
access various online UM systems and applications. The NetID cannot be used to identify the student in any way.
Before students can access Cyberbear or activate their UM email account (among other things), they must obtain their
NetID. Should you need assistance with any part of this tutorial, please call the IT Help Desk at 406-243-HELP.
1. Find Your NetID
a. From a web browser, go to: login.umt.edu
b. Click on the What’s my NetID? link below the username and password fields.
c. Enter your Last Name, select your Birthday, enter the security characters shown into the box provided, and click
Continue.
d. A screen displays with your NetID (example: ab123456). The initial password is the last six digits of your student
ID number.
e. Click Continue to Login and you are directed to the UM Login screen.
NOTE: Students who have selected student record confidentiality in Cyberbear will need to contact the Registrar’s Office (406-2436077) or IT Central (406-243-HELP) to obtain their NetID.
2. First NetID Login
The first time you log in with your NetID, you will be prompted to change your initial password and set up a security
question. This security question is used to verify your identity if you ever need to reset your password.
a. At the UM Login page (login.umt.edu) enter your NetID and initial password (last six digits of student ID).
Click Login.
b. You are now prompted to change your password and set up your security question (first login only).
c. To change your password:
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I. Current: enter your current password (the last six digits of your student ID).
II. New: enter a new password (at least six characters; not the last six digits of your student ID).
III. Confirm: Confirm the new password by reentering it.
d. Now add a security question:
I. Select a question from the drop down arrow next to Question.
II. Enter your answer in the Answer field (answers are case sensitive).
e. Click Continue to Login and you are redirected to the UM Login screen.
PART TWO: ACTIVATING YOUR UMCONNECT STUDENT EMAIL ACCOUNT
It is imperative that all students begin using their UM email account right away. They MUST use this email to
communicate with UM faculty and staff. Official UM notifications are sent to this email address. Additionally, this email
address is used by professors to contact students about important announcements related to their courses.
1. Find Your UMontana Alias
Your “UMontana Alias” is your official university email address that you will give out to your University contacts for
University related business. Anything sent to this email address is routed to your UMConnect email account.
a. From a web browser, go to: cyberbear.umt.edu and click Login to Cyberbear.
b. At the Login screen, enter your NetID and password. Press Login.
c. Click on Personal Information and then Manage Email Accounts.
d. A screen displays with your UMontana Alias (firstname.lastname@umontana.edu).
2. Activate Your UMConnect Account
a. From a web browser, go to: www.umt.edu/umconnect and press Enter.
b. On the Login page, enter your NetID and password. Click Login.
c. On the Account Setup - Connecting for the first time screen, write down the password. You will need it on
the next screen and when you change your password once you have logged into UMConnect.
d. Click on Activate.
e. At the Office 365 screen, provide the requested account information. Enter the password you wrote down
from the Account Setup screen (step c.).
a. Review and accept the Office 365 service agreement and privacy statement.
I. On the Microsoft Outlook Web App screen, choose the Time zone: Montana’s time zone is GMT-07:00
Mountain Time. Click OK.
b. You are now in your UMConnect account. Please change your password.
I. Click Options (upper right side of screen), then See All Options.
II. Click Change your password (right side of screen).
III. A new tab will open. On the Account Summary screen, under Password and Security Info, click Change
password.
IV. Enter your current password followed by a new password. Retype the new password. Click Save.
3. Access Your UMConnect Account
Your UMConnect account is a Microsoft-hosted Windows Live account with a unique username and password.
However, there is a secure one way trust between UM and Microsoft that allows you to access UMConnect using
your UM NetID and password. You can access UMConnect and other Microsoft-hosted services using this secure
channel by going to login.umt.edu or www.umt.edu/umconnect.
Logging in to UMConnect at login.umt.edu:
a. On the UM Login page, enter your NetID and password. Click Login.
b. On the Services page, click on the UMConnect Student Email icon.
c. On the next page, click Continue to UMConnect to access Microsoft’s server.
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Logging in to UMConnect at www.umt.edu/umconnect:
a. On the Login page, enter your NetID and password. Click Login.
b. On the next page, click Continue to UMConnect to access Microsoft’s server.
If you access your UMConnect account through another web site (i.e. outlook.live.com or outlook.com), you will
have to use your “Windows Live” login which is your NetID@umconnect.umt.edu and the password you set up
during the activation process.
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