Outlets wear out — plugs fall loose, faces crack, and old two-prong receptacles lack a ground. Replacing one is straightforward, with the same non-negotiable safety step as any electrical work: power off and verified dead.
Power down and verify
Switch off the breaker for the outlet and confirm it's dead with a voltage tester at the receptacle. Remember a single outlet box can sometimes have wires from more than one circuit.
Match the wiring
Note and photograph the connections: hot (black) to the brass screw, neutral (white) to the silver screw, ground (bare/green) to the green screw. Transfer wires one at a time to the new outlet to avoid mixing them up.
Consider an upgrade
If the location needs ground-fault protection — kitchen, bath, garage, outdoors — install a GFCI receptacle. Replacing an ungrounded two-prong outlet usually requires either a ground path or a labelled GFCI; an electrician can advise.