How To Reset Windows Password

You should change or reset your password at least every three months to ensure your security and privacy. However, because of Microsoft’s constant security updates, resetting your password on Windows can become a little challenging – especially if you’ve forgotten it. 

In this guide, we’ll explore how you can reset password on Windows 10 and 11. Whether it’s your local account or Microsoft account, you’ll find all the answers in this guide.   

How To Reset Windows Password While Logged In

There are a few ways to log into your Windows 10 PC. In this guide, we’ll focus on two of the most common. You can either log into Windows using your local account or your Microsoft account. 

I personally prefer the latter. Nevertheless, in this section, we’ll cover how you can reset your password for both instances. 

Local Account Password Using Net User

Whether you know your password or you’ve forgotten it, you can use the following steps to reset it: 

• Open the start menu and type CMD
• Right-click on the Command Prompt option and select Run as administrator
• Type the following command into the terminal screen: net user username *
  (where username is your username i.e net user beart *)
• Hit Enter
• Type in your new password, hit enter and retype it

At the time of writing this guide, the above steps worked for both Windows 10 and 11. 

Using User Accounts

If you’re not comfortable using Command Prompt, Windows allows you to change the password through its graphical user interface. The best part about his method is that you’re not required to enter your old password for it to work.

• Open the Windows Run dialog (Win+R)
• Type control userpassword2 into the text field and then hit Enter
• Select your user name from the User Name text field and then click on the Reset Password button
• Input your new password and confirm it
• Click on the OK button to close the Reset Password dialog
• Click on the OK button to close the User Accounts window

How To Reset Windows Password When Logged Out

In this section, we’ll explore how to reset your password when you’re logged out. We’ll cover how to do this for your Microsoft Live account, as well as your local account.  

Microsoft Account Password

The following steps will help you change the password for any device or service you log into with your Microsoft account. This includes Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11. 

• Open a Web Browser
• Navigate to the Microsoft Live Account login page
• Enter your Microsoft Account Email address if instructed to do so and click the Next button
• Click on Forgot Password
• Enter your Microsoft Account Email address if instructed to do so and click the Next button
• Choose how you’d like to be sent a security code (email,phone, etc) and then click on the Get Code button
• Retrieve the code, use it to verify your identity then click on the Next button
• Reset your password

If you don’t have access to any options to verify your Microsoft account, you can click on the “I don’t have any of these” option. Microsoft will then ask you for an alternate email to contact you on. You’ll receive a security code and then be asked to fill out an account recovery form. 

Local Account Password

Before you continue with the instructions in this section, you must use a bit of discretion. Technewstoday nor I am responsible for any loss or damages incurred from attempting these instructions.

If you have any encrypted files on your PC, you’ll most likely lose access to them. You should back your hard drive up before proceeding with these instructions. You can use a program like EaseUS Todo Backup Home to do this. 

The following instructions should work for Windows 7,8,8.1 and 10(at the time of writing this guide). To initiate these steps, you’ll need a bootable Windows installation disk or USB. It needs to be a version of Windows newer than Windows XP. We recommend that you use a Windows 7 or 10 disk/USB.

• Insert the USB or disk into your PC
• Restart your computer
• Boot from the CD/DVD or USB
• Wait for Windows to load from the disc
• Press the Shift+F10 keys on your keyboard to open a Command Prompt window
• Change your directory to the drive that Windows is installed on by typing in the letter followed by a colon (it is usually the C drive)
• Type cd Windows\System32 into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter
• Type ren utliman.exe utilman2.exe into the terminal and hit Enter
• Type copy cmd(.)exe utilman.exe (without the brackets) into the terminal and hit Enter
• Restart your PC
• On your log-in screen, click on the Ease of Access icon
• Type control userpasswords2 and hit Enter
• Select your username and click on Reset Password
• Enter your new password, confirm it and click on OK
• Click on OK again and close the Command Prompt window

You should be able to sign in to Windows with the password you set in the User Account window. This method may not work for the latest versions of Windows 10 and 11. Microsoft is constantly beefing up its security. 

Using the Utility Manager

Once you’re done with the above steps, you will need to perform some clean-up and reset the Utility Manager. You can do this in two ways – using Command Prompt from the Windows setup or using the Windows user interface. 

From Command Prompt

• Restart your computer and boot it from the Windows CD/DVD/USB
• Launch Command Prompt from the first Windows Setup screen (Shift+F12)
• Type the following into the command line interface: del utilman.exe and hit Enter
• Type the following into the command line interface: ren utilman2.exe utilman.exe and hit Enter

Once you’re done running the above commands, you may restart your computer. You can test if the above steps worked by clicking on the Ease of Access icon on the login screen.  

Using The Windows Interface: 

If you find that you’re not comfortable with using the Windows Command Prompt, you can reset the Utility Manager by doing the following:  

• Open the Windows File Explorer
• Navigate to the Windows folder
• Right-click on the System32 folder and select Properties from the context menu
• Click on the Security tab
• Click on the Advanced button
• Click on Change (next to Owner)
• Type in users under the Enter the object name to select field and click on the Check Names button
• Click on OK
• Click on OK in the main security window
• Back in the Properties dialog under the Security tab, click on the Edit button
• Under Group or user names, scroll down until you find Users and select it
• Under Permissions for Users, make sure the Full Control and Modify check boxes are ticked
• Click on OK to close the Permissions dialog
• Click on Yes from the Windows Security dialog
• Click on OK to close the System32Properties dialog 
• Open the System32 folder (C:\Windows\System32)
• Scroll or search for the utilman.exe file and delete it
• Rename the utilman2.exe file to utilman.exe 

This should reset the Ease of Access button on the Windows login screen. For security reasons, you should reset the security properties for the System32 folder.

• Right-click on the System32 folder and select Properties
• Click on the Security tab
• Click on the Advanced button
• Click on the Change link next to the Owner
• Type NT Service\TrustedInstaller Under the object name text field and click on the Check Names button
• Click on OK to close the dialog
• Click on OK to close the Advanced Security Settings window
• Back in the Properties dialog, click on the Edit button
• Scroll down through the list of group or user names until you find the Users entry and click on it
• Under Permission for Users, untick the Allow permissions for Full Control and Modify 
• Click on OK to close the Permissions dialog
• Click on Ok to close the Properties dialog 

How To Change A Known Microsoft Account Password

If you know your password and want to reset or change it, you can take less invasive steps to do so. In this section, we’ll cover all the ways you can change your login password for Windows 10 and 11.

Local Account Password Using The GINA screen

Windows 10 allows you to change your password using the graphical identification and authentication (GINA) screen, which can be called using the Ctrl+Alt+Del command. You will be required to enter in your old password. 

• Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard in unison 
• Click on Change a Password
• Type in your user name
• Enter your old password
• Enter in your new password, confirm it and click on the arrow next to the confirmation field

The GINA screen also gives you the option to create a password reset disc. I highly advise that you do, just in case you forget your password in the future.

Using Windows Sign-In Options

If you’ve already logged into Windows and you want to change your password for your local Windows account, you need to do the following: 

• Open the Start Menu (⊞ Win)
• Type Account Info into the search field and hit enter
• Select Sign-in options from the left panel
• Click on Password from the sign-in list
• Click on the Add/Change button (this will depend on whether you have a password set yet)
• Insert your current password and click on Next
• Set your new password, confirm it, and set a password hint
• Click on Next
• Click on Finish

If you’re not signed in to your local account, the Password option will be unavailable for you. You don’t have to secure your account with a password if you don’t want to.

You can simply leave the form on the Change your password screen unfilled and click on the Next button. This will allow you to log into Windows without entering a password.

Microsoft Account Password on Windows 10

If you are using your Microsoft Account to log into Windows, you can change or set your password with the following steps:

• Open a web browser of your choice
• Navigate to the Microsoft Accounts page
• Sign in if you have not already
• Scroll down and click on the Security widget
• Under Password security, click on Change my password
• Enter your current password, new password, confirm it and click on the Save button

*Note: If you’re asked to insert a security key during the process (and have no idea what that is), click on Cancel, then select Other ways to sign in on the next screen. Then click on Use my password.

Your password will change for any Windows-enabled device that uses your Microsoft Live Account credentials to sign in. This is as long as the device is connected to the internet when you try to log in.

Once you change your password, any device or application you are logged into using your Microsoft Live account will be signed out.  

The advantage of this method is that if you forget your password and are locked out from your Windows PC, you can change the password from any web browser. We’ll discuss this in detail further down this guide. 

Local Account Password on Windows 11 When Logged In

Microsoft hasn’t officially released Windows 11 released yet. But if you’re running a test build, you can follow the instructions in this section. To change or set your password for your local Windows 11 account, you need to do the following:

• Open the Start menu (⊞ Win)
• Type Control Panel into the search field and hit Enter
• Under User Accounts, select Change Account type
• Select your user name from the list
• Click on Change the password on the next screen
• Follow the prompts and then click on the Change password button

Picking the Right Password for Windows

Now that resetting your password on your Windows PC is all done, let’s ensure that you’re setting a password that’s secure enough. While your passwords do not have to conform to the following tips, it’s a good idea to incorporate them in the future.

Your passwords should:

Utilizing the same password for multiple accounts is tempting, but you should avoid it at all costs. Remembering all these passwords can be quite difficult. However, whether it’s your Discord password or Windows password, you need to ensure that they’re all unique.

If you have any issues with memorizing them, you can remedy this by using a password manager.  

Make sure never to share or send your passwords via email or instant message. While frowned upon, it is okay to write your passwords down if it is somewhere secure. 

Conclusion

In this guide, we explored ways in which you can set and reset your Windows password. Once again, the best way to manage your Windows account is through a Microsoft Live account. This will prevent you from being locked out if you forget your Windows password. 

It’s always important to back up your most important files. Because if all else fails, you’ll have to wipe your drive and start again. Nevertheless, we hope that you’ve found this guide to be helpful. If you need any help with the above instructions, please leave a comment down below. As always, thank you for reading.