Change or reset your Windows password

If you forgot or lost your password for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 7, you may be able to change or reset it. To get started, choose your version of Windows from the Select Product Version drop-down menu.

If you already know your current password and want to change it

Select Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options . Under Password, select the Change button and follow the steps.

Reset your Windows 10 local account password

If you’ve forgotten or lost your Windows 10 password for a local account and need to sign back in to your device, the below options might help you get up and running. For more info on local standard vs. administrative accounts, see Create a local user or administrator account in Windows 10.

Windows 10 version 1803 and later

If you added security questions when you set up your local account for Windows 10, then you have at least version 1803 and you can answer security questions to sign back in.

After you’ve entered an incorrect password:

Select the Reset password link on the sign-in screen. If you use a PIN instead, see PIN sign-in issues. If you’re using a work device that’s on a network, you may not see an option to reset your password or PIN. In that case, contact your administrator.

Note: If you don’t see security questions after you select the Reset password link, make sure your device name isn’t the same as your local user account name (the name you see when you sign in). To see your device name, right-click Start in the taskbar, select System, andscroll to the Device specifications section. If the device name is the same as your account name, you can create a new administrator account, sign in as an administrator, and then rename your PC (when you view your device name, you can also rename it).

Answer your security questions.

Enter a new password.

Sign in as usual with the new password.

Windows 10 before version 1803

For versions of Windows 10 earlier than 1803, local account passwords can’t be reset because there are no security questions. You can reset your device to choose a new password, however this option will permanently delete your data, programs, and settings. If you’ve backed up your files you’ll be able to restore your deleted files. For more information, see Recovery options in Windows 10.
To reset your device, which will delete data, programs, and settings:

Press the Shift key while you select the Power button > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen.

On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

Select Remove everything.

Warning: Resetting your device will permanently delete data, programs, and settings.

Reset your Microsoft account password you use to sign in to your computer

On the sign-in screen, type your Microsoft account name if it’s not already displayed. If there are multiple accounts on the computer, choose the one you want to reset. Below the password text box, select I forgot my password. Follow the steps to reset your password.

Troubleshoot problems signing in

If you’re still having trouble signing to your account, see more solutions in Troubleshoot problems signing in.

Reset your password

Note: If you’ve forgotten your Windows 10 password, see Reset your Windows 10 local account password.

If you’ve forgotten your Windows 8.1 password, there are several ways to retrieve or reset it:

If your PC is on a domain, your system administrator must reset your password.

If you’re using a Microsoft account, you can reset your password online. For more info, see How to reset your Microsoft account password.

If you’re using a local account, use your password hint as a reminder.

If you still can’t sign in, you must reinstall Windows. For Windows RT 8.1, contact your PC manufacturer.

More help with passwords in Windows 8.1

If you forget or lose your password, see Reset your password above to reset or recover it.

If you think your Microsoft account password has been compromised or stolen by someone with malicious intent, we can help. For more info, see When you can’t sign in to your Microsoft account.

If you’re signing in to only your local PC, yes. However, we recommend that you keep your PC more secure by using a strong password. When you use a password, only someone who knows it can sign in. If you want to sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account, a password is required. For more info, see Can I sign in to Windows without a password? To learn more about Microsoft accounts and local accounts, see Create a user account.

Stronger passwords contain a variety of characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols or spaces. A strong password should also be something that is difficult for a stranger to guess or crack. It shouldn’t contain a complete word, or easy-to-find details like your real name, your user name, or your birth date.

If you’re signing in to a Microsoft account, your password is limited to 16 characters. For more info about Microsoft accounts, see Create a user account.

You can update your password regularly to keep it more secure. If your PC isn’t connected to a domain, follow these steps:

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Tap or click Accounts, and then tap or click Sign-in options.

Tap or click Change your password and follow the instructions.

If your PC is connected to a domain, your system administrator might manage how frequently you must change your password. To do so, choose one of the following:

If you’re using a keyboard, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, tap or click Change a password, and follow the instructions.

If you’re using a tablet, press and hold the Windows button, press the power button, and then tap or click Change a password and follow the instructions.

It depends on whether you’re using a third-party email address. If your email address ends in outlook.com, hotmail.com, live.com, or another Microsoft service, changing the password for your Microsoft account also changes it for that email service.

But you can use any email address for your Microsoft account, even an email address from a third-party web-based mail service like Google Mail or Yahoo! Mail. When you choose a password for your Microsoft account, it doesn’t change the password you might need to use to sign in to web mail on a third-party site.

Create a picture password to sign in with gestures instead of by entering characters.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Tap or click Accounts, and then tap or click Sign-in options.

Under Picture password, tap or click Add, and then follow the instructions.

When you choose a password for your user account, it’s important to pick something you can remember. You’re going to need it again later!

Of course, you can also write your password down and keep it in a safe place. Taped to the underside of your laptop or the inside of your desk drawer is probably not a good idea, however. If you do write your password down, be sure to keep it separate from your PC.

For added security, use different passwords for different purposes. For example, it’s a good idea to keep distinctly different passwords for a social networking account and your online bank account.

If you do forget or lose your password, there are still several things you can try to reset or recover it. For more info, see Reset your password above to reset or recover it.

Reset your password

My computer is on a domain

Select the Start button , select Control Panel, select User Accounts, select User Accounts, and then select Manage User Accounts. If you’re prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

On the Users tab, under Users for this computer, select the user account name, and then select Reset Password.

Type the new password, confirm the new password, and then select OK.

My computer is in a workgroup

If you type the wrong password when you attempt to log on, Windows displays a message that the password is incorrect. Select OK to close the message.

Select Reset password, and then insert your password reset disk or USB flash drive.

Follow the steps in the Password Reset wizard to create a new password.

Log on with the new password. If you forget your password again, you can use the same password reset disk. You don’t need to make a new one.

Note: If an administrator resets your password, you might lose access to some of your files.

Change your password

Press Ctrl+ Alt+ Delete, and then select Change a password.

Type your old password followed by a new password as indicated, and then type the new password again to confirm it.

Note: If you are logged on as an administrator, you can create and change passwords for all user accounts on the computer.

Warning: If you use an administrator account to change a password for another account, any encrypted files or e mail messages for that other account will no longer be accessible to the person who was using that account.

How to remove your login password from Windows 10

Because not everyone needs to run his or her PC like Fort Knox.

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Eliminating your login password from your PC is a bad idea—unless you own a computer in your private home that no one but you will ever touch. In that case, why not remove your password and eliminate that initial step?

In the past, we’ve discussed getting rid of the Windows 10 password by tinkering with Windows’ power settings. There’s a better way to remove the password entirely, however, so that you’ll never need to enter it ever again. We’ve tested this with Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home, and it’s worked using the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, and now the Windows 10 November 2019 Update, as well. (There’s no reason to believe it won’t work on subsequent updates, either.)

We have to reiterate that a password, as well as biometric authentication, or at least a PIN, is still a good idea in case your PC gets lost or stolen, or someone wanders by and decides to poke around. (Windows Hello is great for this!) But if you’re confident such risks don’t apply, read on. You can also take our technique below and re-apply the password requirement if conditions change, such as a houseguest or a new roommate.

Run Netplwiz from the Start menu.

First, click the Windows 10 Start menu and type netplwiz into the Search bar and select the same-named program from the results.

Mark Hachman / IDG

After launching Netplwiz via the Start menu, you should see a screen that looks like this, with your account(s).

This window gives you access to Windows’ user accounts and many password controls. Right at the top is a checkmark next to the option labeled Users must enter a username and password to use this computer. Uncheck that.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Next, enter your current password. The passwords must match.

When you click Apply it will prompt you for your current password. Enter it twice and you’re finished. The next time you reboot, or your PC wakes up from a nap, you’ll no longer need to type in your password.

Mark Hachman / IDG

If, for some reason, you enter the wrong password, upon rebooting you’ll probably see an error message, then this odd screen where you’ll have not one but two accounts to choose from. They’re both identical, but you’ll still have to log in with a PIN or (gulp!) password.

Oddly, there’s no mechanism within Netplwiz to actually check the accuracy of the password; as long as they match, Windows is happy. If you manage to type the incorrect password the same way, twice, you’ll see an error message when you reboot. Windows will then show two accounts, both identical, that will require you to log in again. Once you do, just go back to Netplwiz and enter the password correctly.

In an earlier version of this story, a reader pointed out that this technique didn’t work with his Lenovo PC—though a Lenovo tech-support representative said it would. We checked this ourselves on a Lenovo PC recently and it definitely does work. (Keep in mind that if your PC is owned by an employer, your company’s administrator may enforce a password using Windows’ group policy editor, and this trick may not work or may be inaccessible to you.)

One last thing: If you like having some security on your PC but hate passwords, we recently showed you how to log in to Windows using a PIN instead. Or just log in with Windows Hello. If your PC supports it, your face or your fingerprint can log you in easily.

Updated on Dec. 20 with additional details by Mark Hachman.

Josh Norem is a freelance technology writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

How Do I Remove My Windows Password?

Delete the password to Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP

It’s not at all difficult to remove the password to your Windows account. Once you delete your password, you no longer have to log on to Windows when your computer starts.

Anyone in your home or office will have full access to everything on your computer after you remove your password, so doing so isn’t a very security conscious thing to do.

However, if you have no concerns about others physically accessing whatever they want on your computer, removing your password shouldn’t be an issue for you and will certainly speed up your computer start time.

If you want to delete your password because you’ve forgotten it and can no longer access Windows, then you won’t be able to use the method below. The standard «remove your password» process requires that you have access to your Windows account. If you don’t know your password, see the tip at the bottom of this page.

If you don’t want to completely delete your password, you can instead configure Windows to automatically log in. This way your account still has a password but you’re never asked for it when Windows starts.

How to Remove Your Windows Password

You can delete your Windows account password from Control Panel but the specific way you go about doing it is a little different depending on which operating system you have. See What Version of Windows Do I Have? if you’re not sure which of these several versions of Windows is installed on your computer.

Deleting a Windows 10 or Windows 8 Password

Open Control Panel. On touch interfaces, the easiest way is via its link on the Start menu (or ​Apps screen in Windows 8), but the Power User Menu is probably faster if you have a keyboard or mouse.

On Windows 10, select User Accounts (it’s called User Accounts and Family Safety in Windows 8).

If the View by setting is on Large icons or Small icons, then you won’t see this link. Pick User Accounts instead and skip to Step 4.

Select User Accounts.

Choose Make changes to my account in PC settings.

Select Sign-in options from the left.

Select Change in the Password section.

Type your current password in the text box on the next screen, and then select Next.

Choose Next once more on the next page but don’t fill out any information. Entering a blank password will replace the old password with a blank one.

You can close out of the open window with the Finish button, and exit the Settings window.

Deleting a Windows 7, Vista, or XP Password

Go to Start > Control Panel.

In Windows 7, choose User Accounts and Family Safety (it’s called User Accounts in Vista and XP).

If you’re viewing the Large icons or Small icons view of Control Panel in Windows 7, or if you’re on Vista or XP and have Classic View enabled, simply open User Accounts and proceed to Step 4.

Open User Accounts.

In the Make changes to your user account area of the User Accounts window, select Remove your password. In Windows XP, the window is titled User Accounts, and there’s an extra step: In the or pick an account to change area, select your Windows XP username and choose Remove my password.

In the text box on the next screen, enter your current Windows password.

Select Remove Password to confirm that you’d like to remove your Windows password.

You can now close any open windows related to user accounts.

See How to Find Lost Windows Passwords for several different ways to get back into Windows if you don’t know your password.