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.

Set a Password Expiration Date for Microsoft Account and Local Account

Most of us have a habit of keeping using the same password for a long time. It’s dangerous, mainly if the password is in use at multiple places. It is possible that in a security breach, the password was open to all. So today, in this post, we will share how you can set a Password Expiration Date for your Microsoft Account or Local Account. It will force users to change the password every few months.

Here are we are setting password expiration for two different types of accounts. Microsoft Account, and the Local Windows account. If you are using a Microsoft account in Windows 10, then it becomes even more critical that you change it from time to time.

When we say Set password Expiration Date, you can either choose what Windows offers for local accounts or set using the “net” command.

Set Password Expiration Date for Microsoft Account

1. Go to Microsoft Account Security section
2. Click on Change my password link under Password security
3. Enter the old password and the new password twice
4. Check the box which says Make me change my password every 72 days

The only drawback of this method is that you need to change the current password to one which you haven’t repeated the past three times. Microsoft will then automatically prompt you to change the password every 72 days.

You should know that this is different from PIN or Windows Hello, which you use on Windows 10 computer.

Set Password Expiration Date for Local Account

While it is possible to create a password-less account in Windows 10, it’s not a good idea. If you are the admin user of your computer, make sure all users change their password often. There are two ways of doing this, and it will force users to change their current password. The default is 42 days.

1] Using User accounts interface

1. In the Run prompt (Win + R) type lusrmgr.msc followed by pressing the Enter key.
2. It will open Local Users and Groups Editor
3. Under Users folder, locate the user for which you want to change the password expiry
4. Double click to open the user properties
5. Uncheck the box which says Password never expires
6. Click on the OK button to complete the process

There is a popular WMIC command, but it seems to be not working in Windows 10. If you use the command without the “where name” clause, it will set Password Expiration for all the accounts, including system accounts.

2] Command-Line Options to set Expiration Date

Once done, if you want to set an exact expiration date, then you need to use the “Net Accounts” command. Open PowerShell with Admin privileges, and execute the command Net Accounts. It will reveal details as below:

Force user logoff how long after time expires?: Never
Minimum password age (days): 0
Maximum password age (days): 42
Minimum password length: 0
Length of password history maintained: None
Lockout threshold: Never
Lockout duration (minutes): 30
Lockout observation window (minutes): 30
Computer role: WORKSTATION

If you want to set a particular expiration date, then you will have to calculate the figure in days. If you set it to 30 days, users will have to change their passwords once a month.

If you want to force someone to change the password instantly, you can use maxpwage:1

3] Use Group Policy to change Password Expiration Date

1. Open Group Policy Editor by typing gpedit.msc in the Run prompt followed by pressing the Enter key
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Security Settings > Account Policies
3. Click on Password Policy, and then click on Maximum Password age
4. Here you can change from 42 to any figure you like. The maximum is in between 1-999

I hope the post was easy to follow, and you were able to set the password expiration date for User Account in Windows 10.

Интерактивный вход в систему: запрос пользователя на изменение паролей перед истечением срока действия Interactive log on: Prompt the user to change passwords before expiration

Область применения Applies to

В этой статье описываются лучшие методики, расположение, значения, управление **** политиками и вопросы безопасности для интерактивного логина: запрос пользователя на смену пароля перед истечением срока действия параметра политики безопасности. This article describes the best practices, location, values, policy management, and security considerations for the Interactive logon: Prompt user to change password before expiration security policy setting.

Справочные материалы Reference

Этот параметр политики определяет, когда пользователи будут предупреждены о том, что срок действия их паролей истекает. This policy setting determines when users are warned that their passwords are about to expire. Это предупреждение дает пользователям время выбрать надежный пароль до истечения срока действия текущего пароля, чтобы избежать потери доступа к системе. This warning gives users time to select a strong password before their current password expires to avoid losing system access.

Возможные значения Possible values

• Определяемая пользователем количество дней от 0 до 999 A user-defined number of days from 0 through 999
• Не определено Not defined

Рекомендации Best practices

• Настройте периодическое истечении срока действия паролей пользователей. Configure user passwords to expire periodically. Пользователям необходимо предупредить о том, что срок действия пароля истекает или они могут быть заблокированы в системе. Users need warning that their password is going to expire, or they might get locked out of the system.
• Настройка интерактивного учетного записи для пользователя: запрос на изменение пароля до истечения срока действия на пять дней. Set Interactive logon: Prompt user to change password before expiration to five days. Если срок действия пароля истекает через пять или менее дней, пользователи будут видеть диалоговое окно при каждом входе в домен. When their password expiration date is five or fewer days away, users will see a dialog box each time that they log on to the domain.
• Если для политики установлено нулевое значение, при входе пользователя в систему предупреждение об истечении срока действия пароля не будет. When you set the policy to zero, there is no password expiration warning when the user logs on. Во время продолжительного сеанса доступа к учетной записи вы получите предупреждение в день истечении срока действия пароля или при истечении срока действия пароля. During a long-running logon session, you would get the warning on the day the password expires or when it already has expired.

Расположение Location

Конфигурация компьютера\Политики\Параметры Windows\Параметры безопасности\Локальные политики\Параметры безопасности Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options

Значения по умолчанию Default values

В следующей таблице перечислены значения по умолчанию для этой политики. The following table lists the default values for this policy. Значения по умолчанию также можно найти на странице свойств политики. Default values are also listed on the policy’s property page.

Тип сервера или объект групповой политики Server type or Group Policy Object	Значение по умолчанию Default value
Default Domain Policy Default Domain Policy	Не определено Not defined
Политика контроллера домена по умолчанию Default Domain Controller Policy	Не определено Not defined
Параметры по умолчанию для автономного сервера Stand-Alone Server Default Settings	Пять дней Five days
Эффективные параметры по умолчанию для DC DC Effective Default Settings	Пять дней Five days
Действующие параметры по умолчанию для рядового сервера Member Server Effective Default Settings	Пять дней Five days
Действующие параметры по умолчанию для клиентского компьютера Client Computer Effective Default Settings	Пять дней Five days

Управление политикой Policy management

В этом разделе описываются функции и средства, которые можно использовать для управления этой политикой. This section describes features and tools that you can use to manage this policy.

Необходимость перезапуска Restart requirement

Нет. None. Изменения этой политики становятся эффективными без перезапуска устройства при их локальном экономии или распространении с помощью групповой политики. Changes to this policy become effective without a device restart when they’re saved locally or distributed through Group Policy.

Вопросы конфликтов политик Policy conflict considerations

Групповая политика Group Policy

Настройте этот параметр политики с помощью консоли управления групповыми политиками (GPMC) для распространения через объекты групповой политики (GGPOs). Configure this policy setting by using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to be distributed through Group Policy Objects (GPOs). Если эта политика не содержится в распределенном GPO, ее можно настроить на локальном компьютере с помощью оснастки «Локализованная политика безопасности». If this policy isn’t contained in a distributed GPO, it can be configured on the local computer through the Local Security Policy snap-in.

Вопросы безопасности Security considerations

В этом разделе описывается, как злоумышленник может использовать функцию или ее конфигурацию, как реализовать меру противодействия, а также возможные отрицательные последствия этой меры. This section describes how an attacker might exploit a feature or its configuration, how to implement the countermeasure, and possible negative consequences of the countermeasure.

Уязвимость Vulnerability

Если срок действия паролей пользователей в организации периодически истекает, перед истечением срока действия их необходимо предупредить. If user passwords are configured to expire periodically in your organization, users need to be warned before expiration. В противном случае они могут случайно заблокироваться на устройствах. Otherwise, they may get locked out of the devices inadvertently.

Противодействие Countermeasure

Настройте интерактивный учетной записи для пользователя: запрос на изменение пароля до истечения срока действия на пять дней. Configure the Interactive logon: Prompt user to change password before expiration setting to five days.

Возможное влияние Potential impact

Пользователи видят диалоговое окно с запросом на изменение пароля при каждом входе в домен, когда срок действия пароля истекает через 5 или менее дней. Users see a dialog-box that prompts them to change their password each time that they log on to the domain when their password is configured to expire in 5 or fewer days.