Our world is highly digitalized, which means that we can do anything and everything (well, almost) just sitting at home with a good internet connection. But with this advantage, there is also the disadvantage of remembering the passwords of so many accounts that come with digital life. In this post, we will share how you can reset Windows login password (Windows 11 and Windows 10)
Forgot Your Windows Password? Here is How to Reset Windows 11/10 Login Password
Ever wonder what will happen if you forget the password on your Windows? I’m sure you must be wondering what I will do if I forget my Windows login password. Don’t you worry; we have covered this and bring you the easiest way to reset your Windows login password if you forgot it? Here’s how you can reset your Windows 11/10 login password that too in a matter of minutes
- Microsoft Account
- Use an Admin Account
- Password Reset Disk
- PCUnlocker
1] Microsoft Account
If it’s a Microsoft account, and you have forgotten the PIN, click on I forgot PIN, and enter your Microsoft account password to authenticate. You can then remove or change the pin from account settings.
If you have forgotten Microsoft Account password, then you can reset it following the guide here. After this, you can log in to your PC using the password and set up the PIN again.
2] Use an Admin Account
If there is another admin account on the PC, you can ask the person to reset your account password. He can use Control Panel, Windows User account section, Command Prompt, and even PowerShell to reset the password. Readout the complete guide on resetting any account password in Windows.
If you have forgotten the admin account password, then you will need to enable the hidden account. However, for this, you will need to use Bootable USB to boot into advanced recovery.
Once into Advanced Recovery, you can use SHIFT + F10 to open Command Prompt and execute the following command.
net user administrator /active:yes
Then execute the NET USER command to see if you can view the admin account. If yes, then you need to run the following command to set the password.
net user administrator *
Once done, reboot the PC, and then you should see an additional account available on the login screen.
3] Password Reset Disk
If you have created a reset disk earlier, it can come in handy to reset your account password. It applies to the local user account and will not work with Microsoft account.
When on the login screen, look for a reset password for the Local account, followed by the link to use the Reset Disk. You will have to enter the password twice and then log in.
4] PCUnlocker (Paid)
1. Download PCUnlocker on your computer. It will be extracted by itself. You can extract the zip file into the desired location on your computer. Once that has been done, you will get a PCUnlocker.iso file available at the folder where you have stored the extracted file.
2. Once the extraction is done, you need to insert a minimum of 1 GB of USB disk into the device you are working on.
3. On doing so, you now need to download the ISO2Disc Program and install it into your device. You will be provided with on-screen instructions on how to install the program.
4. Once you have completed installing the ISO2Disc program on your device, you can now launch the ISO2Disk program on your computer and browse it to find the .iso file. Once it has been located, click the Start Burn button available on the window to make a bootable CD of the file on the USB you had inserted in an earlier step. The USB will allow you to use the file, even on your laptop, if it doesn’t have a CD drive.
5. Insert the USB containing the .iso file onto the locked computer.
6. Now, you need to turn on your computer or reboot it. You now need to check the boot screen to locate the set-up key, including the Delete key, F8 key, F2 key for BIOS Setup Utility. You can now select the arrow keys to select the Boot tab.
7. Now, you need to change the priority for your boot device to make your USB useful. If you are using a bootable CD or USB, you have to select External Device for your Boot Priority. But before that, you have to go to your Boot Configuration and enable External Device.
8. You will now have to save the changes you have made by pressing the F10 key. Your device will now install the WinPE and PCUnlocker from the bootable USB.
9. Now, you will have to select the Windows SAM Registry. However, it will automatically choose the SAM Registry on its own. Once done, PCUnlocker will show you several options; you need to choose Reset Active Directory Password from the available options.
10. A new dialog box opens, type your New Password or leave it black if you don’t want a password at the login screen.
10. Once you have inserted the desired password, you now need to click the Reset Password option at the bottom center. Once done, restart your device, and you can now unlock it with the new password.
That is how you can change the login password for your Windows device if you have forgotten it. If you find any problem resetting your Windows 11/10 login password, do let us know in the comments section below, and we will help you out.
How to Reset a Windows Password via Command Prompt?
Once you’ve confirmed that you’re logged in as an administrator, type in the following command to reset a user account password via the CMD: net user [username] [NewPassword]
How Do I Create a Password Reset Disk?
On a Windows computer, open the Start Search Box, key in the Password Reset Disk, and choose the best match. Now, follow the on-screen instructions and you should be able to complete the task within a couple of minutes.
What if None of the Solutions Works? What Do I Do?
Well, if you’ve misplaced your password and none of the above solutions works for you, making a fresh installation of Windows might be the only possible solution.
