How To Change Your Windows 10 Password

If you forgot or lost your countersign for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 7, you lot may be able to change or reset it. To become started, choose your version of Windows from the tabs below.

If y'all already know your electric current password and want to modify information technology

Select Beginning> Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Nether Password, select Change and follow the directions.

Reset your Windows 11 local business relationship password

If y'all've forgotten or lost your Windows 11 password for a local account and demand to sign back in to your device, the below options might assistance you get upwards and running. For more info on local standard vs. administrative accounts, see Create a local user or administrator account in Windows.

Windows 11

If y'all added security questions when you lot set up your local business relationship for Windows 11, then yous can answer security questions to sign back in.

After you've entered an incorrect countersign:

Select the Reset password link on the sign-in screen. If you apply a PIN instead, encounter Pivot sign-in issues. If you're using a piece of work device that's on a network, yous may not see an option to reset your countersign or PIN. In that case, contact your administrator.

Note:If you lot don't see security questions after y'all select the Reset password link, make certain your device proper name isn't the same as your local user account name (the name you see when you sign in). To come across your device name, right-clickOutset, select System, and scroll to the Device specifications section. If the device name is the same as your account proper name, yous tin can create a new administrator account, sign in as an ambassador, and and then rename your PC (when you view your device name, you lot can as well rename it).
Respond your security questions.
Enter a new password.
Sign in as usual with the new password.

Reset your Microsoft business relationship countersign 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 y'all desire to reset. Below the password text box, selectI forgot my password. Follow the steps to reset your password.

For more info, see Reset a forgotten Microsoft account countersign.

Troubleshoot problems signing in

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

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

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

Reset your Windows 10 local business relationship password

If yous'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 upwards and running. For more than info on local standard vs. authoritative accounts, see Create a local user or ambassador business relationship in Windows 10.

Windows ten version 1803 and later on

If you added security questions when you set upwards your local business relationship for Windows x, then you have at least version 1803 and y'all can reply security questions to sign dorsum in.

Subsequently y'all've entered an incorrect password:

Select the Reset password link on the sign-in screen. If you utilise a Pivot instead, run across Pivot sign-in issues. If you're using a work device that's on a network, y'all may non meet an option to reset your password or PIN. In that instance, contact your ambassador.

Notation:If you don't see security questions afterwards you select the Reset countersign link, brand sure your device name isn't the same equally your local user business relationship name (the proper name yous see when you sign in). To see your device name, right-clickCommencement in the taskbar, select System, and scroll to the Device specifications section. If the device name is the same as your account proper name, y'all tin create a new ambassador account, sign in as an ambassador, and then rename your PC (when you lot view your device name, you can likewise rename it).
Answer your security questions.
Enter a new password.
Sign in as usual with the new password.

Windows x before version 1803

For versions of Windows ten earlier than 1803, local business relationship passwords can't be reset because there are no security questions. You lot tin can reset your device to choose a new password, however this selection will permanently delete your data, programs, and settings. If y'all've backed up your files y'all'll be able to restore your deleted files. For more information, see Recovery options in Windows x.
To reset your device, which will delete information, programs, and settings:

Press the Shift key while you lot select the Power push 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 y'all use to sign in to your figurer

On the sign-in screen, blazon your Microsoft business relationship name if it's not already displayed. If there are multiple accounts on the calculator, choose the one you lot want to reset. Below the password text box, selectI forgot my password. Follow the steps to reset your password.

For more than info, see Reset a forgotten Microsoft account countersign.

Troubleshoot problems signing in

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

Reset your password

If you've forgotten your Windows 8.1 countersign, at that place are several ways to retrieve or reset information technology:

If your PC is on a domain, your organization administrator must reset your countersign.
If you're using a Microsoft account, you can reset your password online. For more info, run across How to reset your Microsoft account password.
If you're using a local account, utilize your countersign hint as a reminder.

If yous all the same can't sign in, y'all must reinstall Windows. For Windows RT 8.1, contact your PC manufacturer.

More help with passwords in Windows 8.1

If y'all forget or lose your password, see Reset your password higher up to reset or recover information technology.

If y'all think your Microsoft account password has been compromised or stolen past someone with malicious intent, nosotros can help. For more info, see When you can't sign in to your Microsoft account.

If you lot're signing in to but your local PC, aye. Nevertheless, we recommend that you go along your PC more secure by using a stiff password. When y'all utilise a password, but someone who knows information technology can sign in. If you want to sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account, a password is required. For more than info, run into Can I sign in to Windows without a countersign? To learn more nigh Microsoft accounts and local accounts, encounter Create a user business relationship.

Stronger passwords incorporate a variety of characters, including capital letter 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 consummate give-and-take, or easy-to-detect details like your real proper noun, your user name, or your nascency date.

If you're signing in to a Microsoft business relationship, your countersign is limited to 16 characters. For more info nigh Microsoft accounts, run across Create a user account.

You lot tin update your password regularly to continue information technology more secure. If your PC isn't connected to a domain, follow these steps:

Swipe in from the correct edge of the screen, tap Settings, then tap Change PC settings.
(If you lot're using a mouse, signal to the lower-right corner of the screen, motility the mouse pointer upwardly, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
Tap or click Accounts, so tap or click Sign-in options.
Tap or click Change your countersign and follow the instructions.

If your PC is connected to a domain, your system administrator might manage how often you must change your password. To practise so, choose one of the post-obit:

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, printing and hold the Windows push button, printing the power push, and and then tap or click Change a password and follow the instructions.

It depends on whether you're using a tertiary-political party email address. If your electronic mail address ends in outlook.com, hotmail.com, alive.com, or another Microsoft service, changing the password for your Microsoft business relationship too changes information technology for that e-mail service.

Simply yous tin apply whatever email accost for your Microsoft business relationship, even an electronic mail address from a third-party spider web-based postal service similar Google Mail or Yahoo! Mail. When you choose a password for your Microsoft account, information technology doesn't change the password you might need to use to sign in to web mail on a third-party site.

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

Swipe in from the correct edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you lot're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer upward, click Settings, and and so click Modify 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 cull a countersign for your user account, information technology's important to pick something yous tin can call back. You're going to demand it again later on!

Of form, you can as well write your countersign downwards and keep it in a safe place. Taped to the underside of your laptop or the inside of your desk-bound drawer is probably not a skilful idea, however. If you do write your password downward, be sure to keep it separate from your PC.

For added security, use different passwords for different purposes. For case, it'due south a expert idea to keep distinctly different passwords for a social networking account and your online banking concern account.

If you do forget or lose your countersign, at that place are still several things you can endeavour to reset or recover it. For more than info, encounter Reset your password above to reset or recover it.

Reset your password

The steps to reset your countersign will vary a flake depending on if your computer is on a domain, or in a workgroup. If your calculator is part of a work or school organization there'south a adept run a risk it's role of a domain. If this is a habitation computer it's almost certainly in a workgroup.

My calculator is on a domain

Sign in with a domain account that has administrator permissions to this device. If you're not sure, contact your system'south IT admin for help.
Select the Get-go button , selectControl Console, selectUser Accounts, selectUser Accounts, and then selectManage User Accounts. If yous're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
On the Users tab, under Users for this calculator, select the user account name, and and then selectReset Countersign.
Type the new password, ostend the new countersign, and and so selectOK.

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

Warning:If you employ an administrator business relationship to change a countersign for another business relationship, any encrypted files or east post letters for that other account will no longer be attainable to the person who was using that business relationship.

My computer is in a workgroup

If you type the wrong password when you lot endeavour to log on, Windows displays a message that the password is incorrect. SelectOK to close the message.
SelectReset countersign, and then insert your password reset disk or USB wink drive.
Follow the steps in the Password Reset wizard to create a new password.
Log on with the new password. If yous forget your password over again, you can utilize the same password reset disk. Y'all don't need to make a new one.

Alter your password

Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and then selectModify a password.
Type your old countersign followed past a new password equally indicated, and then blazon the new password again to confirm it.
Press Enter.

Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password

Change your Microsoft business relationship password

Reset your Windows local business relationship countersign