How to change your Windows account password
Most Windows accounts are protected by an account password. This password is needed to sign in to user account. Our step-by-step guide walks you through the process of changing the account password on Windows devices.
You may set a password when you create the first user account during setup or another account while Windows is up and running. This is optional and leaving the password field empty does not prevent the creation of the (local) account on the Windows machine.
Microsoft is making it difficult to set up a local Windows account during first run. It is still possible, in most cases, but not exactly user friendly.
There are multiple reasons for wanting to change the password:
- Your password leaked and you want to change it to secure your PC.
- You picked a relatively weak password and want a stronger one.
- You want to get rid of the password and log in without having to provide one.
Note: The Windows password is not the same as the Windows PIN. While both can be used to sign-in, there are notable differences, especially between PIN and between Microsoft account passwords.
How to change the Windows password: step-by-step guide
The following steps are valid for local accounts and Microsoft accounts. They enable you to change the password of the account you sign-in with on the system. If you use a Microsoft account, you change the password of that account. Similarly, you may change a local account password if you sign-in with a local account.
- Open Start and select Settings from the list of apps.
- Go to Accounts > Sign-in options > Password.
- Expand the Password section with a click on the down-arrow icon.
- Activate the button Change.
- Type the current user password (leave blank if you have not set a password).
- Type the new password twice.
- Add the password hint.
- Click on the Next button once you have done so.
- Select Finish to complete the process.
The new password is active immediately. You need to type it when you sign-in to the Windows account the next time on the device.
Special case: there is no Password section. If you do not see a password section in Settings (as described below), then you need to do the following:
- Scroll down all the way on the Sign-in options page of the Settings app.
- Toggle For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device (Recommended to Off.
You should now see the password option on the page.
Note that you may also set a Windows Hello PIN for the account. This may then be used to sign-in to the account once set up.
Tip: you may also change the Windows account name and user profile folder.
Closing Words
The above method works under Windows 10 and Windows 11. Advanced users may use different tools to change passwords or reset them.
- There is netplwiz, which you may use to reset passwords.
- The net user command may also be used to set user passwords using "net user <username> <password>".
What about you? Have you set a password for your Windows account, or do you prefer no password or another sign-in option?
“Microsoft is making it difficult” …
Indeed! I’ve been saying this for years.
Freedom can be found in Linux/BSD.
Let M$ stay in it’s high chair eating milk soaked cheerios and thowing a tantrum.
You’re better off without them.
Do you have password reset options available in case you forget your password?
“netplwiz”–a few users from XP days may remember how and when to use it; one doesn’t have to use a password all the time–good for work security, maybe pointless at home.
I rather doubt users would forget a main password, but it happens at work all the time.
Martin’s article may be beneficial:
https://chipp.in/software/windows/how-to-create-a-local-account-password-reset-option-in-windows/
BIOS passwords? Better know the backdoor!
Use ctrl alt delete, change password, to avoid having to add ‘security questions’.
This may seem odd. I do not have a windows account. I have a local account on all of my hardware.
Honesty is often considered rude these days. My intention is to be oepn and honest.
If someone doesn’t already know how to change their password on windows they are not qualified to use a computer.
We always set passwords. We even use them on isolated systems because it’s best practices.
We like the picture passwords as a secondary option.
If you used an older version of software and then it changed and you have to find out how to change it super fast, like something depends on it and you don’t have the luxury to find out yourself, this is probably an article that will be useful to people like that.
When I moved to Linux, I searched for a lot trivial things, like how to create desktop shortcuts or add programs to startup, because it’s different from Windows.
@Allwynd that’s the thing, the process did not change, MS added a new way through settings but the other 3 ways from back in the day are still there, so your argument does not apply.
You’re right though that such an article can still benefit people.
I think many of us are not qualified to use a computer and are bound to be increasingly unqualified given AI assistance will provide answers, methods, ways to achieve anything a user may wonder about, be it about his very device : “Dear AI please tell me how to change my password”.
Computing knowledge will become obsolete, just as a driver’s license when humans will no longer drive themselves. Maybe are we progressively becoming assisted consumers : “Buy and we’ll handle everything for you”.
The start of a new era with a happy few, super smart because they invent, create, produce the ultimate in technology, and a majority of sheep who don’t even need to think but only to consume. I firmly believe that artists and a few intellectuals will be more than ever the inspiring source of freedom of thoughts.
Computer management also useful, didn’t know of “netplwiz”, clearly a windows 7 era object which has been made inaccessible by clicking through control panel.
Further proof that “settings” has no place in a tech savvy user’s arsenal, basically everything can be set using old reliable methods.