Change your password through your account settings

On Windows, open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then select it. Go to Accounts in the left menu, then Sign-in options. Under the "Password" section, click Change. Windows will ask you to enter your current password first, then your new password twice. Make sure your new password is at least 8 characters long and uses a mix of uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols — something like "BlueMoon#47Kitchen" is stronger than "password123."

On Mac, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions). Go to General, then Users & Groups or Login Items. Click the lock icon at the bottom left to unlock the settings, enter your current password, then find the Change Password button. You'll enter your old password, then your new password twice.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users access password changes through Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, while Mac users go through System Settings > General.
  • You must enter your current password before creating a new one, so have it ready before you start.
  • A strong password uses at least 8 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • If you forget your password before changing it, you can use a password reset disk (Windows) or recovery key (Mac) to regain access.
  • Change your password if you think someone else knows it, if you've used it on a website that was breached, or at least once a year as routine maintenance.

Why you should change your password regularly

Your computer password is the first lock between someone and your files, email, photos, and financial information. If someone gets your password — through a data breach at a website where you reused it, by watching you type, or by guessing a weak one — they can log in as you and see everything. Changing your password cuts off access for anyone who had the old one.

You don't need to change it every month, but you should change it if you think it's been compromised, if a website you used it on was breached (check haveibeenpwned.com to see if your email appears in known breaches), or at least once a year if you haven't had a reason to. If you use the same password on multiple sites, change it everywhere — that's actually more urgent than changing a unique password once a year.

Create a password that's hard to guess

A strong password is long and random. Aim for at least 12 characters if you can remember it, or 8 at minimum. Mix uppercase letters (A-Z), lowercase letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and symbols (!@#$%^&*). Avoid words from the dictionary, your name, your birthday, or anything someone could find out about you. "Tr0pic@lThunder92" is stronger than "MyDogSpot2024" even though the second one is longer, because the first one has no pattern someone could guess.

If you can't remember a complex password, use a password manager like Bitwarden (free), 1Password, or Dashlane. These programs store your passwords in an encrypted vault that only you can open with one master password. They also generate random passwords for you and fill them in automatically, so you don't have to type them or remember them individually.

What to do if you forget your password

On Windows, if you forget your password before you change it, you can use a password reset disk if you created one earlier. Plug it in at the login screen, click "Reset password," and follow the prompts. If you didn't create a reset disk, you can answer security questions you set up (if you did), or you may need to sign in with a Microsoft account instead and reset it online.

On Mac, restart your computer and hold Command + Q at the login screen to open the password reset utility. You'll need your Apple ID and password, or a recovery key you saved when you set up your account. If you have neither, you may need to use macOS Recovery (Command + R at startup) and erase the drive to regain access — this removes all your files, so it's a last resort.

The easiest way to avoid this is to write your password down and store it somewhere physically safe — a locked drawer, a safe, or a notebook you keep at home. This sounds backwards, but a password written on paper in your house is safer than a password you forget and can't recover. A password manager is even better because it stores passwords digitally but encrypted.

Change your password if you think it's been compromised

If you see login attempts from places you don't recognize, if someone tells you they got into your account, or if you used your computer password on a website that was later breached, change it right away. Don't wait for a scheduled change — do it the same day you find out.

After you change your password, check what else might be at risk. If you used the same password on other websites or accounts, change it there too. If the breach involved payment information, contact your bank or credit card company. If it involved your email address, consider changing your email password as well, because your email is often the key to resetting passwords on other sites.

Protect your password after you create it

Once you've set a new password, don't share it with anyone — not a family member, not IT support (they can reset it without knowing it), not a friend. Don't type it where someone can see your screen or keyboard. Don't write it in a text file on your computer or email it to yourself. If you need to share access to your computer, create a separate user account for that person instead of giving them your password.

If you use your computer in public or at work, be extra careful. Lock your screen (Windows key + L on Windows, Control + Command + Q on Mac) whenever you step away, even for a minute. This prevents someone from sitting down and using your account while you're gone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same password on my computer and my email?

No. If someone gets your computer password, they shouldn't automatically have your email password too. Use different passwords for your computer, email, banking, and other important accounts. A password manager makes this easier because it remembers them all for you.

What if I change my password and then forget the new one?

You can change it again using the same steps — just use your current password (the one you forgot) at the first prompt. If you've already forgotten it and can't log in, use the password reset process for your operating system (recovery key on Mac, reset disk on Windows, or security questions if you set them up).

Do I need to change my password if I'm the only one who uses my computer?

You still benefit from changing it once a year or if you've reused it on a website that was breached. Even if no one else uses your computer, someone could have gotten your password from a data breach and might try to log in remotely. A strong, unique password makes that much harder.

Is it safe to let my browser remember my password?

Your browser's password storage is encrypted, but it's less find than a dedicated password manager. If someone gets access to your computer, they can often see stored browser passwords more easily. A password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password is safer because it adds an extra layer of encryption and requires a master password to open.

What should I do with my old password after I change it?

Forget it. Don't write it down, don't use it again, and don't tell anyone what it was. If you wrote it down before, cross it out or destroy the paper. The old password is no longer useful to you and is only a security risk if someone finds it.