The fastest way depends on which operating system you use

On Windows, you open Settings, go to Accounts, then select "Password" and click "Change." On Mac, you open System Settings, navigate to General, then Users & Groups, select your account, and click "Change Password." Both take about two minutes. The exact steps differ because Windows and Mac store passwords differently, but the goal is the same: you're replacing your old password with a new one that only you know.

Before you start, have your current password ready. Both systems will ask you to type it once to confirm you're the account owner. If you've forgotten your password, the process is longer and involves recovery options — that's covered in the FAQ section below.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users go to Settings > Accounts > Password and click "Change" to set a new password in about two minutes.
  • Mac users go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, select their account, and click "Change Password."
  • You will need to type your current password to verify your identity before creating a new one.
  • A strong password uses at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • After you change your password, you'll use the new one the next time you log in or wake your computer from sleep.

Changing your password on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Open the Start menu and type "Settings" into the search box, then click the Settings app. Once it opens, select "Accounts" from the left sidebar. Click "Password" under the "Account settings" section. You'll see a button that says "Change" — click it.

Windows will ask you to enter your current password. Type it and click "Next." Then create your new password in the first box, type it again in the second box to confirm it matches, and add a password hint if you want one (though a hint is optional). Click "Next," then "Finish." Your password is now changed.

If you use a PIN or Windows Hello (facial recognition or fingerprint), you can change those separately in the same Accounts section. Changing your password does not automatically change your PIN or biometric login.

Changing your password on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "System Settings." In the sidebar, click "General." Then click "Users & Groups." You may need to click the lock icon at the bottom and enter your password to make changes. Select your user account from the list on the left.

Click the "Change Password" button. Mac will ask for your current password first. Type it and click "Change Password." Enter your new password twice — once in the "New password" field and once in the "Verify" field. You can add a password hint, but it's optional. Click "Change Password" to save your new password.

On newer Macs running Sonoma or later, the path may be slightly different: go to System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions, then look for the Users & Groups option. If you don't see it there, check System Preferences instead — older versions of macOS use that name instead of System Settings.

What makes a password strong enough to protect your account

A strong password is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For example, "BlueSky#2024River" is stronger than "password123" because it mixes character types and is longer. Avoid using your name, your address, your birth year, or common words that appear in the dictionary — these are the first things someone trying to break in will guess.

Do not reuse a password you've used on other websites or accounts. If one site gets hacked, a password thief can try that same password on your email, your bank, and your computer. If you struggle to remember a strong password, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or KeePass — these programs generate and store strong passwords for you.

Windows and Mac will both warn you if your password is too weak or too common. If you see a warning, make your password longer or add more variety to the character types. The warning is there to protect you, not to frustrate you.

What happens when ready after you change your password

Your new password takes effect right away, but you won't be asked to use it until the next time you log in or wake your computer from sleep. If you're currently logged in, you can keep working — nothing interrupts. The next time your computer locks or you restart it, you'll type your new password instead of your old one.

If you have multiple user accounts on the same computer, changing the password for one account does not affect the others. Each account has its own password. If you share a computer with family members or colleagues, make sure each person changes only their own password, not anyone else's.

Changing your password if you use a Microsoft or Apple account

If your Windows computer is linked to a Microsoft account, you have two options: change the password through Windows Settings (the steps above), or change it through your Microsoft account online. If you change it online at account.microsoft.com, the new password syncs to your computer within a few minutes. If you change it through Windows Settings, it updates your Microsoft account as well.

On Mac, if you use an Apple ID to log in, you can change your password through System Settings (the steps above) or through your Apple ID account at appleid.apple.com. Both methods work. If you change it online, the new password syncs to your Mac within a few minutes.

Changing your account password is different from changing your Apple ID or Microsoft account password. If you want to change the password for your online account itself — the one you use to log into email, iCloud, or OneDrive — you'll do that on the company's website, not on your computer.

Why you might want to change your password regularly

You should change your desktop password if you suspect someone else knows it, if you've used the same password for years, or if you've shared it with someone who no longer needs access to your computer. You don't need to change it every month — that's outdated information. Security experts now recommend changing passwords only when there's a reason to, not on a fixed schedule.

If you think someone has accessed your computer without permission, change your password when ready. Also change the password for any online accounts you use on that computer — your email, banking, social media, and anything else. If your computer was compromised, a thief may have captured your passwords for those accounts too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I forgot my Windows password?

If you're locked out, you can use another admin account on the same computer to reset it, or you can use your Microsoft account recovery options at account.microsoft.com. If you don't have another admin account and can't access your Microsoft account, you'll need to restart your computer in Safe Mode or use a password reset disk if you created one before you forgot your password.

What do I do if I forgot my Mac password?

Restart your Mac and hold Command + Q during startup to enter Recovery Mode. Click "Utilities" in the menu bar, then "Terminal." Type "resetpassword" and press Enter. This opens the Reset Password utility, where you can create a new password for your account. You'll need to restart your Mac after this process.

Can I change my password from a different computer?

If your account is linked to Microsoft (Windows) or Apple ID (Mac), you can change your password online through your account page, and it will sync to your computer. If your account is local only — not linked to an online account — you must change the password on that specific computer.

Will changing my password log me out of other devices?

If you use a Microsoft or Apple account, changing your password may log you out of other devices linked to that account, depending on your security settings. You'll need to sign back in with your new password. If you use a local account, other devices are not affected because they don't share the same password.

Do I need to change my password if I just changed my PIN?

No. Your PIN and your password are separate on Windows. Changing one does not change the other. You can use either one to log in. If you want to change both, you'll need to do each one separately through Settings.