What to do when you've forgotten your admin password

If you cannot remember your administrator password, your options depend on whether you set up a password recovery method when you created the account, and which operating system you use. Windows and Mac both have built-in recovery paths that work without calling tech support, but they require either a backup email address, a phone number, or physical access to another admin account on the same machine.

The fastest route is usually the one you set up months ago and forgot about — a recovery email or phone number linked to your admin account. If you never set one up, you will need to use a local recovery option instead, which takes longer but still works.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows lets you reset a forgotten admin password using a Microsoft account recovery email or phone, or by using another admin account on the same computer.
  • Mac requires either your Apple ID password, a recovery key you saved when you turned on FileVault, or another admin account on the machine.
  • If you have no recovery method and no other admin account, you will need to reinstall your operating system, which erases everything on the drive.
  • Recovery email and phone number are the easiest prevention — set them up now while you remember your password, so you never face this problem.
  • Local recovery options (using another admin account or recovery media) work without internet and do not depend on remembering a separate password.

Windows: using your Microsoft account to reset the password

If your admin account is linked to a Microsoft account (the kind you use for Outlook, OneDrive, or Xbox), you can reset the password from the Windows login screen without needing another account on the machine. Click "I forgot my password" on the login screen, and Windows will ask you to verify your identity using the recovery email or phone number you registered with Microsoft.

Microsoft will send a code to that email or phone. Enter the code, create a new password, and you can log in when ready. This works even if you have not used your Microsoft account in years — the recovery contact information stays active unless you deleted it yourself.

If you do not remember which email or phone number you used, go to account.microsoft.com from another device, sign in if you can, and check your recovery options there. If you cannot sign in to Microsoft either, you will need to use a local recovery method instead.

Windows: using another admin account on the same computer

If someone else has an admin account on your computer, they can reset your password without needing your recovery email. Log in as that person, open Settings, go to Accounts, select "Other people," find your account, and click "Reset password." You will not need to know the other person's password — just that they have admin rights and physical access to the machine.

This method works offline and does not require any recovery email or phone. The tradeoff is that the other admin can see that they reset your password, and they can access your files if they want to (admin accounts can access any file on the machine).

Mac: using your Apple ID or recovery key

On a Mac, if you have forgotten your admin password, restart the computer and hold Command + Q when you see the login screen. This opens the recovery mode login. Enter your Apple ID email and password, and macOS will let you reset your admin password without erasing anything.

If you do not remember your Apple ID password either, you can recover that at iforgot.apple.com from another device. If you turned on FileVault encryption (which many newer Macs do automatically), you may also have a recovery key — a long string of characters Apple gave you when you set it up. That key works as a backup way to unlock the drive if you forget both your admin password and your Apple ID password.

If you have none of these — no Apple ID access, no recovery key, and no other admin account — you will need to reinstall macOS, which erases the drive.

Mac: using another admin account on the same computer

If another person has an admin account on your Mac, they can reset your password from System Settings. They log in as themselves, go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups (or System Preferences > Users & Groups on older Macs), unlock the panel with their admin password, select your account, and click "Reset Password."

Like Windows, this method requires no recovery email or internet connection. The other admin will know they reset your password, and they have the ability to access your files.

When you have no recovery method and no other admin account

If you have no recovery email, no Apple ID access, no recovery key, and no other admin account on the machine, the only remaining option is to reinstall your operating system. This erases everything on the drive — all your files, programs, and settings — and returns the computer to factory state.

On Windows, you can create installation media on another computer using the Windows Media Creation Tool (available free from Microsoft's website), then boot from that media and reinstall Windows. On Mac, restart while holding Command + R to enter recovery mode, erase the drive using Disk Utility, and reinstall macOS.

Before you do this, contact the computer manufacturer's support line with proof of ownership (receipt, serial number, or account information). Some manufacturers have additional recovery options for their own machines, and it is worth asking before you erase everything.

How to prevent this from happening again

The easiest prevention is to set up a recovery email and phone number right now, while you remember your password. On Windows, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and add a recovery email. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, unlock the panel, select your account, and add a recovery phone number or email.

If you use FileVault on Mac (which encrypts your drive), save the recovery key somewhere safe — a password manager, a printed note in a drawer, or a trusted person's email. That key is your backup if you forget both your password and your Apple ID.

For extra safety, create a second admin account on your computer and give the password to someone you trust, or write it down and store it somewhere find. That account becomes your backup if you ever lock yourself out of your main one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset my password without erasing my files?

Yes, if you have a recovery email, Apple ID, recovery key, or another admin account. All of these methods let you create a new password without touching your files. Only a full operating system reinstall erases anything.

What if I do not remember my Microsoft account password either?

Go to account.microsoft.com from another device and click "Can't access your account." Microsoft will walk you through identity verification using your recovery email or phone, a backup email, or security questions. Once you regain access to your Microsoft account, you can reset your Windows password.

Does the other admin person need to know my password to reset it?

No. An admin account can reset another account's password without knowing the old one. They only need their own admin password and physical access to the computer.

If I reinstall Windows or macOS, will I lose my files?

Yes. A clean reinstall erases the entire drive. If your files are backed up to OneDrive, iCloud, or an external drive, you can restore them after reinstalling. If not, the files are gone.

How long does password recovery usually take?

Using a recovery email or phone takes minutes — Microsoft or Apple sends a code, you enter it, and you set a new password. Using another admin account takes as long as it takes that person to log in and reset it. A full reinstall takes one to two hours depending on your internet speed and drive size.