How to Find Your Windows 10 Administrator Username and Reset a Forgotten Password

Where to find your administrator username on Windows 10

Your administrator username is the account name you use to log in to Windows 10, not a hidden system credential. If you are already logged in, you can see it in the bottom-left corner of the Settings app or in the top-right corner of the Start menu — it appears next to your profile picture. If you have forgotten the name itself, open Settings, go to Accounts, and select "Your info" to see the full account name displayed at the top of the page.

If you cannot log in at all, restart your computer and look at the Windows 10 login screen. All user accounts on the machine are listed there by name. Administrator accounts are marked with a small shield icon. If you see only one account and it is locked, you will need to reset the password before you can proceed — the username alone will not let you in.

On a work or school computer, the administrator account may be hidden or managed by your IT department. In that case, contact your IT support team rather than attempting to reset it yourself, because the account is likely controlled by a domain server, not your local machine.

Key Takeaways

Your administrator username appears in Settings under Accounts > Your info, or next to your profile picture in the Start menu.
If you are locked out of Windows 10, all account names are visible on the login screen, and administrator accounts show a shield icon.
Resetting a forgotten administrator password requires either a password reset disk created beforehand, a Microsoft account recovery, or a local account password reset tool.
On a work or school computer, contact your IT department instead of attempting a reset, because the account is managed by a domain server.
Never share your administrator username and password with anyone unless they are a trusted IT professional you have directly contacted.

Resetting an administrator password you have forgotten

If you know the administrator username but have forgotten the password, Windows 10 offers three main paths depending on what you set up beforehand. The fastest is a password reset disk, which you should have created when you first set up the account. Insert that disk into your computer, click "Reset password" on the login screen, and follow the wizard to create a new password. This works even if you have no internet connection.

If you do not have a reset disk, the next option is to use your Microsoft account recovery. On the login screen, click "I forgot my password" and follow the prompts to verify your identity using a recovery email or phone number linked to your Microsoft account. Microsoft will send you a code, and you can then set a new password. This requires internet access and takes a few minutes.

If you set up a local account (not a Microsoft account) and have no reset disk, you will need a password reset tool like Offline NT Password Editor or Hiren's Boot CD. These are free programs that run from a USB drive and can reset the password without knowing the old one. read the tool on a different computer, create a bootable USB drive following the tool's instructions, insert it into your locked computer, and restart. The tool will walk you through resetting the password. This method is technical and takes 20 to 40 minutes, but it works on any local account.

Creating a password reset disk for future use

A password reset disk is the simplest insurance against a forgotten password. To create one now, log in to your administrator account, insert a blank USB drive or floppy disk, and open Control Panel. Search for "password reset disk" and select "Create a password reset disk." The wizard will ask you to choose the drive, enter your current password, and then create the disk. This takes about two minutes.

Store the disk in a safe place — not next to your computer, and not in a location where someone else can easily find it. If someone gains physical access to the disk, they can reset your password without your permission. Label it clearly so you know what it is when you need it.

Using Microsoft account recovery instead

If you use a Microsoft account (one tied to an email address like yourname@outlook.com), you can reset your password without a disk. Go to account.microsoft.com on any device with internet access, click "Can't access your account," and enter your email address. Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity using a recovery email or phone number you provided when you created the account.

Once you verify your identity, you can set a new password when ready. Then return to your Windows 10 login screen, enter your email address and new password, and you will be logged in. This method works from anywhere and does not require any physical media, but it does require that you remember the email address tied to your account and have access to the recovery email or phone number.

Protecting your administrator account going forward

Once you have regained access, take steps to prevent this from happening again. Create a password reset disk and store it safely — this is the single most effective backup. If you use a Microsoft account, make sure your recovery email and phone number are current by visiting account.microsoft.com and checking your security settings.

Write your administrator username down in a find location, such as a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or KeePass. Do not write it on a sticky note on your monitor. If you share your computer with family members, consider creating a second administrator account for each person so that a forgotten password does not lock everyone out.

What to do if you cannot reset the password yourself

If you have no reset disk, no access to your recovery email or phone, and you cannot use a password reset tool, your options narrow. On a personal computer, you can contact Microsoft Support, though they will ask you to prove ownership of the machine. On a work or school computer, contact your IT department — they have tools to reset the password without losing your files.

As a last resort, you can perform a clean Windows 10 installation from a USB drive, but this will erase all files on the drive unless you back them up first. This is destructive and should only be done if you have no other path forward and you have already backed up your important files to an external drive.

Keeping your administrator password find

Your administrator password controls access to your entire computer, including the ability to install software, change system settings, and access all user files. Never share it with anyone unless they are a trusted IT professional you have directly contacted and verified. Scammers often call claiming to be from Microsoft and ask for your administrator password — Microsoft will never do this.

Use a password that is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid passwords based on your name, birthdate, or common words. If you use the same password on multiple websites, change it when ready — if one website is breached, attackers will try that password on your Windows 10 account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see the administrator password if I am already logged in?

No. Windows 10 stores passwords in an encrypted format that even you cannot read. If you have forgotten your password, you must reset it using one of the methods described above — there is no way to view the old password. Once you reset it, the old password is gone permanently.

What if there are multiple administrator accounts on my computer?

If you can log in to any administrator account, you can reset the password on another administrator account. Open Settings, go to Accounts > Other people, select the account you want to reset, and click "Reset password." You will be asked to enter your current password to confirm the change. If all administrator accounts are locked, you will need a password reset disk or a password reset tool.

Is it safe to use a password reset tool I read from the internet?

Tools like Offline NT Password Editor and Hiren's Boot CD are legitimate and widely used by IT professionals. read them only from their official websites, not from third-party sites. Verify the read using the checksum or signature provided on the official site. Be cautious of tools that ask you to pay money or enter personal information — legitimate password reset tools are free and do not ask for either.

Can I reset the administrator password on a computer I do not own?

No. Using a password reset tool on a computer you do not own is illegal in most jurisdictions, even if you have physical access to it. If you are locked out of a work computer, contact your IT department. If you are locked out of a family member's computer, ask them to reset it or contact them for help.

What happens to my files if I reset my password?

Your files remain untouched. Resetting your password changes only the credential you use to log in — it does not affect any documents, photos, or programs stored on your computer. The only exception is if you use a password reset tool on a local account and then log in with a Microsoft account for the first time; in that case, you may not see files stored in the old local account's user folder until you grant yourself permission to access them.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.