The fastest way depends on whether you remember any password at all
If you can log in to Windows but forgot your Lenovo account password, use the built-in password reset tool in Settings. If you cannot log in at all, you have three routes: reset through Microsoft online (if you set up a recovery email), use a password reset disk you made earlier, or boot into Safe Mode and use the built-in Administrator account. The method that works fastest depends on what you set up before you got locked out.
Start by checking which situation matches yours: Can you still log in to Windows? Do you remember setting up a recovery email or password reset disk? The answers to these questions will point you to the fastest route forward.
Key Takeaways
- If you remember your Windows password, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and select "Manage your Microsoft account" to reset it online using a recovery email or phone number.
- If you cannot log in and set up a password reset disk before, insert that disk and select "Reset password" at the login screen to create a new one when ready.
- If you have no recovery email, no reset disk, and cannot log in, boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt and reset the password through the command line using the net user command.
- Lenovo's own account password is separate from your Windows password; resetting one does not reset the other.
- Create a password reset disk or recovery email now so you are not locked out later.
Reset your password if you can still log in
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings", then press Enter. Select Accounts on the left side, then Your info. Look for a button that says Manage your Microsoft account — this opens your account page in a web browser.
On the Microsoft account page, select Security from the left menu. Under "Password security", click Change password. Windows will ask you to enter your current password once more, then type your new password twice. Make sure the new password is something you can remember or store securely.
If you do not see a "Manage your Microsoft account" button, your Lenovo is set up with a local account instead of a Microsoft account. For a local account, go back to Settings > Accounts > Your info and look for Password on the right side. Click Change, enter your current password, then type your new password twice.
Use a password reset disk if you made one before
A password reset disk is a USB drive you create in advance, before you forget your password. If you made one, insert it into your Lenovo now. At the Windows login screen, enter any password (it does not have to be correct), and Windows will show a message saying the password is wrong. Below that message, click Reset password.
Windows will open a wizard that asks you to select the reset disk. Choose the USB drive you created, and the wizard will let you type a new password. Once you finish, remove the USB drive and log in with your new password. If you never made a reset disk, this option will not appear on your login screen.
Reset your password through Microsoft online if you have a recovery email
Go to account.microsoft.com in any web browser on any device. Click Sign in, then enter your Microsoft email address. When the password field appears, click Forgot my password.
Microsoft will ask how you want to verify your identity. If you set up a recovery email address when you created your account, select that option. Microsoft will send a code to that email. Open the email, copy the code, and paste it into the verification page. You can then create a new password.
Once you have set a new password online, go back to your Lenovo and try logging in with the new password. It may take a few minutes for the change to sync to your laptop, so wait briefly before trying again if the first attempt does not work.
Boot into Safe Mode and reset through Command Prompt
This method works if you cannot log in and have no recovery email or reset disk. Shut down your Lenovo completely. Turn it back on and when ready start pressing the F8 key repeatedly until you see a menu with boot options. (On some newer Lenovo models, you may need to press Shift + F8 instead, or hold Shift while clicking the power button in Windows.)
From the boot menu, select Safe Mode with Command Prompt. When the command prompt window opens, type this command exactly:
net user Administrator /active:yes
Press Enter. This activates the built-in Administrator account. Restart your Lenovo and you should see the Administrator account on the login screen. Click it to log in (it usually has no password). Once you are logged in, go to Settings > Accounts > Other users, find your own account, and click it. Select Change password and create a new one.
Understand the difference between Windows and Lenovo account passwords
Your Lenovo laptop has two separate passwords: your Windows password (also called your Microsoft account password or local account password) and your Lenovo account password. Resetting one does not reset the other. If you have a Lenovo account set up on your laptop, you may need to reset that separately from your Windows login.
To reset a Lenovo account password, go to account.lenovo.com in a web browser. Click Sign in, then Forgot password. Lenovo will send a reset link to the email address associated with your Lenovo account. Follow the link to create a new password. This does not affect your Windows login or any files on your laptop.
Create a password reset disk now to avoid this later
A password reset disk takes five minutes to make and can save you hours if you forget your password. Open Settings, go to Accounts, then select Sign-in options on the left. Scroll down to Password and click I forgot my password. Windows will walk you through creating a reset disk on a USB drive. Label the drive clearly and store it somewhere safe where you can find it.
You can also set up a recovery email or phone number in Settings > Accounts > Your info > Manage your Microsoft account > Security. This gives you another way to reset your password if you forget it, and it works from any device with internet access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I see "The password is incorrect" but I am sure I typed it right?
Caps Lock may be on — look for the light on your keyboard. Windows passwords are case-sensitive, so "Password" is different from "password". If Caps Lock is off and you still cannot log in, try the password reset disk method or the Safe Mode method above.
Can I reset my password without a recovery email or reset disk?
Yes, but it requires booting into Safe Mode and using Command Prompt as described above. This is why setting up a recovery email or reset disk now is worth the five minutes — it makes a future reset much faster and does not require technical steps.
Will resetting my password delete my files?
No. Resetting your Windows password does not touch your documents, photos, or any other files. They stay on your laptop and you will still be able to access them after you log in with your new password.
What if I forgot my Lenovo account password instead of my Windows password?
Go to account.lenovo.com, click "Forgot password", and follow the reset link sent to your email. This is separate from your Windows password and does not require you to log into your laptop at all.
Do I need to reset my password if I just want to change it?
No. If you remember your current password and just want to change it to something new, use the Settings method in the first section above. Password reset is only needed when you have forgotten your password and cannot log in.