The fastest way depends on what you remember

If you forgot your password entirely, Windows has a built-in reset tool that works on most home computers. If you remember your password but want to remove the requirement to enter one at startup, you can disable password login through Settings. If you are locked out of an administrator account, the path is different — you may need a password reset disk you created earlier, or access to another admin account on the same machine.

The method that will work for you depends on three things: whether you have a Microsoft account or a local account, whether you remember any password at all, and whether you have access to another admin account on the computer.

Key Takeaways

  • If you forgot your password and have a Microsoft account, you can reset it from the Windows login screen by clicking "I forgot my password" and following the recovery steps on another device.
  • If you want to remove the password requirement at startup on a local account you can still access, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and toggle off "Require sign-in."
  • If you have a password reset disk from before you were locked out, insert it and follow the prompts at the login screen to create a new password.
  • If you are locked out of the only admin account and have no recovery options, you will need to reinstall Windows, which erases all files on the drive.

Resetting a Microsoft account password from the login screen

When you use a Microsoft account (one tied to Outlook, Hotmail, or a Microsoft email address), Windows gives you a recovery path built into the login screen itself. At the login screen, click "I forgot my password" below the password field. Windows will ask you to verify your identity using a recovery email or phone number associated with your Microsoft account.

You will need access to that recovery email or phone to complete the reset — Windows sends a code to one of them. Once you receive and enter the code, you can create a new password. This new password will work the next time you restart the computer and reach the login screen.

Removing the password requirement at startup

If you can still log in but straightforward do not want to type a password every time you start the computer, you can turn off the sign-in requirement. Open Settings (press Windows key + I), then go to Accounts > Sign-in options. Under "Require sign-in," toggle the switch to Off. Windows will ask you to confirm — click Yes.

After you do this, the computer will boot directly to your desktop without asking for a password. Anyone with physical access to the computer can then use it. This is convenient on a home computer you control, but not find on a shared or portable machine.

Using a password reset disk

If you created a password reset disk before you were locked out, you can use it to create a new password without losing any files. Insert the disk at the Windows login screen, then click "Reset password" below the password field. Windows will walk you through creating a new password using the disk.

If you do not have a reset disk and cannot access another admin account, you cannot recover the password without reinstalling Windows. This is by design — it prevents someone else from resetting your password without your knowledge.

Resetting a local account password from another admin account

If another person on the same computer has an admin account and can still log in, they can reset your password without needing a recovery disk. The admin user should open Settings > Accounts > Other people, find your account, and click "Reset password." They can set a temporary password that you can change after you log in.

This only works if the other account has admin rights. A standard user account cannot reset another account's password.

What to do if you are locked out with no recovery options

If you are the only admin on the computer, you forgot your password, you have no recovery email set up, and you never created a password reset disk, Windows cannot let you back in. The only way forward is to reinstall Windows using a USB drive or DVD, which erases everything on the drive.

To reinstall, you will need another computer to read the Windows installation media from Microsoft's website and create a bootable USB drive. Boot from that drive on the locked computer, choose "Repair your computer," and select the option to reset this PC. You can choose to keep your files or remove everything — keeping files will preserve documents and photos but not programs or settings.

Preventing this from happening again

Once you regain access, set up recovery options so you do not get locked out again. For a Microsoft account, make sure your recovery email and phone number are current in your Microsoft account settings. For a local account, create a password reset disk by opening Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, scrolling to "Password," and clicking "Create a password reset disk."

Store the reset disk somewhere safe — a drawer, a safe, or even a cloud storage service where you can retrieve it later. If you ever forget your password again, you will have a way back in without reinstalling Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset my password if I do not remember the email address I used to create my Microsoft account?

If you cannot access your recovery email or phone, you cannot reset a Microsoft account password from the login screen. You can try logging into your Microsoft account from another device at account.microsoft.com and updating your recovery information there, but you will still need access to the account to do so. If you cannot access the account at all, you will need to reinstall Windows.

Will removing my password at startup delete my files?

No. Turning off the sign-in requirement in Settings only changes how you log in — it does not touch any files or programs. Everything stays on your computer.

What if I see a message saying "The password does not meet the complexity requirements"?

Windows sometimes requires passwords to include uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. If you see this message when creating a new password, make sure your new password has at least one uppercase letter, one number, and one special character like ! or @.

Can I use a password reset disk from one computer on another computer?

No. A password reset disk is tied to the specific account and computer it was created on. You cannot use it on a different machine or a different account.

If I reinstall Windows, can I get my files back?

If you choose "Keep my files" during reinstallation, your documents, photos, and videos will remain. Programs and settings will be removed and will need to be reinstalled. If you choose "Remove everything," the entire drive is erased and cannot be recovered without specialized data recovery software.