The fastest way depends on whether you remember any password at all

If you can log in but want to change your password, you use Settings. If you are locked out completely, you have three routes: answer your security questions, use a password reset disk you made earlier, or create a new local account and recover your files. The method that works depends on what you set up before you got locked out.

Start by looking at your login screen. If you see "I forgot my password" below the password box, click it — that takes you to security questions if you set them up. If that option does not appear, or if you cannot answer the questions, move to the disk method or account recovery.

Key Takeaways

  • If you remember your password but want to change it, open Settings, select Accounts, then Password, and choose Update Your Password.
  • If you are locked out and set up security questions, click "I forgot my password" on the login screen to answer them and reset your password.
  • A password reset disk created before you were locked out lets you reset your password from the login screen without answering questions.
  • If you have no disk and cannot answer security questions, you can create a new local account on the same computer and access your old files through that account.
  • Microsoft accounts (those tied to an email address) can be reset online at account.microsoft.com if you have access to your recovery email or phone number.

Resetting your password when you can still log in

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings", then press Enter. Select Accounts from the left menu.

Click Password in the left sidebar. You will see three options: Update Your Password, Add a Password (if you do not have one), or Change Your Password. Click Update Your Password. Windows will ask you to enter your current password first, then your new password twice. Make the new password at least 8 characters long and include uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols if possible — this makes it harder to guess.

After you type your new password twice, click Next, then Finish. You will be asked to sign out and sign back in with the new password.

Using security questions if you are locked out

On the Windows 10 login screen, look below the password field. If you see a link that says "I forgot my password", click it. This only appears if you set up security questions when you created your account.

Windows will ask you three security questions — for example, "What is your mother's maiden name?" or "What was the name of your first pet?" Answer all three correctly. If you get even one wrong, you will have to start over, so take your time and think carefully about what you entered when you set them up.

Once you answer all three correctly, Windows lets you create a new password right there on the login screen. Type your new password twice and press Enter. You can then log in with that new password.

Using a password reset disk you created earlier

If you created a password reset disk before you were locked out, you can use it now. You will need the USB drive or external disk you saved it to. Plug it into your computer.

On the login screen, click "I forgot my password" if that link appears. If it does not, click the reset button (usually a circular arrow icon) below the password field. Windows will ask you to insert your password reset disk. Select the disk from the list and click Next.

Windows will walk you through creating a new password. You do not need to answer security questions — the disk itself proves you have the right to reset the password. Once you create a new password, you can log in when ready.

If you do not have a password reset disk and cannot answer security questions, you will need to create a new local account or reset Windows entirely. Creating a new account is faster if you only need to recover files from your old account.

Creating a new local account to recover your files

If you cannot answer security questions and have no reset disk, you can create a brand new local account on the same computer. This account will have administrator rights, letting you access the files in your old account's folder.

On the login screen, look for "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead" or "Create account" — the exact wording varies by Windows version. Click it. You will be asked to create a new account with a new password. Use an email address you have access to and a password you will remember.

Once you log in with this new account, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users. You will see a folder with your old account name. Open it and you can copy your files — documents, photos, downloads — to your new account. This does not recover your old password, but it gets your files back.

Resetting a Microsoft account password online

If your Windows 10 account is tied to a Microsoft email address (rather than a local account), you can reset your password from any other computer or phone. Go to account.microsoft.com and click Can't access your account?

Microsoft will ask for your email address and show you recovery options. You can receive a code by text message to a phone number you registered, or by email to a recovery email address you set up. Enter the code, then create a new password.

Once you reset your password online, go back to your Windows 10 computer and log in with your email address and new password. This works even if you never set up security questions or a reset disk.

What to do if none of these methods work

If you cannot answer security questions, do not have a reset disk, cannot create a new account, and do not have access to your recovery email or phone number, your only option is to reset Windows 10 entirely. This erases everything on your computer and reinstalls Windows from scratch.

To do this, you need a Windows 10 installation disk or USB drive. You can create one on another computer by downloading the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website, then following the prompts to make a bootable USB drive. Insert it into your locked computer, restart, and boot from the USB drive. Choose Repair your computer, then Reset this PC, and select Remove everything. Windows will reinstall and you can create a new account.

This method destroys all your files, so use it only if you have backups or if your files are not important. If you have files you need, consider taking your computer to a repair shop — they may be able to recover files before resetting Windows.

How to prevent this from happening again

Create a password reset disk now, while you can still log in. Open Settings, go to Accounts, click Password, then look for Create a password reset disk in the left sidebar. Plug in a USB drive and follow the prompts. Store this disk somewhere safe — a drawer, a safe, or a locked cabinet. Do not leave it in plain sight.

Also set up security questions. In Settings, go to Accounts, then Security info, and add at least three security questions with answers only you would know. Use answers that are hard to guess — not your birthday or the name of your street, which someone could find online.

If your account is a Microsoft account, make sure your recovery email and phone number are current. Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, and check that both are listed and correct. If you change your phone number, update it when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset my Windows 10 password without a disk or security questions?

Only if your account is a Microsoft account tied to an email address. You can reset it at account.microsoft.com using your recovery email or phone number. If your account is local (not tied to an email) and you have no disk or security questions, you must create a new local account or reset Windows entirely.

What if I forgot the password to my new account after I reset it?

You are in the same situation as before. If you set up security questions or a reset disk for this new password, you can use those. If not, you will need to create another new account or reset Windows again. This is why setting up security questions and a reset disk when ready after creating a new password is important.

Will resetting my password delete my files?

No. Resetting your password only changes how you log in — your files stay on your computer. Resetting Windows entirely (the last resort option) does delete everything, but that is different from resetting your password.

Can someone else reset my Windows 10 password if they have physical access to my computer?

Yes, if you have not set up a BIOS password or encrypted your drive with BitLocker. They can create a new local account or reset Windows. To prevent this, set a BIOS password in your computer's startup settings and turn on BitLocker encryption in Settings under System > About > Device encryption.

How long does it take to reset a Microsoft account password?

Usually a few minutes. You receive a code by email or text, enter it on the reset page, create a new password, and you are done. You can then log back into Windows 10 with your new password when ready.