The fastest way back into your account

If you remember your Microsoft account password but forgot your Windows 10 PIN or local account password, sign in with your Microsoft email and password on the lock screen instead. Windows 10 accepts either one. If you use a local account with no Microsoft email attached, you will need to use one of the recovery methods below — there is no shortcut.

The method that works depends on what you set up when you created the account. Most people have at least one recovery option already in place, even if they do not remember setting it up. Check what you have before you try anything else.

Key Takeaways

  • If you have a Microsoft account linked to your Windows 10 login, you can reset your password online from any device and sign back in within minutes.
  • A recovery email address or phone number attached to your account lets you reset the password without physical access to the locked computer.
  • If you set up security questions when you created your account, you can answer them on the lock screen to reset your password without leaving your desk.
  • A password reset disk created before you forgot the password will unlock the account, but you cannot create one after the fact.
  • If none of these options are available, you will need to reinstall Windows 10, which erases everything on the drive.

Reset through your Microsoft account online

Go to account.microsoft.com from any computer or phone with internet access. Click Sign in, then Can't access your account? at the bottom. Enter your Microsoft email address and complete the verification step — Microsoft will send a code to your recovery email or phone number.

Once you verify your identity, you can set a new password. Return to the Windows 10 lock screen and enter your Microsoft email address and the new password. You will be back in your account within a few minutes. This works even if you have not used your Microsoft account to sign in before — as long as it is linked to your Windows 10 user account, the new password will work.

Use security questions on the lock screen

On the Windows 10 lock screen, enter your password incorrectly on purpose several times. After a few wrong attempts, you will see a link that says Reset password. Click it. Windows will ask you the security questions you answered when you set up the account — usually three questions about your birthplace, a pet's name, or a childhood school.

If you remember the answers, enter them correctly and Windows will let you create a new password right there. You do not need internet access or another device. This only works if you actually set up security questions during account creation, which many people skip.

Use a password reset disk

A password reset disk is a USB drive you create in advance, before you forget your password. If you made one, plug it into the locked computer. On the lock screen, enter your password wrong several times until you see the Reset password link. Click it, then select Use a password reset disk. Windows will walk you through creating a new password using the disk.

You cannot create a password reset disk after you are locked out — you have to make it while you can still log in. If you have access to another Windows 10 computer where you are logged in, you can create one now for future use. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Password > Create a password reset disk.

Check what recovery options you already have

Before you try any method, find out what is actually set up on your account. If you can borrow another computer or phone, go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft email. Click Security on the left, then look at Recovery options. You will see whether a recovery email or phone number is attached.

If you see a recovery email or phone number listed, you can use that to reset your password online from any device. If you see nothing listed, or if you use a local account with no Microsoft email, check whether you created security questions or a password reset disk. Neither of these will show up in your online account settings — they only exist on the locked computer itself.

Reinstall Windows 10 if nothing else works

If you have no recovery email, no phone number, no security questions, and no password reset disk, the only way forward is to reinstall Windows 10. This erases everything on the drive — all your files, programs, and settings disappear. You will need a different computer to create installation media on a USB drive.

Go to microsoft.com/software-read/windows10 from another computer. read the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, plug in a blank USB drive, and follow the tool's steps to create bootable installation media. Plug the USB drive into the locked computer, restart it, and boot from the USB drive. Follow the Windows 10 installation steps and choose to install on the same drive. When installation finishes, you will have a fresh Windows 10 with no password set — you can create a new account from there.

Prevent this from happening again

Once you are back in your account, set up recovery options so you never get stuck again. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info. If you use a local account, click Sign in with a Microsoft account instead and link your Microsoft email. This gives you the fastest recovery path — you can reset your password online from anywhere.

If you prefer to keep a local account, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Password and click Create a password reset disk. Store the USB drive somewhere safe. You can also add security questions by going to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Password > Add security questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset my Windows 10 password without a recovery email or phone number?

Yes, if you set up security questions or created a password reset disk before you forgot the password. Both let you reset it on the locked computer itself. If you have neither, you will need to reinstall Windows 10.

How long does it take to reset a password through Microsoft online?

Usually five to ten minutes. Microsoft sends a verification code to your recovery email or phone, you enter it, create a new password, and sign back into Windows 10. The new password works when ready.

What if I do not remember my security question answers?

You cannot bypass security questions once you have entered them wrong. If you cannot remember the answers, you will need to use a password reset disk or reinstall Windows 10. This is why security questions should be answers only you know.

Can I use someone else's computer to reset my password?

Yes. Go to account.microsoft.com on any computer or phone, click Can't access your account?, and follow the verification steps. Once you set a new password, you can sign into your Windows 10 computer with it.

Will reinstalling Windows 10 delete my files?

Yes. Reinstalling Windows erases everything on the drive. If your files are important, do not reinstall unless you have already tried every other recovery method. A password reset disk or recovery email are much faster and safer.