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forgot windows password

If you forgot your Windows password, you can usually get back in, but the method depends on what kind of account you use and whether you have admin/backup options available. I’ll walk through the safest, legitimate options first, and I’ll avoid anything shady or that could be used to break into someone else’s PC.

1. First questions to narrow it down

Ask yourself:

  • Is this Windows 10 or 11?
  • Do you sign in with an email (Microsoft account) or just a local username?
  • Is this your own PC, and do you have any other admin account on it?
  • Is BitLocker/device encryption turned on? (Often on laptops from big brands.)

Those details change which options work and whether you risk losing data.

2. If you use a Microsoft account (email login)

If the sign‑in screen shows an email like name@outlook.com:

  1. On another device (phone or another PC), go to Microsoft’s password reset page:
    • Search for “Reset password Microsoft account”.
  2. Choose “I forgot my password”, enter your Microsoft email, and solve the captcha.
  3. Choose a verification method (email, SMS, or authenticator app).
  4. Enter the code you receive, then set a new password.
  5. Go back to your locked PC and sign in with the new password (make sure it’s connected to the internet).

This is the cleanest method and keeps all your files.

3. If it’s a local account (no email on login)

3.1 Check for another administrator account

If there’s another user listed on the sign‑in screen that you know the password for:

  1. Log into that other account.
  2. Open Computer Management → Local Users and Groups → Users.
  3. Right‑click the locked account → Set password… → set a new password.
  4. Log out and sign into the recovered account with the new password.

This doesn’t erase data and is the “official” way when another admin exists.

3.2 If you made a password reset disk before

If you once created a password reset disk (USB):

  1. Plug the USB into the locked PC.
  2. On the login screen, type an incorrect password once.
  3. Click Reset password when the link appears.
  4. Follow the wizard to pick the USB and set a new password.

If you never created one before, this option unfortunately won’t help now.

4. Built‑in recovery / reset options

If you have no other admin and no reset disk, Microsoft’s official stance is usually: reset or reinstall. From the sign‑in screen:

  1. Hold Shift and click Power → Restart.
  2. On the blue screen, choose Troubleshoot.

You’ll see options like:

  • Reset this PC
    • Keep my files : Reinstalls Windows but keeps your personal files (apps and settings are removed).
    • Remove everything : Completely wipes the machine.

If you pick Keep my files , your personal data in your user folders is usually preserved, but apps will be removed and you’ll set up Windows again with a fresh account/sign‑in. If BitLocker or device encryption is enabled and asks for a recovery key, you’ll need that key (it may be in your Microsoft account online, with your organization, or printed/saved somewhere you stored it).

5. Methods you’ll see on forums (and why to be careful)

Many forum posts and YouTube videos describe tricks like:

  • Booting into the Windows Recovery Environment using a USB.
  • Opening Command Prompt and temporarily renaming utilman.exe or sethc.exe to cmd.exe.
  • Rebooting to the login screen, opening a system command prompt via the Ease‑of‑Access or Shift key, and using net user commands to change the password.

These approaches can technically work if:

  • It’s your own PC and you have the right to access it.
  • The system drive is not protected by BitLocker.
  • You are comfortable with command‑line and understand the risk of breaking something if you mistype or don’t restore the original files.

However:

  • They are not intended for casual users.
  • They can be misused to break into other people’s PCs.
  • If something goes wrong, you could end up needing a full reinstall anyway.

For ethical and safety reasons, you should only attempt these on a machine you own or explicitly administer, and ideally after backing up the drive’s data from another system if possible.

6. Data‑first strategy if you’re worried about losing files

If you have important files and are scared of losing them:

  • If the disk is not encrypted :
    • Remove the drive, plug it into another PC (or use a USB‑to‑SATA enclosure), and copy your important files off first.
  • If the disk is encrypted with BitLocker and you don’t have the recovery key:
    • There is no safe, legitimate “bypass”; you’ll likely have to accept data loss and reinstall if you can’t recover the key.

After securing your files, you can safely do a “Remove everything” reset or clean reinstall.

7. Forum‑style “Quick Scoop” recap

Quick Scoop:
You forgot your Windows password; your best recovery path depends on whether you use a Microsoft account or a local one, and whether you have another admin or a reset disk.

  • Microsoft account? Reset the password online and log back in.
  • Local account + another admin? Log into the other admin and use Computer Management → Set Password.
  • No admin, no reset disk? Use Troubleshoot → Reset this PC , ideally Keep my files.
  • Scary command‑line hacks you see in videos? Only for advanced users on their own machines; misuse can be illegal and risky.
  • Ultra‑worried about data? Pull the drive, back up files elsewhere before any reset.

If you tell me:

  • Windows version (10/11),
  • Whether it shows an email on the sign‑in screen,
  • And whether you see any other accounts,

I can give you very specific, step‑by‑step instructions tailored to your exact situation.