If you are unable to log into your Windows 11 computer because you have forgotten your password, there are some workarounds you can perform to simply reset your password without having to log in, and then use the new password to log in. In this post, we are going to show you multiple ways to remove your old password and set a new one using a detailed guide. But before we begin, the methods applied to reset your forgotten password are entirely dependent upon what type of account you are trying to reset the password of. There are 2 types of user accounts on a Windows computer: A local account and a Microsoft account. The method(s) used to reset their passwords depend on the type of account. You have multiple options to choose from if you are resetting the password for a local account. In comparison, if it is a Microsoft account, you are only left with one option. Regardless, all of these methods have been discussed below.
Reset Windows 11 Local Account Password Reset Account Password with Security Questions Reset Account Password with Command Prompt Reset Account Password using Third-Party Software Reset Windows 11 Microsoft Account Password Closing Words
Now that that is cleared, let us continue to see how to reset a Windows account’s password without being able to log in.
Reset Windows 11 Local Account Password
Reset Account Password with Security Questions
When you are initially setting up your computer for the first time and installing the Windows 11 operating system, Windows asks you 3 security questions in the Out Of Box Experience (OOBE) screens which can then later be used to authenticate yourself and reset the account’s password. This is the most convenient method to reset your password. Note: If your account had been created later on and not initially when setting up the OS, then the security questions would not have been linked to that account, thus this method would be useless in your case. If so, skip to the next methods discussed below. Perform these steps to reset your password simply by answering the security questions: You shall now return to the normal Windows lock screen. Enter the new password you had just configured to log into your account. Sometimes, people also tend to forget the answers to their security questions. If so, you can proceed to perform the methods given below to reset your account’s password another way.
Reset Account Password with Command Prompt
Another method to reset a Windows 11 account password is by using the Command Prompt. You may be thinking that it can only be opened when you are logged in, but that is not the case. Through certain tricks, you can open the Command Prompt inside the lock screen by clicking the tiny Accessibility button in the bottom-right corner. Here is how to reset your account’s password with the Command Prompt:
Reset Account Password using Third-Party Software
There are software available that you can use to reset an account’s password without logging into the operating system. These third-party utilities can be burned to other digital media, such as CDs or DVDs, or used to make bootable USB drives. The software will then allow you to reset or even completely remove an account’s password, depending upon its capabilities. Alternatively, you can also use a bootable drive with Windows 11 OS and boot into Advanced Startup. However, you will need to perform a few extra clicks in this case and go to Next » Repair your computer. That said, most of such tools are usually paid. Therefore, we would suggest this method to be a last resort, in case the methods given above did not work for you. Some of the popular password-resetting software are PassFab 4WinKey, PCUnlocker, Lazesoft Recover My Password, Passware Kit, and Ophcrack. You can use the one you are comfortable with, as all of these get the job done. In our example below, we have used PassFab 4WinKey. Follow these steps to reset your account’s password using this software. Note: This process involves using a USB drive that needs to be formatted, meaning you will lose all data on it. Furthermore, you will also need another computer on which you can log in and get access to the internet to download and burn the software. When the computer reboots, you can log into your account using the new password. The software will now burn onto your USB drive and make it bootable.
Reset Windows 11 Microsoft Account Password
As we mentioned earlier, resetting the password for a Microsoft account is different from a local account. To reset the password of a Microsoft account, you must have access to the email account, as it can only be reset using a code that is sent to the corresponding email address. If you have access to the email account, then follow these steps to reset the password for a Microsoft account: Your account password will now be changed, using which you can now log into your Microsoft account on your Windows 11 computer.
Closing Words
As you may have noticed, some of the methods discussed in this post to reset an account password on a Windows 11 device can also be applied to any user account other than your own. However, that you be a violation of privacy and ethically wrong, which is why we do not encourage you to do so. If you are trying to regain access to your own account having lost or forgotten its password, then you can pick the method that best suits your situation and conveniently reset its password. If you are using Windows 10, here is a guide to resetting a forgotten password.
