Updated August 01, 2017 The process varies depending on which version of Windows you have. Windows XP offers the easiest way to reset a password, simply by going into Safe Mode. If you have Windows 8 or 10, the process is also very easy, provided you have internet access. For Windows 7, or if you don’t have internet access and you’re using Windows 8 or 10, resetting your password will require getting access to a similar computer.
Using Safe Mode: Windows XP
If you have forgotten your login password for a Windows XP computer, you can reset it by going into Safe Mode. First, restart your computer. As it is booting up, press the F8 key repeatedly to activate Safe Mode. If for some reason you didn’t press the F8 key in time, just restart the computer and try again. In Safe Mode, click the Start button and select “Run.” Type the following line in the window that opens and press the Enter key: control userpasswords2 This command gives you administrative access to all user accounts on the computer. Select the Admin user account and then click “Reset Password.” Type your new password twice to confirm it and then click “OK.” You can now use this new password to access your computer.
Use a System Repair Disk: Windows 7
Resetting your password in Windows 7 is a bit more complicated than using Windows XP. To use this method, you’ll need a Windows 7 System Repair Disc. This is something you should have made when you first got you computer, but if you don’t have one – or can’t find it – you can use someone else’s computer. Windows 7 comes as either 32-bit or 64-bit. Whichever version you have, the other computer needs to be using that version too.
Changing Your Password Online: Windows 8 and 10
If you are using Windows 8 or 10, your Windows user account should be connected to your online Microsoft account, like a Hotmail.com or Live.com account. Using any computer with Internet access, open a web browser and go to login.live.com. Enter the email address associated with your Microsoft Windows account, click “Next” and then select “Forgot My Password” and follow the instructions to reset it. You will be given a series of questions to determine your identity, based on answers to personal questions and phone numbers you provided Microsoft when setting up your account. Once you answer them to confirm your identity, you will be prompted to create a new password, which you can then use to log into your Windows computer.
Use a Windows Recovery Drive: Windows 8 and 10
If for some reason your computer does not have Internet access, or if you managed to create a local account that isn’t connected online to Live.com, you can use a Windows Recovery Drive to change your password. This process is exactly the same as what you would use to use a Windows 7 System Repair Disc, with only two differences:
