Windows 10: How to change the password

Changing your computer password is essential to safeguarding personal information and documents. Sometimes the problem may be that you have forgotten the password for a computer that you haven’t used in a while and you don’t know how to access it.

In this article, you will learn how to change your computer password in Windows 10 and additional information about your computer account and password.

Changing your password

Windows has updated its security features on its latest systems, which means changing your password to fix problems in Windows 8.1, for example, won’t work. If you have Windows 10 or higher and need to change your passwords, follow these steps:

1. Press the “Start” key on your keyboard, which usually has the Windows logo.
   
2. Select “Settings” from the pop-up menu.
   
3. Click “Account.”
   
4. then “Login Options”.
   
5. Under “Password,” select “Change.”
   
6. Enter your current and new password in the pop-up window. You will be asked to enter your new password a second time to confirm it.
   

Change your Windows Hello PIN

If you use a PIN as a password to access your computer and need to change it, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows logo on your screen.
   
2. You will see a pop-up menu. Click “Settings.”
   
3. Go to “Account”.
   
4. Then click “Login Options.”
   
5. Select “Windows Hello PIN.”
   
6. Enter your current and new password in the pop-up window. You will be asked to enter your new PIN a second time to confirm.
   

Reset your password with Windows 10

Windows 10 has several options to reset your passport if you’ve forgotten it. The simplest is through security questions. You were probably asked to choose some security questions when you set up your account if you have Windows 10 version 1803 or later. If you do, follow these steps to reset your password.

1. Click “Reset Password” on the login screen.
   
2. Answer the security question.
   
3. Enter a new password.
   
4. Sign in with your new password.

If you have Windows 10 earlier than version 1803, you won’t have the option to reset your password by answering security questions. In this case, the password can still be reset. However, this method will reset your password and your device and permanently delete data, settings, and programs from your computer. If you want to reset your password and device, here are the steps to do so:

1. On your keyboard, press the Shift and Power keys. Click “Restart” in the lower right corner.
   
2. From the “Choose an option” menu, select “Troubleshoot.”
   
3. Select “Reset this PC.”
   
4. Click “Delete all.”
   

Reset your password from the administrative account

When you have forgotten the account password on a computer with multiple users, you can change the password by contacting the administrative account owner. Alternatively, you can reset the password yourself if you have administrative rights. Follow these steps to reset your password:

1. On the login screen, enter the password for the account with administrative rights. Press the “Home” logo on your screen.
   
2. Select “Settings” from the pop-up menu.
   
3. Click “Account.”
   
4. In the menu, select “Other users”.
   
5. Locate your username and click “Reset Password”.
6. Enter a new password and click “OK.”

Common problems signing in with Windows 10

Occasionally, you enter the correct password but cannot access your account. There are several things you can try to resolve this problem:

• If your password has letters and numbers, make sure your keyboard does not have caps lock on. This makes your password incorrect even if you type it correctly.
• If you see a message that says “We can’t sign in to your account,” this issue can often be fixed by signing out of your account and signing back in. Try restarting your computer.
• Make sure Windows 10 is updated to the latest available version.

If you still can’t log in, you can restart your computer in safe mode. Safe mode will not only help you with your password problems, but it will also fix system problems. You can restart your computer in safe mode from the login screen or a black screen. Here is the troubleshooting in both alternatives:

From the login screen:

1. At the Windows login screen, press the “Shift” key and the Power key together. From the menu, select “Restart.”
   
2. After the PC restarts, you will see a blue menu called “Choose an option.” Click “Troubleshoot.”
   
3. Select “Advanced Options” and then “Startup Settings.”
   
4. Click “Restart.”

From a black or white screen:

1. Press the Windows logo key and the R key.
   
2. In the “Open” box, type “msconfig” and then select OK.
   
3. Select the “Boot” tab.
   
4. In the “Boot Options” menu, uncheck the “Secure Boot” checkbox.
   

An advanced alternative to resolve login issues will be to run the built-in Startup Repair Tool on your computer. Follow these steps to access this tool:

1. Press the “Shift” key and restart your computer. Repeat the process until you see the WinRE (Windows Recovery) menu.
   
2. Click “Choose an option” and select “Troubleshoot.”
   
3. Then “Advanced options”.
   
4. Click “Automatic Repair.” It may also appear as “Startup Repair.”
   
5. Wait for the repair process to complete and try to log in again.

Other login alternatives for Windows 10

Windows 10 and above have several sign-in options. The most popular are facial recognition and fingerprint recognition. To set up your facial recognition login, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard.
   
2. Select “Settings” from the pop-up menu.
   
3. Click “Account.”
   
4. From the menu, select “Login Options.”
   
5. Press “Face Recognition (Windows Hello)” in the menu.
   
6. Follow your webcam instructions to recognize your face from all angles.

If you want to use your fingerprint as a password to access your computer, keep in mind that your keyboard must have a special scanner on one of the keys. If you do, you can set your fingerprint as a login option by following these steps:

1. Press the “Home” key on your keyboard.
   
2. Click “Settings.”
   
3. Select “Account.”
   
4. Then “Login Options”.
   
5. Click “Fingerprint Recognition (Windows Hello)” in the menu.
   
6. Place your finger on the scanner and follow the instructions so the computer can scan your print accurately.

Additional FAQs

How do I add a new user to my computer?

To add a new user to a PC, this is the process:

1. Go to the “Settings” panel.

2. Click “Accounts” and then “Family and other users.”

3. Select “Add someone else to this PC.”

You will be prompted for the new user’s Microsoft account and password.

Can I change my local user account to an administrative account?

Yes, it is possible to change your user account to an administrative account. Here’s how to get started:

1. Under “Settings”, select “Accounts”.

2. Go to “Family and other users” and choose your account.

3. Under your name, it will say “Local Account”, click on it.

4. Select “Change account type”.

5. Click “Administrator”.

What are the different types of accounts in Windows 10?

You can create three different types of accounts with Windows 10: the administrator account, the standard user account, and the guest account. With an administrative account, you’ll have full access to open documents and install apps, while the other alternatives provide more restrictive permissions.

How do I change security questions with Windows 10?

Windows 10 and 11 require three security questions as second layer security. If you want to update the questions you set when you created your account, follow these steps:

1. In the “Settings” panel, select “Accounts”.

2.Click “Connection Options”.

3. Go to “Update security questions”.

You can change your security questions to new ones.

Can I delete my login passwords?

Yes. If you do not want your computer to have a security password, you can remove it so that anyone can access it.

1. Press the “Home” key on your keyboard.

2. Select “Settings” from the pop-up menu.

3. Click “Account”.

4. From the menu, select “Login Options”.

5. Choose the type of password you want to remove. It can be a fingerprint scan, facial recognition, password or PIN.

6. When you select them, you will find the “Delete” option.

Security First

A password, PIN, facial recognition, or any other security method on your computer is essential to protect stored information. However, you may forget your password or PIN and be unable to access your computer. Before resetting your PC, make sure you have exhausted all possibilities to change your password.

Do you change your password periodically? Or do you do it when you encounter a security breach? Let us know in the comments section.