How To Reset Windows Admin Password On Windows 10/11 Pro
Overview
Forgetting your Windows administrator password can be frustrating, especially if you’re denied access to important files, applications, and system settings. In Windows 10 and Windows 11 Pro, administrator accounts give you complete control over your system, making it even more difficult to lose access.
Fortunately, Microsoft offers several built-in methods to safely reset or recover your administrator password, depending on whether your account is linked to a Microsoft account or a local account. From simple recovery options such as “Forgot Password” to more complex methods using system tools, users have many options to regain access without permanently losing their data.
This guide describes the most effective and convenient way to reset your Windows administrator password. This allows both new and experienced users to quickly and securely regain access to their systems.
Ways To Reset A Windows Admin Password
Methods for resetting a password are given below:
- Reset windows admin password using a “CMD (Bootable USB)”
- Reset windows admin password using a “Microsoft Account”
Method#1. Reset Windows Admin Password Using CMD (Bootable USB)
To reset your admin password first, boot your PC using a Window installation USB drive. This method works for local accounts only.
. To do this:
- Hold the shift key and restart the PC. This will open the windows system “Reset Menu”.
- Click the “Trouble Shoot” option, then open “Advanced”.
- Click on Command Prompt, in command prompt, type the following commands one by one.
C:\>cd windows
C:\windows>cd system32
ren utilman.exe utilman.exe
copy cmd.exe utilman.exe
After the execution restarts the system using command “wpeutil reboot” this will restart the system and also reset the utility manager. After booting
- Press “Windows + U” to open command prompt.
- For enabling the admin account, execute command “net user administrator /active: Yes”.
- Now change the admin password. After changing password close the command prompt & restart the window.
- In the next step, add your password and now you successfully login to your PC.
Now we need to restore the utility manager and other configurations. Open command prompt as an administrator and type the following command:
Cd C:\windows\system32
del Utilman.exe
ren Utilman.exe.bak Utilman.exe
After restoring all the configuration exit command prompt.
- In last step, go to Computer Management -> Local User & Groups-> User -> Administrator
- In user folder right click on Admin -> Set a new password -> ok & then again restart the system.
- Now your admin password is reset successfully.
Method#2. Reset Windows Admin Password Via Microsoft Account
If your Windows account is connected to a Microsoft account, you can easily reset your password online through identity verification.
Steps for resetting windows password are given below:
- In the first step, restart your PC and click on your account. Select “I Forgot My Pin”.
- For password recovery window you will ask to verify your Microsoft account.
- On another device, go to: live.com/password/reset.
- Enter your Microsoft account details and continue.
- To verify your Identity, choose a verification method (email, phone, or authenticator app) and enter the code.
- Set a new and strong password and save it.
- Restart your PC and login again using your new password.
Through these steps you can easily reset your windows admin Password.
Conclusion
Resetting a Windows admin password is simple when you choose the right method based on your situation. The easiest option is to use a Microsoft account, but other possibilities like a different admin account or Command Prompt can be effective too. If all other options fail, resetting the computer is the last resort.
To avoid these issues in the future, it’s recommended to link your system to a Microsoft account and keep recovery backup options enabled.