[Tip] How to Reset Forgotten User Account Password in Windows 10

In Windows operating system, we can set a login password for any user account to improve safety and security of our computer system. When we install Windows OS in our machines, it requires us to create a local user account and we are also asked to set a login password and password hint to easily recall the password if we forget in future.

In past if we forgot a user account password in Windows, we had to use complicated methods like password reset disk, Net User command, recovery/rescue disks, etc to retrieve (recover) or reset the password. You can check out following tutorial to learn more about these methods:

How to Reset / Recover / Change Forgotten Administrator Password in Windows

But in newer Windows 10 versions, now it’s much easier to reset a forgotten user account password. Newer Windows 10 versions allow users to create 3 security questions associated with their local user account and in case they forget their user account password, they can take help of these security questions to reset/remove the previous password and then they can set a new password for their user account.

When you install newer versions of Windows 10 in your computer machine, Windows 10 asks you to create 3 security questions for your user account as shown in following screenshot:

You can select any question from following given list:

• What was your first pet’s name?
• What’s the name of the city where you were born?
• What was your childhood nickname?
• What’s the name of the city where your parents met?
• What’s the first name of your oldest cousin?
• What’s the name of the first school you attended?

You can set any answer to all question. In fact you can use same answer for all 3 questions if you want. The answers are not case-sensitive.

Once you create and set 3 security questions at the time of installation, you just need to remember the security questions answers. Now whenever you forget your user account password, you can use the security questions to reset the forgotten password.

To reset the forgotten user account password, do not enter any password in password box at login screen and press Enter key. You’ll get the message “The password is incorrect. Try again.“. Click on OK button.

Now you’ll get “Reset Password” link present below the password box. Click on the link and Windows will ask you the answers of 3 security questions which you set at installation time.

Type the correct answers in all 3 text boxes and press Enter key. Now Windows will allow you to enter a new password for your user account.

You can now change the password and set a new password for your user account.

So you see it’s really very easy now to reset a forgotten user account password in Windows 10 operating system.

PS: In future if you decide to change security questions or their answers, following tutorial will help you:

[Tip] How to Set or Change Security Questions for Your User Account in Windows 10

Also Check:

[Tip] Disable Security Questions Requirement for Local User Accounts in Windows 10