Forgot Your Windows Local Account Password? Reset It Without Losing Files

You’re locked out of a local Windows account (not a Microsoft account). The good news: if another administrator can sign in — or you set up security questions — you can reset the password and keep all the files. Here are the supported ways, easiest first.

Method 1: Another admin resets it (keeps all data)

If a second account on the PC has administrator rights, sign into that one and reset the locked account’s password:

Admin Command Prompt:

net user "Jane" *

You’ll be prompted to type the new password (hidden). That’s it — Jane can now sign in with the new password and all her files are intact.

Prefer a GUI? On Pro/Enterprise: Win + R → lusrmgr.msc → Users → right-click the account → Set Password.

Method 2: Security questions on the lock screen (Win 10/11)

If you added security questions when you created the local account:

1. At the sign-in screen, type any wrong password → click OK.
2. Click Reset password.
3. Answer your security questions and set a new password — no other account needed.

Method 3: Password reset disk

If you previously made a password reset disk (USB), click Reset password at the sign-in screen and follow the wizard to use it.

The one important warning

If you reset someone else’s password as an admin (Method 1), Windows warns you may lose access to that account’s encrypted files (EFS-encrypted files, and some saved website/network passwords). For everyday accounts this isn’t an issue — but if the account used EFS encryption, the user changing their own password is safer than an admin reset.

And per Microsoft: if a local account has no security questions and no reset disk, and there’s no other admin, there is no supported way to recover the existing password or decrypt protected data. (That’s by design — it’s what stops a stranger from getting in.)

FAQ

It’s a Microsoft account, not local. Then reset it online at account.microsoft.com from any device — the local methods above don’t apply.

No other admin and no security questions? There’s no supported recovery. Going forward, add security questions (Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options → Password area) or keep a second admin account so you’re never fully locked out. You can also create a new local account if you can get admin access another way.

Can I just remove the password? Yes — net user "Jane" "" sets a blank password, but a passwordless account is a security risk. Set a real one.

Sources: Microsoft — Change or reset your local account password in Windows, Microsoft Learn — net user command