How to Reset a Microsoft Account Password for Windows 10 or Recover a Local Account Password

Table of Contents:

1. What Are the Different Account Types for Windows 10?
2. Reset Your Microsoft Account Password
3. Create a password reset disk for your Windows 10 local account
4. Add or remove a password for a Windows 10 local account
5. If you have forgotten the password hint for a Local Computer Account

What Are the Different Account Types for Windows 10?

Microsoft created two different types of accounts that can be used to log in to a Windows 10 device.

A Microsoft Account is a "connected account" that is not tied to the device itself. A Microsoft Account can be used on any number of devices. Windows Store apps, settings, and data can be accessed from any device you sign in to using cloud storage. To purchase apps from the Windows Store, you must have a Microsoft Account.

If you lose or forget your Microsoft Account password, you can recover it from any other device with access to the Internet.

A local computer account is an account that is created for a particular device. Information that is created or stored in that account is tied to that computer and cannot be accessed from other devices.

If you lose or forget your local computer account password, you must remember the password hint to regain access to the account (in Windows 10 version 1803 this is changed to security questions.) Alternately, another administrator account on the computer can reset the password. If you do not remember your password hint or security questions, you must reset Windows . This destroys any data, programs, and settings you have on the computer.

Dell Technologies recommends that customers create Microsoft Accounts for their devices to avoid reinstalling the operating system if the password hint is forgotten.

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Reset Your Microsoft Account Password

To reset your Microsoft Account, browse the Microsoft Reset Your Password site with any device that is connected to the Internet. You must supply some security information to verify that you are the owner of the Microsoft Account. You may also need access to the text-enabled phone number used to create the account.

Create a password reset disk for your Windows 10 local account

Windows 10 supports creating a password reset disk if you do not want to use a password hint or security questions. For more information about this tool, see Microsoft KB article, "Create a password reset disk for a local account in Windows 10 "

Update Windows 10 local account security questions

To update the security questions for a local account in Windows 10 version 1803 or higher, follow these steps:

1. At the desktop, press the Windows key and type "sign." Select Sign-in options from the menu.
    
2. Under the Password section, click Update security questions below the Change button and follow the instructions.

Add or remove a password for a Windows 10 local account

To add or remove a password from a Windows 10 local account, follow these steps:

1. At the desktop, press the Windows key and type "sign." Select Sign-in options from the menu.
    
2. Under the Password section, click Change and follow the instructions to add a password. To remove a password, enter the current password and leave all other fields blank.

If you have forgotten the password hint for a Local Computer Account

Video (English Only) - Local Password Reset Windows 10

If you have lost or forgotten your local account password hint or security questions, resetting or reinstalling the operating system is the only solution that is supported by Dell.

To restore Windows to its original factory settings, see Dell Knowledge Base article, "Reset or reinstall Windows 10 on a Dell computer."

To seek alternative support for lost passwords, search using your favorite search engine:

Search Dell    |   Search Microsoft    |   Search Google   |   Search Bing  

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