Are you a Windows 10 user that has forgotten their admin password? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. Without your admin password, performing tasks such as installing software or changing system settings become impossible. But fear not, as we have some methods that can help you reset your forgotten admin password.
Video Tutorial:
The Challenge of Resetting Your Admin Password
Many Windows 10 users find themselves in a situation where they have forgotten their admin password. This turns into a challenge due to the tight security protocols in place to protect the operating system from malicious activities. The admin account holds the highest privileges on the system, which means that you cannot reset the password via normal means. However, with a bit of technical know-how, resetting your admin password can be a breeze.
Things You Should Prepare for
Before attempting to reset your admin password, there are a few things that you need to prepare for:
- You need to have physical access or remote access to the computer that you want to reset the admin password on.
- You will need an external USB or CD/DVD drive to create a bootable drive with the proper software.
- You will need to have access to another computer to download the necessary software.
Method 1: Via Command Prompt
Using Command Prompt is one of the easiest and most straightforward methods to reset your admin password. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to reset your admin password via Command Prompt:
Step 1: Boot your computer using a Windows 10 installation disk, USB or CD/DVD drive.
Step 2: Once you have booted into the installation environment, choose your language preferences and click on the “Next” button.
Step 3: Select “Repair your computer.”
Step 4: Click on the “Troubleshoot” option.
Step 5: Select “Advanced options.”
Step 6: Click on “Command Prompt.”
Step 7: Once you have opened the command prompt, type in the following command:
copy c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe c:\
This command will make a copy of the system file “Utilman.exe” and place it in the root directory of the C drive.
Step 8: Type in the command copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe and select yes when prompted to overwrite the file “Utilman.exe.”
Step 9: Restart your computer and remove the Windows 10 installation media.
Step 10: Once the login screen appears, click on the “Ease of Access” button, which replaces the “Utilman.exe” file.
Step 11: A command prompt will appear. Type in the following command:net user [username] *
In the [username] field, type the account name of the admin account for which you want to reset the password.
Step 12: Type in the new password for the admin account and press Enter.
Step 13: Type in the new password again to confirm it and press Enter.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Does not require any third-party software
Cons:
- Requires physical access to the computer
- May not work if BitLocker is enabled on the system
Method 2: Via Windows Password Reset Disk
If you have previously created a Windows password reset disk, you can use it to reset your admin password. Here is how you can do it:
Step 1: Insert the password reset disk into the computer.
Step 2: On the login screen, click on the “Reset password” option.
Step 3: Follow the prompts to create a new password.
Pros:
- Easily integrated into the login screen
- Does not require third-party software
Cons:
- You must have previously created a password reset disk
- Only works for local accounts
Method 3: Via Third-party Software
If the above methods do not work, you can use third-party software to reset your admin password. One of the most popular tools is “Offline NT Password & Registry Editor.” Here is how you can use it:
Step 1: Download and unzip the “Offline NT Password & Registry Editor” application on an alternate computer.
Step 2: Burn the application to a CD, DVD, or USB drive.
Step 3: Boot the locked computer with the bootable drive and follow the prompts to reset your admin password.
FAQs
Q1: Is there any data loss when resetting the admin password?
A: No, resetting the admin password does not affect data stored on the computer.
Q2: Can these methods be used for resetting a Microsoft account password?
A: No, these methods only work for resetting local admin account passwords.
Q3: Can resetting admin passwords get flagged by anti-virus programs?
A: It is possible for anti-virus programs to flag such activities as suspicious. It is always a good idea to disable anti-virus software when performing a password reset.
Q4: Can these methods be used for Windows 7 and 8.1?
A: Yes, these methods can also be used for Windows 7 and 8.1.
In Conclusion
Losing access to your admin account can be frustrating, but there are several methods you can try to reset your password. The methods outlined above should help you regain access to your computer without any issues. Keep in mind that you should always create a strong admin password to prevent this situation from happening again.