Passwords are the complex strings that help us keep our data safe from unauthorized interventions. That's the reason why we people set a tough password for our devices.
I still remember that situation where a night back, I used to set a really tough password and the next morning, trying everything to reset that password. Unfortunately back then, internet guides weren't so popular.If you forgot windows 10 password, the same issue as me. Don't panic, I got you. In this guide, I have shared all the easy ways of resetting Windows 10 password without disk. If you have gone through some other password reset guide, you must have come across the term "password reset disk".
Though you can reset your windows password using a password reset disk, but that's a very tricky process and on top of it, you need to create the password reset disk before. I have included all the methods that don’t include any disk creating steps. But if those don’t work, I have included a method where you need to use a utility tool that works with a 100% success rate. The only catch here is you need to have a USB drive and a secondary machine to use the tool.
But before you proceed with methods, let me quickly introduce you to different types of Windows account. Frankly speaking, I don't want you to stumble up different methods to find the one that works for your machine.
What are the Local Account and Microsoft Account?
To identify, which account you are using, the trick is very simple. Generally, if you are using an Email to log in to your windows 10 machine, you are using a Microsoft account whereas if you are using a username that you have created offline on your machine, you have a local account.
Microsoft account has its set of benefits, whereas local account has its own benefits. Some of them are mentioned below:
Microsoft Account | Local Account |
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You can use a single account on multiple workstations. | Different accounts for different services, therefore, enhanced security. |
One Password for MS-Office, One-Drive, and Windows 10. | Access is limited to a single machine only. |
Easy to reset the password. | More complex to reset the password. |
Require an active internet connection to log in. | No need to have an internet connection. |
The catch here is directly linked with the type of account that you are using to access your Windows 10/11.It is because, if you are using a Microsoft account then you don't have to put in much effort on "How to reset windows 10 password without logging in?"
All the Microsoft account users need to refer to Part 1 (next section) of the guide, whereas local account holders need to jump to Part 2 .
Part 1: How to Reset Password on Windows 10/11 Online
Part 2: How to Reset Password on Windows 10/11 Offline
- Method 1: Use Pin to Reset Windows 10 Password
- Method 2: Use Password Hint to Reset Windows 10 Password
- Method 3: Use Windows Password Reset tool - PassFab 4WinKey
- Method 4: Use Other Administrator Account to Reset Windows 10
- Method 5: Use CMD at the Login Page to Reset Windows 10 Password
Part 3: Best Ways to prevent forgetting login password
Part 1: How to Reset Password on Windows 10/11 Online
This method is for those using a Microsoft account to log in to windows 10. The complete process is quite easy, you just have to be careful enough to make the right moves as per the mentioned steps:
- Make sure you have an active internet connection.
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Visit the Password Recovery Page.
- Enter yourMicrosoft Account Email or linked Phone number.
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You have to select the account for identity verification.
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You will receive a verification code on your email, enter it in the provided column.
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You will be asked for the new password, fill in your new passwords. Click on Finish.
Now, you have to use the new password to log in to your system. You reset password windows 10 without disk successfully.
After this, you don't have to search for "How to reset windows 10 password without logging in".
However, if you are using a local account, the above method won't work for you. You have to check the next section of the content.
Part 2: How to Reset Password on Windows 10/11 Offline
If you forgot Windows 10 password and didn’t use your local account. All the below-listed methods are for you.
All these methods will help you to solve the problem of resetting windows 10 password without disk. Some of them might be very basic where some could require a few complex steps.
We have listed all the methods in terms of their increasing complexity, you can pick any of them to finish resetting windows 10 password without disk.
Method 1: Use Pin to Reset Windows 10 Password
While creating your account on windows, you might have created a pin for your windows.
If you remember, you can directly use it to login on to windows and later if required, you can go for resetting windows 10 password without disk.
Once you are in the system, follow the steps below:
- Click on Windows and Search for Command Prompt.
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Right-click on the Command Prompt and select run as administrator.
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Enter your username and desired new password in the following command and write it in the cmd windows.
Net use Username Newpassword
- Let the command execute successfully, Once it is done, close the cmd window.
You reset password windows 10 without disk. Now, you can use the new password to log in.
There are other ways to reset password once you have logged into the system, but the above mentioned one is straightforward and doesn’t require opening multiple windows and navigating through them.
However, it might not work for all. There could be cases, where the new password doesn't work. If you face something similar, you can use any of the other password reset methods.
Method 2: Use Password Hint to Reset Windows 10 Password
This method isn't really a password reset process. Perhaps, it is included because some of the users set a hint that is relevant to the password.
If in case you forgot windows 10 password and entered the wrong one, you can view the hint and try recalling what password you had set for your laptop. Once you are logged in to windows, you can follow the steps below to handle the problem about how to reset password without disk.
- ress X + Windows Key together.
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Select the Last option, i.e. Command Prompt (Admin)
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Copy the following command and paste it in the cmd window: net user username newpassword
You need to replace the word username with your windows username and newpassword with the desired password.
- You will get a message indicating that the command was executed successfully.
So now, you have your new password with you. You can use it to log in to your machine.
Method 3: Use Windows Password Reset tool - PassFab 4WinKey
PassFab 4 WinKey is a paid tool that helps you perform various internal operations on windows 10/11. Though the tool is paid but it's worth every penny invested.
If none of the methods works for you, you can try PassFab 4 WinKey utility tool. Follow the below-mentioned steps to reset windows 10 password quite easily:
- Download the PassFab 4WinKey tool from the official website on a different computer.
- Get a USB Flash Drive of at least 16 GB space, and Inset the USB onto the same computer that has the PassFab 4WinKey tool.
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Launch the PassFab 4WinKey tool and select the USB drive that you have inserted in step 2.
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Click on Next and Wait for the process to get completed.
- Once the process is completed, reboot your device and navigate to its boot menu. Press F12 or ESC to enter the Boot Menu.
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Navigate to Boot Option and select Boot Device Priority, a list of options will be displayed.
- Select the USB drive that you have inserted in step 2. Click on "Enter".
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A new PassFab 4WinKey Windows will appear, where you have to choose the Windows System, and click on Next.
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Select your desired User Account and Tick Reset Password.Let the process complete.
Congratulations, you have reset your windows password using the PassFab 4WinKey tool. Now, you can remove the USB and log in normally with your newly set password.
Method 4: Use Other Administrator Account to Reset Windows 10
If you have another account on your machine with administrator rights, you can use that account to finish resetting windows password without disk. Follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Log in to the different admin account on windows 10.
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Open the Search Bar, and look for Control Panel.
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Launch Control Panel and click on User Accounts Option.
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Select the desired account, for which you want to reset the password without disk. Click on Change the Password.
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A new window will appear where you have to set the new password with a password hint that gives an idea of the newly set password.
- Click on the Change Password button and Restart your machine.
So, now you have successfully reset your Windows 10 password with the help of another administrator account. You can use the new password to log in to your system.
Method 5: Use CMD at the Login Page to Reset Windows 10 Password
In this method, I am assuming that you don't have a PIN and can't figure out what your password was even with the hint. Now, since you can't log in to the system. We need to reset your password directly from the login window.
To begin with this method, you need to boot your device in automatic repair mode. You can do that either by rebooting it multiple times or by shutting it down in between the boot.
Once you are in the repair mode, follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Once the automatic repair is closed, you will see a dialog, where you will have two options: Restart and Advanced Options
- Select Advanced Option, a new window will appear.
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In the windows, click on "troubleshoot", and select "advanced options" from the list.
- Select "System Image Recovery". A new dialog window will appear.
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You will get an error message stating that "Windows can't found a system image on this computer". You have to close that dialog and click on "Next".
- On the new window, you will see an option as "Advanced". Select that and click on "Install a driver". Later, click on "OK".
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A browse window will open, In that window, you have to navigate to Local Disk C:\Windows\System32. Once you are into the system 32 directory, you need to search for "utilman", rename it to "utilmancopy".
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Now, locate the renamed file, and make a copy of it. Then, rename the first file as "utilman".
- Close all the windows and restart your machine.
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In step 8, we simply replace the ease of access button with a CMD window. Click on Ease of Access and you will see a new cmd window will appear.
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In the CMD window, copy the following command.
Net User Username NewPassword
Here you have to replace Username with your windows username and NewPassword with your desired new password.
You will get a message, "The command completed successfully".
That's using the command prompt to fix, you won’t be troubled by the problem of how to reset a windows 10 password without disk. However, if you want to keep a blank password, you can leave the new password blank.
If you want to use free online tools to reset password, maybe you can try Ophcrack. But it can only recover passwords that contain 0 to 14 characters and the user interface is not so attractive.
Part 3: Best Ways to prevent forgetting login password
- Set a password that is interlinked with you and your brain, but it shouldn't be known by anyone else.
- Email it to yourself, to keep it forever.
- Set a relevant hint of the password.
- Don't randomly set a password, let it make some sense.
- Keep your password saved somewhere offline but in an encrypted format.
If you'll follow at least some of the above-mentioned practices, you won't have to search for "How to reset windows password without disk" anytime soon.
Final Notes
So, this was a guide on different ways for resetting window 10 password without disk and quite effortlessly. If you came across something that you couldn't fix, do let me known in the comments below. We will discuss it further and figure out something earliest.
Apart from this, it is always recommended to set a strong password but you have to be very attentive while setting a password. Generally what happens is that we set a random password in a hurry and end up forgetting it in just a few hours.
I have also listed some of the best ways to prevent forgetting login passwords. Try to implement some of them. Bookmark us, if in case you again need to know the methods of windows 10 reset password without disk, you don't have to go through random methods of the internet.