Forgot Your Windows Password? How to Get Back In

First, which kind of account do you have?

The right fix depends on how you sign in:

• Microsoft account: the sign-in screen shows an email address. This is the default on most Windows 11 PCs. You can reset it online from any device.
• Local account: only a name appears, with no email. It exists only on that PC, so the options are on the PC itself.
• Work or school account: your organisation manages it. Contact its IT support; the steps below may not apply.

Forgot the PIN but know the password

Windows often asks for a PIN rather than a password. They are different things.

1. On the sign-in screen, choose I forgot my PIN.
2. Enter your Microsoft account password, or answer your security questions for a local account.
3. Set a new PIN.

Microsoft account: reset online

1. On the sign-in screen, choose I forgot my password. Or, from another device, go to account.live.com/password/reset.
2. Enter the email, phone number or Skype name for the account.
3. Microsoft sends a code to your recovery email or phone. Enter it.
4. Choose a new password.
5. Back at the PC, make sure it is connected to the internet (choose the network icon on the sign-in screen) and sign in with the new password.

If you no longer have the recovery email or phone, Microsoft offers an account recovery form at account.live.com/acsr. Fill it in from a device and location you have used before, with as much detail as you can remember: old passwords, recent email subjects, contacts. It can take a day or more.

Local account: options on the PC

Security questions (Windows 10 version 1803 and later, Windows 11):

1. Enter a wrong password once, then choose Reset password.
2. Answer the three security questions you set up.
3. Choose a new password.

Password reset disk: if you created one on a USB stick in the past, plug it in, choose Reset password, and follow the wizard. A reset disk works however many times you change the password.

Another administrator account: if someone else on the PC has an administrator account:

1. Sign in with that account.
2. Open Settings > Accounts > Other users (or Family & other users), or Computer Management > Local Users and Groups on Pro editions.
3. Select your account and change or reset its password.

Be aware that resetting a local password this way can make files encrypted with Windows' built-in file encryption (EFS) and some saved credentials unreadable. Most home users are not affected.

No recovery options left: reset Windows

If none of the above works, the remaining option is to reinstall Windows, which removes your files unless they are backed up elsewhere.

1. On the sign-in screen, hold Shift and choose Power > Restart.
2. Choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything.
3. Follow the prompts. Windows reinstalls and you set it up fresh.

Before doing this, check whether your files are safe in OneDrive or another backup, and consider whether a professional can help you recover data from the drive first.

BitLocker: the screen that asks for a recovery key

Many Windows 11 PCs encrypt the drive automatically with BitLocker or device encryption. After some resets or hardware changes, Windows may ask for a 48-digit recovery key.

• If the PC was set up with a Microsoft account, look for the key at aka.ms/myrecoverykey from another device.
• Work or school PCs: your IT department has it.
• If you cannot find the key, the encrypted data cannot be recovered. That is the point of encryption.

Avoid "password cracking" tools

Websites and videos promote tools that bypass Windows passwords. Some are legitimate for administrators, but many downloads bundle malware, and they cannot get past BitLocker. Use Microsoft's official methods first.

Prevent it happening again

• Store your password in a password manager.
• Keep your Microsoft account's recovery email and phone up to date at account.microsoft.com.
• For local accounts, set security questions with answers you will remember, or create a password reset disk.
• Back up files regularly, so a reset is never a disaster. Our guide to recovering deleted files explains backup options.

Key takeaways

• Check whether you use a Microsoft account (email shown) or a local account.
• Microsoft accounts reset online; local accounts use security questions, a reset disk or another admin.
• A forgotten PIN is fixed with your password.
• Resetting Windows is the last resort and erases files, and BitLocker needs its recovery key.