How to Retrieve Lost Windows Password

With so many user accounts both offline and online you need to remember a lot of passwords so there are easy chances of blanking out any of them. Forgetting your windows password can be really frustrating. If you have lost your windows password, don’t fret there are numerous ways to recover it.

Ways to Reset/Recover Lost Windows Password

1. Password Hint

Check out the password hint, usually located at the side of your password prompt on the welcome screen. Looking at the hint will get you an idea about what the password was about, take a few minutes to think about the forgotten password, you may recover it. If you never included any hint, check out the next point.

2. Try Logging in as Administrator

At the login screen press ctrl+alt+delete two times. Then type in Administrator with the capital ‘A’ as the User name and left the password blank. If you are able to log in right-click on my computer and click on manage. goto local users and groups. then users. right-click on your user name and select ‘set password’ fill in the new password.

Note: This trick might not work in Windows 7.

3. Widows Password Reset Disk

Microsoft Windows lets you create a password reset disk using floppy disk or pen drive. The disk is extremely easy to create and use. Select the option to use the Password Reset disk at the password prompt screen and plugin the disk into your computer and follow the onscreen instructions to reset your password. Password reset disk can be created from the user setting panel inside control panel.

4. Password Recovery Programs

Password recovery tools are often called as “password cracker” tools because they are sometimes used by the hackers to crack the passwords. But using these programs for recovering your own windows password is certainly a legitimate practice. Several free and premium password recovery programs are available on the internet. Some of the best Password Recovery Programs are Ophcrack (free), Offline NT Password and Registry Editor (free), Active Password Changer Professional (Premium).

5. Using Windows Installation Disk

If none of the options above works for you, Although Password Recovery Programs do work in most of the situations but If you do not want to go into the technicalities of using them or in short if you are finding password recovery programs difficult to use you can go for this option.

Using Windows Installation disk for resetting the password is a little time-consuming process. Follow the below steps:

1. Load your windows operation system disk and restart your computer.
2. When prompted press any key to boot from the disk.
3. Select new installation.
4. Press F8 to accept the license key.
5. Choose the repair option on the setup screen.
6. Your computer will now restart. Give it some time.
7. When the installation process starts again, watch the bottom left corner of your screen for the “Installing Devices” message.
8. Press the shift+F10, it will bring up the command console.
9. In the command console type NUSRMGR.CPL or userpasswords2 and press enter.
10. It will bring up the user and group management window.
11. Select the user account, right-click on it and select the ‘set password’ and enter the new password.
12. Now exit the command console and enter the windows license key if prompted.
13. Your computer will now get restarted automatically, at the login screen enter the new password.
14. All your setting and files should be intact.

These were some ways by which you can reset/recover your lost windows password. If you know any other way or have any query do let us know in the comments.