How to Reset Lost Windows 10 Login Password

Lost or forgot your Windows 10 password and can't login? Here is a walkthrough on how to create a PCUnlocker Live CD/USB drive and then use it to reset forgotten Windows 10 password. This method also works with earlier versions of Windows.

Part 1: Create A PCUnlocker Live CD/USB

If you have a spare computer laying around, you can use it to make a PCUnlocker Live CD or USB drive by following these steps:

1. Download and save the PCUnlocker self-extracting Zip file to your desktop, then extract it locally and you'll get a disc image file labeled pcunlocker.iso.
2. Burn the ISO image file to a blank CD or USB flash drive using the freeware ISO2Disc. If you use a USB flash drive, make sure you choose the GPT partition style because most Windows 10 computers come with UEFI firmware.
   
   

Part 2: Reset Lost Windows 10 Password

1. Insert that freshly burned CD or USB drive into your problematic Windows 10 computer.
2. We need to boot from the CD or USB drive. If your laptop ignores the CD / USB drive and boots to Windows 10 login screen, restart and press F2, F11, F12, ESC or DEL to enter the BIOS and change the boot order. You'll know you got it right when you see the following screen:
   
3. Select a local account and then click the Reset Password button. The program will clear your forgotten password, and make your account active in case it's locked out or disabled.
   If you use a Microsoft account as your sign-in option, you'll see your email address displayed under the Description column. Choose the associated local account to proceed and the program will assign a new password which could be used to login to your Microsoft account locally.
   
4. Click the Restart button and remove the CD or USB drive. After rebooting, you can then log on to Windows 10 with your unlocked user account.

How to Reset Forgotten Windows 8.1 Password without A Reset Disk

If you ever find yourself locked out of your Windows 8.1 administrator account because you forgot the password, you'll know how frustrating it can be when you don't have a reset disk. There are many Window password recovery Live CDs out there, but most of them are unable to deal with Microsoft account logon credential, or simply don't work because Windows 8.1 uses UEFI firmware instead of the traditional BIOS.

PCUnlocker is the most powerful Windows password recovery program which not only supports UEFI booting, but also allows you to reset forgotten Windows 8.1 password for both local account and Microsoft account. Let's walk you through the steps to reset Windows 8.1 password without a reset disk.

 

Part 1: Create a Bootable CD or USB Drive

1. Download the self-extracting .zip archive of PCUnlocker using any computer you still have full access to. Unzip it and you'll get the pcunlocker.iso file, which contains a WinPE operating system along with the PCUnlocker software for you to reset Windows 8.1 password.
2. Use the freeware ISO2Disc to burn the ISO image file to a blank CD or USB flash drive.
   

 

Part 2: Change BIOS Settings

1. Turn on your locked computer. When it is powered on, check the boot-screen for setup key (i.e. DELETE key, F8 key, F2 key) to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
2. Use the arrow keys to select the BOOT tab, then change the Boot Device Priority: Set 1st Boot Device to CDROM so you can boot from the CD, or choose Removable Device if you want to boot off a USB flash drive.
3. Press F10 to save your changes.

 

Part 3: Reset Windows 8.1 Password

1. Boot your locked Windows 8.1 computer from the CD or USB drive, and you'll see the main interface of the PCUnlocker application immediately.
2. The application automatically locates all user accounts inside the SAM registry file of your Windows 8.1 installation. If you use a Microsoft account with your Windows 8.1 system, there should be a local account which is linked to your Microsoft account.
   
3. Select a local account from the list, and click the Reset Password button. It will reset your forgotten Windows 8.1 password instantly. To reset a Microsoft account password, you need to choose the local account which is linked to your Microsoft account.
4. Click the Restart button to reboot the computer and remove the CD or USB drive. You can then log back into Windows 8.1 system with a blank password.

That's it – you have successfully reset your Windows 8.1 password. But remember to obtain the Enterprise edition of PCUnlocker, if you want to reset forgotten password on a UEFI-based computer.