How to Change Your Password on a PC

To change a known Windows PC password, open Settings, select Accounts, choose Sign-in options, and use Password > Change. Enter the current password, create a new password, and follow the prompts to save it.

A Windows PIN is separate from an account password. Changing the PIN does not change the Microsoft, local, or work account password.

Before You Change Your PC Password

First, identify which sign-in method and account type the Windows PC uses. This determines where the password must be changed.

• Microsoft account: The account usually displays an email address under Settings > Accounts > Your info. Its password also signs you in to Microsoft services connected to that account.
• Local account: Settings > Accounts > Your info identifies it as a local account. The password belongs only to that Windows account on that PC.
• Work or school account: The account is provided or managed by an employer, school, or other organization. Its password and recovery rules may be controlled by an administrator.
• PIN: A Windows Hello PIN is a device-specific sign-in method. It may work even when the PC is offline, but it is not the account password.
• Password: On the Windows sign-in screen, select Sign-in options and choose the password icon if Windows is currently asking for a PIN, fingerprint, or face scan.

If you are asking “how do I change my PC password,” confirm that you know the current password. The normal change process is different from resetting a forgotten password.

How Do I Change My Password in Windows Settings?

Use Windows Settings when you know the current sign-in password. Menu wording can vary slightly by Windows version, but the account and sign-in options are in the same general area.

1. Open Start and select Settings.
2. Select Accounts.
3. Select Sign-in options.
4. Find Password and select Change.
5. Enter the current Windows account password when prompted.
6. Enter the new password, confirm it, and add a password hint if Windows requests one.
7. Select Next, then Finish.
8. Lock the PC and test the new password before restarting or signing out of every session.

If Password is not shown, the PC may be configured to allow only Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts. Review the additional settings on the Sign-in options page. On an organization-managed PC, policy may also hide or restrict password controls.

How Do I Change a Microsoft Account Password Online?

Change a Microsoft account password through the Microsoft account security page when you want the new password to apply to the Microsoft account everywhere, cannot complete the change in Settings, or are using another device.

1. Open the official Microsoft account site and sign in to the same email address shown under Settings > Accounts > Your info.
2. Open the Security section.
3. Choose the password change option.
4. Verify your identity if Microsoft requests a security code or another approved method.
5. Enter the current password, create a new password, and save the change.
6. Connect the Windows PC to the internet, select the password sign-in option, and enter the new Microsoft account password.

The PC needs to contact Microsoft to recognize the changed password. A PIN may continue to work because the Windows Hello PIN is separate and remains tied to that device.

How Can I Change a Local PC Account Password?

A local account password is stored for an account on the Windows PC rather than used as a Microsoft account password. Change it from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Password > Change.

1. Enter the current local account password.
2. Type and confirm the new password.
3. Add a password hint if prompted, but do not put the password itself in the hint.
4. Complete the change and test the new password from the lock screen.

Windows may also let a signed-in local account update its security questions under Sign-in options. Security questions are identity checks used to reset a forgotten local password from the sign-in screen. Choose answers you can remember but that another person could not easily guess.

How Do I Reset a Forgotten PC Password?

Do not use the standard password-change steps if the current password is unknown. Use the recovery method that matches the Windows account type.

• Forgotten Microsoft account password: Select I forgot my password on the sign-in screen, or use Microsoft’s official password recovery process on another device. Complete identity verification, set a new password, connect the PC to the internet, and sign in with that password.
• Forgotten local account password: After entering an incorrect password, select Reset password and answer the security questions. If a password reset disk was created for that account earlier, connect it and follow the reset wizard. If neither option is available, use Microsoft’s official Windows recovery guidance; do not use password-bypass tools.
• Forgotten work or school password: Use the organization’s approved self-service password reset process if one is provided. Otherwise, contact the organization’s administrator or help desk.

Resetting a password can affect access to protected information or stored credentials. Read every Windows warning before continuing with an account recovery or PC reset.

What Should I Do If the New PC Password Does Not Work?

If a changed PC password is rejected, check the sign-in method and connection before attempting another reset.

• Connect to the internet: A Microsoft account password changed online may not be recognized until the PC reaches Microsoft. Use the network control on the sign-in screen.
• Check the keyboard layout: Confirm the language indicator on the sign-in screen. Check Caps Lock and Num Lock, especially if the password contains capital letters, numbers, or symbols.
• Choose Password instead of PIN: Select Sign-in options and choose the password icon. Entering a new account password in the PIN box will fail.
• Try the previous work password only when offline: An organization-managed PC may temporarily use cached credentials, which are a saved copy of an earlier successful work sign-in. Connect to the employer’s required network or approved remote access method, then try the new password.
• Contact the administrator: Ask the organization’s administrator when account policy, device management, or synchronization prevents a work or school password from working.
• Use official support: For a personal Microsoft account or Windows problem that recovery does not resolve, use Microsoft’s official support options and avoid third-party unlocking services.