How to Reset or Change Windows 10 Password Without Software
For those occasions when you've locked yourself out of your Windows 10 computer, the process of resetting or changing the password can seem daunting. However, it's quite easy if you know how. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it without the need for any third-party software.
Crashing Your Installation
The first step is to crash your Windows 10 installation a few times. The easiest way to do this is to switch your PC off mid-boot, which can be trickier than it sounds, especially if you're booting from a fast device such as an SSD.
Alternatively, you can boot from a Windows 10 installation disc and access the recovery mode tools. Once in recovery mode, your aim is to have Windows think that there's something wrong with your PC and boot into the special diagnostic mode it uses to perform its checks.
Accessing Advanced Tools
In the diagnostic mode, use the advanced tool menus to find the 'Administrator Command Prompt' option. The exact location of this option may change between different versions of Windows 10, but it's usually in one of the menus. Do not choose to exit or reboot, or you'll have to start over.
Changing the Command Prompt
Once you find the command prompt, you need to find the drive letter for your boot drive. Typically, it will be D: rather than C:. At your command prompt, type the following, substituting the appropriate drive letter:
D: CD windows CD system32 REN Utilman.exe
Then copy the CMD.exe file and rename it as Utilman.exe:
COPY cmd.exe Utilman.exe
Finally, exit the command prompt:
EXIT
Return to the recovery system menus and find the exit/power/reboot option. Restart your machine. This time, allow it to boot correctly to the password prompt.
Resetting the Password
On the password input screen, click on the utility icon in the lower right corner. It's the one with the 'Ease of Access options on' label. Instead of the 'Utility Manager' appearing, you should get an Admin-enabled command prompt.
Once you have this command prompt, type the following:
NET USER
To list the user accounts on the system. Then, with the username you want to change, type:
NET USER "name to change" "new password"
press return to change that user's password. Exit the command prompt:
EXIT
At this point, you can log out and use the new password to log in.
Undoing the Hack
To undo the hack, you need to open an Administrative command prompt and enter the following commands:
C: CD windows CD system32 DEL Utilman.exe REN Utilman.exe
Exit the command prompt:
EXIT
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can easily reset or change the password on your Windows 10 computer without the need for any specialized software. This is a powerful tool to have in your tech toolkit, especially in case of emergencies.