How To Reset Windows 8.x Password [GUIDE]

Reset Windows 8/8.1 Password

Yes, you can reset your Windows 8/8.1 password . In fact, as long as you can closely follow the detailed instructions outlined below, it’s not even that difficult.

The “hack” outlined below is harmless and works very well but it’s not exactly Microsoft-sanctioned. Ideally you’d use a Windows 8 password reset disk to reset your Windows 8 password. Unfortunately, the only way to use one of those is if you had the forethought to create one before forgetting your password! I do recommend you make one as soon as you get back.

Notes

The Windows 8 password reset trick below only works if you’re using a local account. You can reset your Windows 8/8.1 password this way no matter what edition of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 you’re using.

How To Reset a Windows 8/8.1 Password ??

1). Access Advanced Startup Options (ASO) :  There are six ways to access the ASO menu, I recommend following the method which requires that you have a Windows 8 setup disc or flash drive, or the method which requires that you have, or create, a Windows 8 Recovery Drive.

2). Touch or click on Troubleshoot >> Advanced options >> Command Prompt.

3). Now that Command Prompt is open, type the following command:

copy c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe c:\

…and then press “Enter”. You should see a 1 file(s) copied confirmation

4). Next, type this command, again followed by “Enter”:

copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe

5). Answer with Y or Yes to question about the overwrite of the utilman.exe file. You should now see another file copy confirmation.

6). Remove any flash drives or discs that you may have booted from in Step 1 and then restart your computer.

7). Once the Windows 8 logon screen is available, click the Ease of Access icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen. Command Prompt should now open. What?! Command Prompt? That’s right  The changes you made in Step 3 & 4 above replaced the Ease of Access tools with Command Prompt (don’t worry, you’ll reverse these changes in Step 12). Now that you have access to a command line, you can reset your Windows 8 password.

8). Next you need to execute the net user command as shown below, replacing myusername with your PC’s existing user name, and mynewpassword with the new password you’d like to begin using. Type:

net user myusername mynewpassword

For example, on my computer, I would execute the command like this

net user “CyberTron” test@123

Note : If you get a The user name could not be found message, execute net user to see the list of Windows 8 users on the computer for reference and then try again with a valid username. A System error 8646 / The system is not authoritative for the specified account… message indicates that you’re using a Microsoft account to login to Windows 8, not a local account.

9). Close Command Prompt.

10). Login with the new password you set in Step 8 !!

11). Now that your Windows 8 password has been reset and you’re back in, either create a Windows 8 password reset disk or switch your local account to a Microsoft account. No matter which you choose, you’ll finally have legitimate, and much easier to use, Windows 8 password reset options.

12). Finally, you should reverse the hack that makes this password reset trick work in Windows 8. To do that, repeat Steps 1 & 2 above. Once Command Prompt is open again, execute this command

copy c:\utilman.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe

Confirm the overwriting by answering Yes and then restart your computer.

13). Thats all… You’re done!
 

Screenshots

While there’s no requirement that you reverse these changes, it would be irresponsible of me to suggest that you don’t. What if you need access to Ease of Access from the logon screen someday? Also, please know undoing these changes won’t undo your password change so don’t worry about that.

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