Bought Used Laptop Don’t Have Password? How to Unlock it?

Purchasing a used laptop can be an affordable way to get your hands on a reliable device. However, it can become a challenge when you discover that the laptop you bought doesn't come with a password. In this article, we will explore various solutions to help you regain access to a used laptop without a password. Whether you are using Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7, we've got you covered.

User case: I need password for used laptop with Windows 10

"I just purchased a used laptop from a pawnshop. It was updated to Windows 10 from Windows 7. I get into trouble now because I do not know the password to the only account that pops up. So is there a way of bypassing the password and resetting it up for my Windows password? Or what do I need to do? Please please help!"

Many users acquire computers at a lower price from yard sales or second-hand websites. However, along with the affordable cost, they may encounter issues such as purchasing a used computer that is password-protected.

In such cases, gaining access to the PC becomes challenging unless the password is hacked. In this post, I will demonstrate two safe and straightforward methods to unlock a computer without knowing the password on Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11.

How to unlock a password protected computer?

Method 1. Reset the password with password recovery tool

AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is a reliable password recovery tool designed to assist users in recovering lost or forgotten passwords for a wide range of file formats and applications. With the help of this tool, you can conveniently bypass the Windows 10 login screen even without knowing the password.

Here is a step-by-step guide to using AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional to reset a password if you bought a used computer don't know password Windows 7:

Step 1. Connect an empty USB to a functional Windows computer. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Click on "Tools" > "Reset Windows Password" in the main interface.

Step 2. In the pop-up window, click "Next" to initiate the creation of a WinPE bootable media.

Step 3. Select "USB Boot Device" and choose the USB drive you have prepared. Click "Proceed" to proceed.

Step 4. Note that the USB flash drive will be formatted during this process. Click "OK" to continue.

Step 5. Once the bootable USB is successfully created, insert it into the target computer and change the boot order to prioritize booting from the USB.

Step 6. When the PC starts, the AOMEI Partition Assistant interface will automatically appear. Click on "Reset Windows Password," select the Windows system you wish to work with (in this example, Windows 10), and click "Next."

Step 7. Choose the account you want to work with and select the desired feature: "Remove Account Password" or "Reset Account Password." In this case, select "Reset Account Password" and click "Next".

Step 8. Enter the new password, confirm it, and click "Yes". Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to bypass a forgotten password on Windows 7.

Method 2. Bypass Windows 10 login password with Command Prompt

If you wish to bypass the Windows 10 login password without relying on third-party software, you can utilize the Command Prompt method. Simply follow the steps provided below to see how to unlock a password protected computer using command lines:

Step 1. Start your computer and reach the Windows 10 login screen.

Step 2. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click on the "Power" button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step3. From the options that appear, select "Restart" while still holding down the Shift key.

Step 4. The computer will reboot and present you with the "Advanced Startup Options" screen.

Step 5. Choose "Troubleshoot" from the menu.

Step 6. In the next screen, select "Advanced options".

Step 7. From the list of advanced options, click on "Command Prompt".

Step 8. The Command Prompt window will open.

Step 9. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

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

copy /y c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe

Step 10. Close the Command Prompt window and restart your computer.

Step 11. Once you reach the Windows 10 login screen, press the Shift key five times in quick succession. The Command Prompt window will appear.

Step 12. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

net user [username] [newpassword]

◤ Replace "[username]" with your username or the account you want to reset the password for.
◤ Replace "[newpassword]" with the new password you want to set.

Step 13. Close the Command Prompt window and proceed to log in to Windows 10 with the newly set password.

Conclusion

If you find yourself in a situation where you bought used laptop don't have password, don’t worry. This article presents two different methods to help you reset an unknown password on your used computer. Depending on your specific needs, you can choose the most suitable method. However, the most effective approach is to utilize AOMEI Partition Assistant.

This versatile software not only allows you to reset passwords but also offers other useful features such as disk cloning, partition scheme conversion without data loss, extending C drive space, relocating apps and folders, and so on.