How to Change Windows 10 Password If Forgotten Using CMD

If you've forgotten your password and want to change it using Command Prompt (CMD), it depends on the situation and the permissions you have on the system. In general, CMD can be a powerful tool for troubleshooting and system management, including password-related issues. However, the ability to change a password through CMD is typically only available under certain circumstances.

For example, if you're logged in with administrative privileges, you might be able to reset another user’s password. If you're locked out of your own account and don't have admin access, your options become limited. There are also tools and methods, like booting from external media or using recovery environments, that could potentially enable you to reset or bypass passwords. But again, these scenarios require specific conditions to be met.

In short, it’s theoretically possible to change a forgotten password via CMD, but it depends on your access level and what tools are available to you.

How to change Windows 10 password if forgotten using CMD

If you've forgotten your Windows 10 password, you can reset it via Command Prompt (CMD) by following these steps. The process differs based on whether you can still access your Windows desktop or not.

Case one. You can boot into Windows 10 normally

To reset another Windows user's password via the command line, administrative privileges are required. If you’re locked out due to a forgotten administrator password, follow these steps to regain access:

Step 1. Launch an administrator Command Prompt window by typing "cmd" into the Start menu, then right-clicking the Command Prompt entry and selecting "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Alternatively, you can use PowerShell or the Windows Terminal by right-clicking the Start button or pressing Win + X.

Step 3. Type the command "net user" and press Enter to display a list of all users on your system. Take note of the account name for which you wish to change the password.

Step 4. To change the password, use the following "net user" command, replacing USERNAME and NEWPASS with the actual username and new password for the account. If the username consists of multiple words, enclose it in quotes. Example: "net user username new password."

Tip: To ensure password privacy, modify the command as follows: "net user USERNAME *." Windows will prompt you to enter a new password twice, with the passwords hidden as you type.

Step 5. After executing this command, you'll receive a message confirming its successful completion. You can now log into the account using the new password, just as if you had changed it via the graphical interface.

This method will only work if you have access to another admin account. If you’re locked out of all accounts, additional steps might be needed, like using a bootable tool or resetting the system password through other means.

Case two. You can’t boot into Windows 10 system

If you can't access your system, you can open Command Prompt by selecting the Troubleshoot option during boot or by using Windows installation media.

Step 1. In the Windows login interface, press "Shift" and click "Restart" simultaneously. This will initiate the Windows recovery mode. Select "Troubleshoot."

Step 2. Within the Advanced options window, choose "Advanced options" and then "Command Prompt."

Step 3. In the CMD interface, enter "diskpart" and press "Enter."

Step 4. Type "list volume" and press "Enter" to view all volumes. Remember the drive letter assigned to the system drive. Exit the Diskpart utility by entering "exit" and pressing "Enter."

Step 5. In the CMD interface, enter "move E:\windows\system32\utilman.exe E:" to move the utilman.exe file to the root directory of the system drive.

Step 6. Next, input "copy E:\windows\system32\cmd.exe E:\windows\system32\utilman.exe" and press "Enter" to copy the cmd.exe file to the designated path.

Step 7. Enter "wpeutil reboot" and press "Enter."

Step 8. Click on the user icon to open the CMD window. Type the command "net user password" and press "Enter." Finally, exit this tool by typing "exit" and pressing "Enter," allowing you to log in with the new password.

Further reading: ChangeWindows 10 password using password reset tool

For a simpler way to reset your password, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers an effective solution. It is an all-in-one disk management tool equipped with a dedicated “ResetWindows Password” feature. This function allows you to reset or remove Windows passwords without reinstalling the operating system, saving you time and hassle.

Unlike traditional Windows password reset disks, this tool doesn’t require prior setup. Additionally, AOMEI Partition Assistant provides a variety of useful features, such as Data Recovery, Disk Clone Wizard, and Allocate Free Space, making it a comprehensive tool for efficient system management.

Step 1. Insert a USB into the PC, download and open this useful tool, then click "Tools" and "Reset Windows Password".

Step 2. A window will pop out to ask you to create the bootable USB, click "Next".

Step 3. Choose the "General USB Flash Disk" option, and click "Proceed". The target USB will be formatted, so all data on the USB may be deleted, so please back up them first.

Step 4. Read the popped notice carefully and click "Yes".

Step 5. Wait patient, the tool is creating the password reset USB, click "Finish" when the operation is finished.

Step 6. Turn off the PC and restart it. You'll be asked to change the boot drive, boot the PC from the created USB, then choose the Windows system and click "Next".

Step 7. You can see all accounts on the PC, click the target account, then tick "Remove Account Password" or "Reset Account Password", click "Next".

Step 8. If you select "Reset Account Password", you can set the new password and then click "Yes". If you select "Remove Account Password", you can follow the next guide to remove it.

Conclusion

In addition to the Command Prompt method with its complex commands, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers a simpler way to reset a Windows 10 password on a locked PC.

This versatile tool goes beyond password recovery, providing features like disk cloning, safe MBR/GPT conversion, app migration, partition resizing, and disk speed testing. For those using Windows Server systems, the Server Edition is also available to meet your needs.