How To Change The Lock Screen Password On Windows 8

How To Change or Reset a Windows 8/8.1 Password

Windows 8 and 8.1 provide several new ways to access a computer compared to previous versions of Windows; we now have the option to connect a Microsoft account, set a PIN and create a picture password. This can naturally complicate the process of Windows password recovery; in this article we take you through the steps to accomplish that.

Windows 8 Password Reset via Microsoft Account

When you set up your Windows 8 account, Windows gave you the option to link that computer account with your Microsoft (or Hotmail/Live) account; if you did this, Microsoft has a process to reset your password:

Go to the main Microsoft account login page.
Click the "Can't access your account?" link and follow the steps to reset your password.

Windows 8 Password Recovery via Local Account

If a Windows account is linked with a Microsoft account (including Hotmail/Live accounts), you'll first have to disconnect it before you can remove the password.

To do so, follow these steps (note: you'll need to know the password for your Microsoft account per the instructions in the previous section):

Bring up the Charms menu by pressing the Windows key + [C] simultaneously (touchscreen users: swipe in from the right side)
Click or touch "Settings"
Click "Change PC settings"
Click "Accounts" from the left-hand menu
Under your account name, click "Disconnect"
Enter the password for your Microsoft account and follow the steps to disconnect your account

Removing/Resetting a Local Account Password

This step involves using the Command Prompt when logged in under an account with administrative privileges.

Access the Start menu by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard
Type "cmd" — this will bring up the Command Prompt in search results

Use the following command line to remove the password for any account (replacing "username" with the name of the user account you wish to remove the password for):
- Net User username ""
The password for the account is now removed.

How to reset a Windows 8 password

It's a good idea to set a new Windows 8 password for an account after removing its password. Follow these steps:

Bring up the Charms menu by pressing the Windows key + [C] simultaneously (touchscreen users: swipe in from the right side)
Click or touch "Settings"
Click "Change PC settings"
Click "Accounts" from the left-hand menu
Click "Sign-in options"
Under the "Password" section, click "Add" or "Change"

Setting a Windows 8 PIN

Windows 8 has a feature that lets you set a four-digit PIN to quickly unlock your computer, much like mobile phones. You'll still have to enter your full Windows 8 password when you login for the first time, however.

Bring up the Charms menu by pressing the Windows key + [C] simultaneously (touchscreen users: swipe in from the right side)
Click or touch "Settings"
Click "Change PC settings"
Click "Accounts" from the left-hand menu
Click "Sign-in options"
Under the "PIN" section, click "Add"

Setting a Windows 8 Picture Password

Another new Windows 8 feature is the ability to set a picture password for your account.

Bring up the Charms menu by pressing the Windows key + [C] simultaneously (touchscreen users: swipe in from the right side)
Click or touch "Settings"
Click "Change PC settings"
Click "Accounts" from the left-hand menu
Click "Sign-in options"
Under the "Picture Password" section, click "Choose Picture"
After choosing a picture, you'll be prompted to create a series of three gestures which will become your picture password.

I found picture passwords are only practical with touchscreens; it's difficult to accurately duplicate gestures using a traditional mouse and worse yet, anyone looking at your screen can see the gestures you're making.

Conclusion

Performing a Windows 8 password reset is potentially more complicated than it was with previous versions of Windows; this is mainly due to the fact that there are new ways to access an account such as connecting a Microsoft account. In this way we walked through the steps to reset the password not only for a Microsoft account but also for non-connected Windows 8 accounts. We walked through the steps to create a new password, picture password and PIN.

You can also create a Windows 8 password reset disk if necessary.

If you're looking for similar information about other versions of Windows, check out these step-by-step instructions, which are part of our guide to resetting forgotten Windows passwords:

How to Change a Windows XP Password
How to Reset a Windows Vista Password
Changing a Windows 7 Password
Resetting a Windows 10 Password