Key takeaways
- Use the official recovery option for the account, and never pay a stranger who promises to hack it back.
- A Microsoft account password can be reset online from any phone or computer.
- Stop guessing after a few tries, because repeated wrong attempts can lock you out for longer.
- Set up recovery email, recovery phone, two-step verification and a password manager before you need them.
Quick answer: what to do first when you forget a password
- Stop guessing after three or four tries. Repeated wrong attempts can lock the account for longer or trigger security checks.
- Check the simple things: Caps Lock, Num Lock, the keyboard language and whether the password has changed since you last used it.
- Check your browser's saved passwords. In Chrome, open Settings, then Autofill and passwords, then Google Password Manager. In Edge, open Settings, then Profiles, then Passwords. You may have saved the password and forgotten it.
- Use the official recovery link for that account (steps below).
- Use a device and place you have used before, such as your usual phone on your usual Wi-Fi. Many services trust those first.
Which section you need depends on what is locked. Find it below.
How do I reset a Windows password for a Microsoft account?
If you sign in to Windows with an email address (Outlook, Hotmail, Gmail or another address registered with Microsoft), you can reset the password online.
- On the Windows sign-in screen, click I forgot my password. Make sure the laptop is connected to Wi-Fi, using the network icon at the bottom right of the sign-in screen.
- Or, on your phone or another computer, go to account.live.com/password/reset and enter the email address.
- Microsoft will offer to send a code to your recovery email or phone number. Choose one you can still reach and enter the code.
- Set a new password. Make it long, unique and something you will remember.
- Back on the laptop, restart it, connect to the internet and sign in with the new password.
Be aware that your laptop may still accept the old password for a short time if it is not online. Connect it and it will update.
If you forgot your PIN rather than the password: click I forgot my PIN on the sign-in screen, confirm your Microsoft account password or a code, then set a new PIN.
If you no longer have access to the recovery email or phone, choose I don't have any of these and fill in Microsoft's recovery form. Use the same device and location you normally use and answer with as much detail as you can, such as previous passwords, email subject lines and contacts. It can take a while, and you may need to try more than once.
How do I get into a Windows local account without losing files?
A local account is one that does not use an email address. Try these in order.
1. Use the Reset password link
Type a wrong password once. If you set security questions when you created the account, a Reset password link appears under the box. Click it, answer the questions and set a new password. Your files stay untouched.
2. Use a password reset disk
If you created a password reset USB drive in the past (Control Panel, then User Accounts, then Create a password reset disk), plug it in and use the same Reset password link.
3. Sign in with another administrator account
If another account on the laptop has administrator rights and you know its password, sign in to it, then:
- Right-click Start and open Computer Management (Windows Pro) and go to Local Users and Groups, then Users. Right-click your account and choose Set Password.
- On Windows Home, open Control Panel, then User Accounts, then Manage another account, choose your account and select Change the password.
Note that an administrator password change can make some saved data, such as stored browser passwords for that account, unreadable. Your files remain.
4. If nothing works
The remaining options are to reset or reinstall Windows, which erases everything on the drive unless a technician can retrieve your files first. Do not do this casually. See the technician section below.
What if I am locked out of my laptop and nothing else works?
Be clear on what is safe. You can legally and ethically regain access to a laptop you own, but you should not attempt to bypass the security of a laptop that is not yours.
- Do not use random password-cracking tools or "bootable password remover" downloads. Many are malware, and some steal the data you are trying to save.
- Do not wipe the laptop yourself before trying to save your files. Resetting Windows from the sign-in screen (hold Shift while selecting Restart, then Troubleshoot, then Reset this PC) removes your files if you choose to remove everything, and may ask for an encryption recovery key.
- Do not give the laptop to a stranger. Take it to an established technician who will ask for proof of ownership.
A genuine technician can often copy your files off the drive before any reset, subject to the drive's encryption, then reinstall Windows and put your files back. That is the safest route when all other options have failed. A BIOS or supervisor password is different: it is stored on the motherboard, and some can only be cleared by a technician with the right tools and proof of ownership.
How do I recover a Google, Gmail or YouTube account?
- Go to accounts.google.com, enter your email and click Forgot password?
- Google may ask for the last password you remember. Enter it if you can, or choose Try another way.
- You may be asked to confirm on a phone already signed in, to enter a code sent to your recovery phone or email, or to answer other checks.
- Follow the prompts and set a new password.
Use a device and Wi-Fi you have signed in with before, as this helps considerably. If you cannot pass the checks, try again later from your usual place. Do not create many requests quickly.
If it is a work or school Google account, only your administrator can reset it.
How do I recover Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp?
- On the login page, click Forgotten password?
- Search for your account using your email, phone number or name, then choose how to receive a code.
- If you cannot access those, click No longer have access to these? and follow the steps. Facebook may offer ID or video checks. Only use the official page.
- On the login screen, tap Forgot password? (or Get help logging in).
- Enter your username, email or phone number and choose where to get the code.
- If you cannot receive it, choose the option to get further help and follow the identity check.
WhatsApp has no password. You sign in with your phone number and an SMS or call code. If you lose your number or SIM, contact your network to recover the SIM first (take your ID to the network's service centre). If you forget the two-step verification PIN, tap Forgot PIN to get a reset link by email, if you registered one. If you did not, you may have to wait seven days before you can register again. Never share the six-digit code with anyone, even a contact, because that is how WhatsApp accounts are taken over.
How do I avoid account recovery scams?
- No real support person asks for your password or a code. Anyone who does is trying to take over the account.
- Do not pay people who claim they can hack or recover an account. Many are scams, and some will take the account for themselves or blackmail you.
- Type the address yourself or use the official app. Do not use links from SMS, WhatsApp or email.
- Watch for fake support accounts that reply when you complain publicly on social media, or fake "recovery" websites that look the same as real ones. Real platforms do not ask you to pay to recover your own account.
- Check the address bar. Make sure it says the real domain before you type anything.
- Do not share a code sent to your phone. It is the key to the account.
If you suspect that someone else has the account, recover it, change the password, sign out of all devices (in the account's security settings) and turn on two-step verification.
How to make sure you never get locked out again
- Add recovery details. Add a second email and a phone number you control to every important account. Check them every few months, because old numbers and emails cause most failed recoveries.
- Use a password manager. A reputable one, such as Bitwarden or 1Password, or the manager built into your browser or phone, stores unique passwords for you. You remember one strong master password.
- Make the master password a passphrase. Four or five random words are strong and easy to remember. Do not reuse it elsewhere.
- Turn on two-step verification and save the backup codes. Print them or write them down and keep them somewhere safe at home, not on the same phone.
- Add a Windows safety net. Use a Microsoft account for sign-in so you can reset it online. On a local account, set up security questions and create a password reset disk.
- Keep your SIM safe. Register it and keep the SIM details, since many recoveries depend on your number.
Check that it worked by trying the recovery process in theory: sign in on another device with your password manager, and confirm that you can see your recovery email and phone in each account's security page.
When to call a technician about a password problem
See a technician if the laptop itself is locked and none of the options above work, if the BIOS or supervisor password is blocking start-up, if you inherited or bought a laptop that someone else locked, or if you suspect that someone else got into your accounts or device. A reputable technician will ask for proof that the laptop is yours, such as a receipt, an account email you can sign in to or ID. That is a good sign, not an obstacle. They will first try to save your files, and will explain whether a reset will wipe the drive before doing it. Before handing over the laptop, note which accounts are on it and make sure you know your Microsoft account details.
Frequently asked questions
Can a forgotten Windows password be reset without losing my files?
Often yes. A Microsoft account reset, the Reset password link with security questions, or a password reset disk all keep your files. Reinstalling or resetting Windows is a last step that can erase files, so try the others first and back up if you can.
Is it safe to use password-cracking tools or boot disks I find online?
No. Many are malware, and some steal the data you are trying to save. Use the official route, or take the laptop to a technician you trust, and only for devices and accounts that belong to you.
How do I reset my Windows password if I do not have internet?
If it is a Microsoft account, use another phone or computer to reset the password online, then connect the laptop when you can. If it is a local account, use the Reset password link, a reset disk or another administrator account on the laptop.
What if I no longer have my recovery email or phone number?
Use the account's recovery form instead and answer as much as you can, such as old passwords, device details and contacts. Try from your usual device and Wi-Fi. For your phone number, ask your network to restore your SIM, which often fixes the problem.
What is the safest way to remember passwords?
Use a reputable password manager with one long master passphrase, plus two-step verification on important accounts. Store backup codes on paper at home. Avoid writing passwords on the laptop itself or reusing the same password on many sites.
Can someone recover my account for me if I pay them?
Be very cautious. Genuine platforms do not charge to recover your own account, and most people who offer to hack back an account are scammers. Use only the official recovery pages, or the platform's help centre.
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This guide is general advice. Every device and business is different, so if you are unsure, ask a technician before you act.
