How to Set a Windows Password

Co-authored by Spike Baron

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Tested

Setting a password on a Windows computer is a relatively quick and easy process that will greatly increase the security of your files. Security is important, and now you can learn to safeguard your files.

Things You Should Know

Go to
>
> Sign-in Options > Add. Enter your password and hint. Then, click Next > Finish. Done.
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and click Change a password. Enter your old password and then your new one. Click Submit > OK to finish.
Right click My Computer. Select Manage > Local Users and Groups. Double click "Users". Right click a user and click Set Password > Proceed. Enter your password and confirm.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using the Settings App

1
Open the Start Menu
. It is in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Spike Baron
Network Engineer & Desktop Support
Expert Interview. 9 January 2019.}
2
Open the Settings App
.

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3
Click on the Accounts tab.
4
Click Sign-in Options.
5
Click Add. It is under the Password section.
6
Enter your new password. This windows will allow you to set your password, and add a password hint.
- Type the password that you want into the New password box, and then reenter it in the Reenter password box.
- Type a password hint into the Password hint box. This hint will be displayed if you ever enter your password incorrectly. Type something in this box that can help you remember what your password is if you ever forget it. Remember to not make the password hint show your password.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Spike Baron
  Network Engineer & Desktop Support
  Expert Interview. 9 January 2019.}
7
Click Next. It is at the bottom of the blue box that opened up.
8
Click Finish. You now have a password set on your computer. Whenever you log in you will have to enter it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Ctrl + Alt + Delete

1
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del.
2
Click on Change a password.
3
Enter your old password. If you do not have a password, then leave this box blank.
4
Type your new password. You will have to enter it twice to make sure that you did not type it wrong.
5
Click Submit. It is the arrow that is at the end of the Confirm password box.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Spike Baron
Network Engineer & Desktop Support
Expert Interview. 9 January 2019.}
6
Click OK. You now have a password set on your computer. Whenever you log in you will have to enter it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Computer Management

1
Right click on My Computer and select Manage.
2
Choose the Local Users and Groups option.
3
Double-click on the Users folder. You should see a list of users pop up in the right window.
4
Right-click on a user and choose Set Password.
5
Click on Proceed.
6
Enter the new password and confirm. Click on OK.
7
Click OK to finish. The password has been set.

Community Q&A

Question

What if the user option is not there?

Community Answer

If you use a computer, then you must have a user name. It may not be obvious, but it's there. Depending on the Windows version you use, search for "User Account," and you'll get directed to the right options to change password, name, picture, etc.
Question

How do I set a password on my tablet?

Community Answer

Go to settings and press security. Then press swipe, or none, and then press password and set it.
Question

How can I set up an account picture?

Community Answer

If you are using Windows 10, go to the start menu, and in the lower left corner there should be a icon of a human. Click on it , and then click Change Account Settings. Then, scroll down to Create Account Picture. Choose either Camera (if your PC has a webcam) or upload a picture.

Warnings

Windows account passwords are known to be easy to remove, especially by a secure hacker. But enabling BitLocker will make the password much more difficult to remove.

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