How To Change Another User’s Password In Windows

Why would you need to change another user’s password?

There may be various reasons why you would need to change another user’s password in Windows. Some common scenarios include:

• Administrative tasks: As an IT administrator or system administrator, you may need to change another user’s password to ensure security or troubleshoot user account issues.
• Forgotten password: If a user forgets their password or becomes locked out of their account, you may need to change their password to grant them access to their computer.
• Employee turnover: In a business setting, when an employee leaves the company, it is essential to change their password to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
• Security breaches: In the unfortunate event of a security breach or suspicion of a compromised account, changing the password of the affected user can help mitigate the risk and protect sensitive data.
• Parental control: For parents who want to monitor their children’s online activities or enforce specific usage restrictions, changing their child’s password can provide additional control over their account.

No matter the reason, it is crucial to ensure that you have the necessary permissions and authorization to change another user’s password. Additionally, it is vital to communicate any password changes to the affected users and encourage them to create a strong, unique password for their account.

Method 1: Using the Computer Management tool

Changing another user’s password in Windows can be done using the built-in Computer Management tool. Here’s how:

1. Open the Computer Management tool by right-clicking on the “My Computer” or “This PC” icon on your desktop and selecting “Manage.” Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + X and choose “Computer Management” from the menu.
2. In the Computer Management window, expand the “Local Users and Groups” folder and click on the “Users” folder. This will display a list of all user accounts on your computer.
3. Locate the user account for which you want to change the password and double-click on it.
4. In the user’s properties window, navigate to the “General” tab and click on the “Reset Password” button.
5. A dialog box will appear, prompting you to enter a new password. Type the desired password and confirm it by retyping it in the “Confirm password” field.
6. Click “OK” to save the new password.
7. Close the Computer Management tool.

It’s important to note that you must have administrative privileges to change another user’s password using this method. Additionally, be sure to inform the user about their new password and advise them to change it to a secure, unique password of their choice.

Method 2: Using the Command Prompt

Changing another user’s password in Windows can also be accomplished through the Command Prompt. Here’s how:

1. Open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + R, typing “cmd” in the “Run” dialog box, and pressing Enter.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command: net user [username] [newpassword], replacing [username] with the username of the user account you want to change and [newpassword] with the desired new password.
3. Press Enter to execute the command.
4. If successful, the Command Prompt will display a message indicating that the command completed successfully.
5. Close the Command Prompt.

It’s important to note that changing another user’s password through the Command Prompt requires administrative privileges. Additionally, ensure that you have the necessary authorization to change another user’s account password.

Remember to communicate the password change to the user and advise them to update their password to a strong, unique one to maintain account security.

Method 3: Changing the password through PowerShell

If you prefer using PowerShell, you can change another user’s password with just a few commands. Here’s how:

1. Open PowerShell by right-clicking on the Start button, selecting “Windows PowerShell” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” from the menu.
2. In the PowerShell window, type the following command: Set-LocalUser -Name [username] -Password (Read-Host -AsSecureString), replacing [username] with the username of the user account you want to change.
3. Press Enter to execute the command.
4. A prompt will appear asking you to enter the new password. Type the new password and press Enter. Note that the password will not be displayed on the screen.
5. Confirm the password when prompted.
6. If successful, PowerShell will not display any output, indicating that the password has been changed.
7. Close the PowerShell window.

It’s important to ensure that you have administrative privileges when using PowerShell to change another user’s password. Also, make sure you have the necessary authorization to modify user accounts.

Remember to inform the user about the password change and encourage them to update it to a strong, unique password for better security.

Method 4: Using the Control Panel

If you prefer a graphical interface, you can change another user’s password using the Control Panel in Windows. Here’s how:

1. Open the Control Panel by clicking on the Start button and selecting “Control Panel” from the menu.
2. In the Control Panel window, navigate to the “User Accounts” or “User Accounts and Family Safety” section.
3. Click on the “User Accounts” option. This will display a list of user accounts on your computer.
4. Locate the user account for which you want to change the password and click on it.
5. Click on the “Manage Account” or “Change account type” option, depending on your Windows version.
6. In the following window, click on the “Change the password” or “Change the password for this account” option.
7. A new window will appear, prompting you to enter the current password and the desired new password for the user account. Fill in the required fields and click “Change password” or “Change password and Finish” to save the changes.
8. Close the Control Panel.

It’s important to note that you must have administrative privileges to change another user’s password using the Control Panel. Additionally, ensure that you have the necessary authorization to modify user accounts.

Remember to communicate the password change to the user and advise them to update it to a strong, unique password for enhanced security.

Method 5: Changing the password through the Local Users and Groups tool

The Local Users and Groups tool in Windows provides another method to change another user’s password. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the “Run” dialog box. Type “lusrmgr.msc” and press Enter. This will open the Local Users and Groups window.
2. In the left pane of the Local Users and Groups window, expand the “Users” folder.
3. Locate the user account for which you want to change the password and double-click on it.
4. In the user’s properties window, uncheck the “User must change password at next logon” option if it is selected.
5. Click on the “Proceed” button in the warning dialog box, if prompted.
6. Navigate to the “General” tab and click on the “Set Password” button.
7. In the new window, choose whether to set a new password or to allow the user to change the password. If setting a new password, enter it in the “New password” and “Confirm password” fields.
8. Click “OK” to save the new password.
9. Close the Local Users and Groups tool.

It’s important to note that changing another user’s password through the Local Users and Groups tool requires administrative privileges. Additionally, ensure that you have the necessary authorization to modify user accounts.

Remember to inform the user about the password change and encourage them to update it to a strong, unique password for better security.

Method 6: Resetting the password through the Windows Installation Media

Resetting a user’s password through the Windows Installation Media is a helpful method if you have forgotten the password or cannot access the user account. Here’s how:

1. Insert the Windows Installation Media (DVD or USB) into the computer and boot from it.
2. When the Windows Setup screen appears, select your language preferences and click “Next.”
3. Click on the “Repair your computer” option located at the bottom left corner of the screen.
4. In the next window, select “Troubleshoot,” followed by “Advanced options.”
5. Choose “Command Prompt” to open a Command Prompt window.
6. In the Command Prompt, type the following command: diskpart and press Enter.
7. Once in the DiskPart utility, use the following commands in order:
   • list vol – This will display a list of volumes on the computer.
   • select vol [number] – Replace [number] with the volume number where Windows is installed.
   • assign letter=[letter] – Replace [letter] with an available drive letter.
   • exit – This will exit the DiskPart utility.
8. Back in the Command Prompt, type the new drive letter followed by a colon (e.g., D:) and press Enter.
9. Type the command cd Windows\System32 and press Enter.
10. Next, type ren utilman.exe utilman.exe.bak and press Enter. This renames the utility manager program.
11. Then, type copy cmd.exe utilman.exe and press Enter. This creates a copy of the Command Prompt program and renames it as the utility manager program.
12. Restart the computer by typing wpeutil reboot and press Enter.
13. Once the login screen appears, click on the “Ease of Access” icon located at the bottom right corner.
14. A Command Prompt window will open. In the Command Prompt, type net user [username] [newpassword], replacing [username] with the username of the user account and [newpassword] with the desired new password.
15. Press Enter to execute the command and reset the user’s password.
16. Close the Command Prompt and sign in with the new password.

It’s important to note that this method requires the Windows Installation Media and should be used with caution. Make sure to follow the steps carefully to avoid any unintended consequences.

Remember to inform the user about the password reset and encourage them to update it to a strong, unique password for improved security.