Need to Find the Windows Administrator Password on Your Windows PC? (2024)

An administrator (admin) password is the password to any Windows account that has administrator level access.

In newer versions of windows, like Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7,most primary accounts are configured to be administrator accounts, so an administrator password is most often the password toyouraccount. Not all user accounts are set up this way,but many are, especially if you installed Windows on your computer yourself.

There's also a built-in "Administrator" account in all versions of Windows that functions as another admin user account, but it doesn't typically show up on the login screen and most people don't know it exists.

That said, if you're using an older version of Windows, likeWindows XP, you may need this admin password whenaccessing the Windows XP Recovery Consoleor whentrying toboot into Windows XP Safe Mode.

The steps involved in finding your admin password is essentially the same in eachversion of Windows.

Need to Find the Windows Administrator Password on Your Windows PC? (1)

How to Find the Administrator Password in Windows

  1. If you're trying to log in to the actual "Administrator" account, try leaving the password blank. In other words, just pressEnterwhen asked for the password.

    This trick doesn't work nearly as often in newer versions of Windows as it did in Windows XP but it's still worth a shot.

  2. Enter the password toyouraccount. Depending on how Windows was set up on your computer, the primary user account will often be configured with administrator privileges.

    If you installed Windows on your computer yourself, this is very likely the situation for you.

  3. Have another person enter his or her credentials. If other users have accounts on your computer, one of them may be set up with administrator access.

    If this technique works, ask the other person to designate you as an administrator as well. Or, have another administrator change your password for you.

  4. Recover an administrator password using a Windows password recovery tool.

    Need to Find the Windows Administrator Password on Your Windows PC? (2)

    Some of these tools also add administrator privileges to regular Windows user accounts, which could be valuable if you know your account's password but it's not an administrator account. Some can also enable accounts like the "Administrator" account.

  5. Perform a clean install of Windows. This type of installation will remove Windowsfrom your computer and install it again from scratch.

    For example, if you need an admin password to access operating system diagnostic tools and these tools support your last effort to save your PC, performing a clean install will work because you'll have an opportunity to set up a new account from scratch during Windows setup.

  6. By now, you should have your administrative password again.

How to Never Forget the Admin Password Again

The administrator password is needed in some situations, but if you find that you have a hard time remembering your password when you need it, there are some things you can do to avoid forgetting it again in the future.

One method many people use to store user account passwords is a password manager. All you need to remember is one password, and then inside the password vault is a list of all your hard-to-remember passwords, which could include your Windows administrator password.

The official Microsoft way to never forget your password is to make a Windows password reset disk so that any time you forget your password, even if you've changed it a dozen times since you made the disk, you can always get into your administrator account.

Although it isn't super secure, something else you can do is avoid having to type the administrator password ever again. To do that, you can set up your computer to automatically log in to Windows. The password is remembered for you so that all you have to do is turn your computer on to log in.

FAQ

  • How do I bypass the admin password in Windows 10?

    To bypass the Windows admin password, use the Windows key+R shortcut > enter netplwiz > OK. You’ll arrive at the User Accounts screen. Uncheck Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer > Apply.

  • How do I change the admin password on Windows 10?

    To reset your Windows 10 admin password, selectForgot Password?on your Windows 10 device's sign-in screen. Or, go to the Start menu > Settings > Accounts > Your Info > Manage my Microsoft Account. Select More Options > Edit Profile > Change Your Password. Enter the current password and new password > Save.

  • How do I change the admin password on a Mac?

    To reset a Mac admin account password, log in to a second administrator account and launch System Preferences > Users & Groups. In the lower-left corner, select thelockicon and enter your administrator password. Next, select theadmin accountwhose password you want to change > Reset Password > Change Password.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for letting us know!

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

Subscribe

Tell us why!

Need to Find the Windows Administrator Password on Your Windows PC? (2024)

FAQs

How do I find out what my administrator password is? ›

Many times, the administrator password on Windows 10 systems is the same as the password for the user account. To check what it is, go to the 'Settings' > 'Accounts' section. In there, you should see a link to 'Sign-in options. ' Click on that and you should be able to see the password associated to your user account.

How do I recover my Windows administrator password? ›

How to Reset Administrator Password in Windows 10
  1. Open the Windows Start menu. ...
  2. Then select Settings. ...
  3. Then click on Accounts.
  4. Next, click on Your info. ...
  5. Click on Manage my Microsoft Account. ...
  6. Then click More actions. ...
  7. Next, click Edit profile from the drop-down menu.
  8. Then click change your password.
Feb 2, 2023

What is the default password for Windows administrator? ›

Sadly, there is no default password or admin default password for your Microsoft Windows. However, there are ways to regain access to your Windows if you don't remember your login info. If you have Windows 8, 10, or 11 and use a Microsoft account, the easiest way to do this is by running an online reset.

How can I access my administrator account without password? ›

To access the built-in administrator account, open the Control Panel and click on “User Accounts and Family Safety”. Then select “Manage Another Account” and you will see the Administrator account. You can then use this account to get admin rights on Windows 10 without a password.

How to find administrator password using cmd? ›

To do so, first open the Command Prompt by searching for it in the search bar or by going to Start and typing in “cmd”. Once you have opened the Command Prompt, type in “net user” followed by the name of the account for which you need to know the password. Hit enter and the password you need will be shown to you.

What is the most common administrator password? ›

The top 10 passwords discovered by the analysis included common defaults and easy-to-guess options:
  • 12345678.
  • 1234.
  • Password.
  • 123.
  • 12345.
  • admin123.
  • 123456789.
  • adminisp.

How do I find my Microsoft password without changing it? ›

There are several ways to uncover your Microsoft password. One is by using the “Forgot Password” feature on the sign-in screen. Just follow the prompts and verify your identity with email or phone number, and reset your password without changing it. Or, check saved login credentials on devices you've used before.

How to reset administrator password using cmd? ›

  1. Restart your computer and press F8 key repeatedly until you see the Advanced Boot Options menu.
  2. Click "Safe Mode with Command Prompt."
  3. In the Command Prompt window, type net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter.
  4. Restart the computer and log in as the administrator.
Jan 15, 2024

How do I login as the default administrator? ›

Sign into Windows as a Local Administrator
  1. In the bottom-left corner of the sign-in screen, click on Other User.
  2. Enter “. \Administrator” as the username, enter your local admin password, and press Enter.
Jan 25, 2023

How do I access my administrator account on Windows 10? ›

Using a command prompt
  1. Open “Run” with [Windows] + [R].
  2. Type “cmd” and press [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Enter].
  3. Type “net user administrator /active:yes”.
  4. The administrator account is now activated.
  5. To deactivate: “net user administrator /active:no”.
Jan 25, 2022

How do I unlock administrator access? ›

Click Start, search for Computer Management, and open it. Expand Local Users and Groups, click Users, right-click Administrator in the right pane, and then click Properties. Click to clear the Account is disabled check box, and then click OK.

How do I get Windows admin access? ›

  1. Select Start > Settings > Accounts .
  2. Under Family & other users, select the account owner name (you should see "Local account" below the name), then select Change account type. ...
  3. Under Account type, select Administrator, and then select OK.
  4. Sign in with the new administrator account.

How do I access my administrator account? ›

From the Sign-In Screen

In the bottom-left corner of the sign-in screen, click on Other User. Enter “. \Administrator” as the username, enter your local admin password, and press Enter.

How do I access my default administrator account? ›

Quick guide: Enable administrator account in Windows 10

Open “Run” with [Windows] + [R]. Type “cmd” and press [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Enter]. Type “net user administrator /active:yes”. The administrator account is now activated.

Where do I find administrator settings? ›

How to Change Administrator on Windows 10 via Settings
  1. Click the Windows Start button. ...
  2. Then click Settings. ...
  3. Next, select Accounts.
  4. Choose Family & other users. ...
  5. Click on a user account under the Other users panel.
  6. Then select Change account type. ...
  7. Choose Administrator in the Change account type dropdown.
Jan 25, 2023

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 5769

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.