How to change your password on Windows 11

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Windows 11 knows two kinds of accounts, and the password behaves differently in each. A Microsoft account has one password for the PC, Outlook, OneDrive and Xbox. A local account has a password that exists only on this PC.

These steps are for Windows 11. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the Settings window, not screenshots, so colours and spacing on your PC look a little different.

Step by step

1. Open Settings, Accounts, Sign-in options

   Press Windows + I, click Accounts and then Sign-in options.

   Done

2. Click Password, then Change

   If there is no Password entry, your account signs in with a PIN or with Windows Hello only. You then change the password on the Microsoft account website.

   Done

3. Confirm who you are

   Enter the current password. With a Microsoft account, Windows may send a code to your email address or phone.

   Done

4. Enter the new password

   Type it twice. For a local account you also enter a hint that helps you and nobody else.

   Done

5. If you forgot a Microsoft account password

   On the sign-in screen, click I forgot my password and follow the steps. You can also reset it on any device at account.live.com/ResetPassword.aspx.

   Done

6. If you forgot a local account password

   On the sign-in screen, after a wrong attempt, click Reset password and answer the security questions you set up when you created the account.

   Done

Good to know

Microsoft support cannot recover or bypass a forgotten password. Without the security questions, a local account can only be reached again by resetting the PC.

Your PIN is separate from the password and stays the same: forgot your Windows 11 PIN: how to reset it.

Choosing a good one: how to make strong passwords you can actually remember.

In short: Settings, Accounts, Sign-in options, Password, Change, current password, new password twice.