How can i reset a forgotten password

Linked accounts. What is a Microsoft account? Update your profile. Microsoft account Microsoft account dashboard More Select Forgot password? If the Enter password window is still open select Forgot password?

Verify your identity For your protection, Microsoft must verify your identity before you can proceed with resetting your password. Option 1: You received and can select a verification option Select which option to send the verification code to. Select Next. Get a verification code Depending on the contact method you chose, retype the first part of the email address or the last four digits of the phone number hinted at in the previous window.

Select Get code. Microsoft will send a verification code to the email or phone number you selected. Go to the recovery phone or email for where you expect to receive the code. Enter code and reset password Paste or type the code you received and select Next. Type your new password and select Next. Need more help? Expand your skills. Get new features first. Was this information helpful? Yes No. Thank you! Any more feedback? The more you tell us the more we can help. If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your account, please give us a call.

In a new tab or window, check your email inbox for a password reset code. If you don't see the email, click Resend Code on the Reset Password page or tab you left open and check your email spam folder. If you don't see the email, redo steps 1 and 2 with each email address you may have used with Ancestry, then check those email inboxes. If you still don't see the email, please give us a call. On the Reset Password page or tab you left open, enter your code and click Continue. The code is case-sensitive, so enter capital letters from your email as capital letters on the page.

You have two hours to enter your code before you'll need to request a new code. The code in your email was not a temporary password. Your password should be from 8— characters long and must contain at least 1 number and at least 1 letter or special character. Passwords are case-sensitive and must not be well-known or common passwords.

To sign in, click Continue. Enter your email address or username and your new password and click Sign in. When you turn it on again, you should be greeted by this screen:. Select Launch Startup Repair recommended. After a few minutes, the Windows 7 repair process fails. Windows 7 asks you if you want to send information to Microsoft. Ignore that query. Instead, click on the Hide problem details button right below it.

Scroll down to the very end of the text box. You are now in Notepad, which gives you access to your hard disk. Next, click on File and then select Open. See the Files of type option at the bottom?

Select All files here. Then navigate to Windows , System32 , and scroll down the huge list of files until you find the sethc file. Right-click that file and select Rename. Rename the file to anything you want, such as sethcpassword. Next, look for a file called cmd. Scroll back up until you find it, still in System32 directory. Right-click on cmd and select Copy. Then, click in the empty space within the window and select paste , so you get a copy of that file.

The result is that you end up with a file called cmd - copy. Now, here comes the hacky part: Rename that file to sethc — the exact same name of the file you renamed above! Close all windows. When you reach the following Windows 7 screen again, click on Finish. Restart your computer. This brings you back to the Windows 7 login screen.

Press Enter. This gives you a list of usernames that are available, including your own. The system asks you to confirm a new password. Close this window. Then log in with an empty password by just clicking on the arrow button. Turn on your computer and wait until you see the Windows logo. Then, unplug the power cord or hold down the power button to force the hardware to turn off.

Turn it on again, and you should be greeted by this screen:. Choose Advanced options. That brings you to a screen that looks like this:. On the next screen, select Advanced and then Install a driver. Confirm with OK.

Navigate to Windows , System32 , and scroll down the huge list of files until you find the file utilman. Right-click on that file, select Rename , and rename it to whatever you like, such as Utilmanpassword. Remember that name! Scroll all the way up and find the cmd file. Make a copy of that file by right-clicking on it, selecting Copy , right-clicking on a free area in the file listing, and selecting paste.

Rename the original cmd file to utilman yes, the same file name as the one you just renamed. In order to see the changes, you might need to right-click on a free white area of this window and select Refresh.

Close all windows and select Continue Exit and continue to Windows What you just did is replace the Ease of Access button with the command line, which allows you to reset your password.

This shows a list of usernames that are available, including your own. Windows 10 asks you to confirm a new password. Wracking your brain to remember your Windows password?