How to reset or recover Windows password without losing data (2026)

Recovering a locked Windows account without losing data is a lot simpler nowadays given the popularity of online accounts. If you forgot your password, Microsoft gives you a few options, even if you have a local account.

Here’s how you Recover a Windows password without losing data:

Microsoft Account Recovery

Assuming you signed in with a Microsoft account at the time the Windows 11 laptop was set up, you can use the built-in password recovery tool to reset your password. Hit ‘I forgot my password’ at the login screen and then follow the instructions. You’ll need another device handy as you’ll need to access the Microsoft password reset URL displayed on your screen.

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Follow the instructions on that page to reset the password. You’ll probably need to verify your identity via 2-step verification before doing so.

Once reset, log into Windows with the new credentials to regain access!

Local account

If you’re using a local account i.e. one that isn’t connected online, you can reset the account password by answering the saved security questions. You’d better hope you answered those questions properly the first time when setting up the PC as Windows will expect the exact same answers every time.

Once this is done, you’ll be asked to enter a new password. Use this to log into your account.

Using a second admin account

If your device has a secondary admin account, you can use that to reset the lost account. Search for Compter Management, head to users, select the username with the issue, right-click, and then select Set Password.

Resetting a password is fairly straightforward these days provided you have a good memory and/or a good internet connection. Just remember not to accidentally reset your entire PC as that’s a sure-fire way of losing all your data.