To change your Windows password from inside the system, use Settings, the Windows Security screen, or an elevated local-account command. The change normally takes two to five minutes, and you can confirm it immediately by locking the session and signing in again.
Prerequisites
- Windows 10, Windows 11, or a Windows Server installation with an interactive desktop. Menu names can vary slightly between releases.
- An active sign-in to the account whose password you want to change. You need the current password for a normal change; an administrator is needed to reset another local account.
- If you are connected remotely, an RDP session to the server and permission to sign in again after the change.
- No special RAM, disk space, or domain is required for a local account. Domain and Microsoft accounts can apply additional password rules.
- A Windows RDP VPS from VPSLake if you need a remote Windows desktop to manage.
Step 1: Open the password-change screen
Windows treats the local console and an RDP session differently, so start with the shortcut that matches your connection.
If you are sitting at the computer, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and select Change a password. If you are inside a Remote Desktop session, press Ctrl+Alt+End instead; this sends the secure attention sequence to the remote Windows session rather than to your own computer. Microsoft documents Ctrl+Alt+End as the RDP equivalent of Ctrl+Alt+Delete in its Remote Desktop shortcut reference.
Select Change a password, enter the current password, type the new password twice, and submit the form. A successful change returns you to the Windows Security screen or sign-in session without displaying the password.
Use a different passphrase from the one used for your email, hosting account, or other server. A long, unique phrase is generally easier to manage safely than a short word with a few symbols added.
Step 2: Change it in Settings
The Settings app is the clearest method when you are already signed in and can see the Windows desktop.
Open Start → Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options. Under Password, select Change. On some Windows Server builds, open Control Panel → User Accounts → Change your password if the Settings page does not expose the password section.
Enter the current password when prompted, then enter and confirm the new password. The password hint is optional; do not put the password itself or an obvious part of it in the hint.
For a local account, this changes the credential stored on that computer. For a Microsoft account, Windows may open an online verification flow and the new password can affect other Microsoft services. For a domain account, the domain controller and its policy decide whether the change is accepted.
Microsoft’s local account password guidance covers the same Settings path and explains how local-account recovery differs from a normal change.
Step 3: Use the local-account command fallback
The command-line method is useful when the Settings interface is unavailable, but it applies to local accounts and requires an administrator command window.
Open Start, search for Windows Terminal, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. Choose a Command Prompt tab and run the command below, replacing YOUR_USERNAME with the local account name:
net user YOUR_USERNAME *The asterisk makes Windows ask for the new password without displaying it on screen. Type the new password when prompted, type it again to confirm, and expect this message:
The command completed successfully.This administrative command resets the selected local account rather than checking its old password first. Do not place the password directly in the command, because a visible password can be exposed through command history, screen sharing, or process inspection. If the account is a domain account, use the Windows Security or Settings method and follow the domain administrator’s policy instead.
Verify the new Windows password
Verification should use a fresh sign-in, not just the success message from Settings.
- Save your work, press
Windows key + L, and select the same account on the lock screen. - Sign in with the new password. If the sign-in succeeds, the local or domain credential is working.
- If you manage the computer over RDP, disconnect the session and reconnect with the new credential. A saved RDP credential can continue sending the old password even after Windows accepted the change.
For a local account, the username can be entered as .\YOUR_USERNAME to make clear that Windows should authenticate against the current computer. For a domain account, use DOMAIN\YOUR_USERNAME or the username format provided by the domain administrator.
Troubleshooting
“Change a password” is missing
You may be using a Windows Hello PIN, a Microsoft account, a passwordless policy, or an account managed by an organization. Open Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options and expand Password; if it is not available, use the account provider’s password-management page or ask the domain administrator. In an RDP session, make sure you used Ctrl+Alt+End, not Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your local computer.
“The password does not meet the password policy requirements”
The new password violates a local security policy or a domain rule such as minimum length, complexity, password history, or minimum password age. Use a longer, unique passphrase that has not been used recently; if the message continues, ask the administrator for the exact policy because a local change cannot override a domain requirement.
“Access is denied” or net user cannot find the account
The terminal may not be elevated, or the username may belong to a domain rather than the local computer. Reopen Windows Terminal with Run as administrator, confirm the account name, and use Settings or the RDP security screen for domain credentials. To list local accounts before using the command, run net user by itself in the elevated window.
RDP still rejects the old password
The remote desktop client may have cached the previous credential. Close the RDP session, open Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials, remove the saved entry for the server, and reconnect with the new password. Also check whether the account is locked, expired, or being entered with the wrong local/domain prefix.
Hardening after the change
- Store the new credential in a reputable password manager rather than in a text file or browser note.
- Remove old RDP credentials from every computer that connected to the server, especially shared or temporary workstations.
- Keep RDP restricted to trusted source addresses or a VPN where possible, and enable multi-factor authentication at the access layer when your environment supports it.
- If this is a local account, create a recovery option before you forget the password and keep it in a secure place.
FAQ
Can I change a Windows password while connected over RDP?
Yes. Press Ctrl+Alt+End inside the RDP window and choose Change a password. The normal Ctrl+Alt+Delete combination is usually captured by your own computer, which is why the RDP-specific shortcut is needed.
What is the difference between changing and resetting a password?
A change normally verifies the current password before accepting a new one. An administrator can reset a local account with net user, or through Computer Management → Local Users and Groups → Users, without knowing the old password; domain administrators have separate directory tools and policies.
Will changing my Windows password change my RDP username?
No. The username stays the same; only the credential used to authenticate changes. You may need to replace a saved password in the RDP client or Windows Credential Manager.
Can I change the password if I forgot the current one?
Not through the normal change screen, because it is designed to prove that you already control the account. For a local account, another administrator can reset it; for a Microsoft or domain account, use the account provider’s recovery process or contact the administrator.
