5 Ways To Change Password Of Users In Windows XP

Chiranjib asked about how to change the passwords of users in Windows XP. I just researched and found out five ways to change the password of users in Windows XP. I’m explaining every way one by one. If you know any other interesting way, please let me know through comments.

Using Ctrl Alt Delete

This is the easiest one in my opinion. If your press Ctrl Alt Del when you are logged onto your Windows XP machine, it will show you the classic security options.

security1
Select change password and change the password of the logged on user.
Note: If the security options does not appear. Task manager shows up instead of the security options. Just go to Start –> Control Panel –> User Accounts –> Change the way Users Log on or off.
Uncheck Use the Welcome Screen. Log off and logon again. Now pressing Ctrl Alt Del will show the security options window.

Using Control Panel

To change your password using Control Panel, go to Start –> Control Panel –> User Accounts
Tip: You can also open control panel by Start –> Run –> control. This will open Control Panel.
Select the user for which you want to change the password and select Change my password.
cp_changePassword
Please note that you may need appropriate privileges to change the password of another user.

Using Command Prompt

To change the password of a user from the command prompt, go to Run –> cmd.
Command prompt will open. Use the following commands to change the password:
net user username password /domain
Replace username with the original username and password with the new password you want to assign to that user. /domain is optional. If you are in a domain environment, specify the domain name otherwise, if you’re using a local user, leave /domain. If I want to change the password of user Sanix to 12345. I will issue the following command at command prompt:
net user Sanix 12345
It will change the password of the user Sanix to 12345. Please note that if you’re not logged on as an administrator, you will get the following error:
“System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied”
cmdChangePassword
If you want to have full usage of the net user command, go to the following Microsoft Article.

Using Control userpasswords2

To use this classic user management, go to Start –> Run –> control userpasswords2
This will open the classic user accounts management window. Select any user and select reset password.
classicUserAccounts

Using Computer Management Console

To use the computer management console to change the passwords of the users, right click My Computer –> Manage –> Local Users And Groups –> Users
Right click the username for which you want to change the password and select Reset Password.
mgmtConsolePwd
If you have any other method of changing the password, please let me know through comments. Thanks.


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Comments

47 responses to “5 Ways To Change Password Of Users In Windows XP”

  1. Natasha

    Easy and simple! Thank you!

    1. JEET

      Easy and simple! Thank you!

  2. Sanix

    Thanks Natasha, have you found any other way other than those mentioned? 🙂

  3. Natasha

    No, I’m just looking forward to the views of professionals 😉

  4. Mitchell

    thank uu so mutch 4 Start –> Run –> control userpasswords2

  5. adnan

    salam:
    your web site is very good .plz told me how to change the password of microsoft office files if we forget .

  6. CHIRANJIB PANDA

    Sanix, all the above tricks are very funny,

  7. william

    gr8 but theres a .bat file you can make to change as well cant remember tho

  8. Sanix

    Everybuddy thanks for the appreciation. If you have any great idea or a question in mind, please don’t hesitate to ask us.
    William, thanks for letting me know I’m searching for that method so that we can collect every method of changing the Windows password here.

  9. Mark

    TechRepublic had a short video presentation on a bit of Linux software that will change the user password, rest and remove if you wish, accounts with forgotten passwords.
    Something like you Install Linux to a Flash drive
    boot PC from USB
    Run the password routine
    set the new password or delete, etc
    come out of program and then flush the command and your done.
    This does not work if the users account is encrypted, so you lose everything by that method.

  10. godwin

    yup gud job man.. u can use tis comand too.. lusrmgr.msc.. then just click and add any users and change pwd too. njoy frnds.. 2day only i joined tis forum. i wil rock u soon..

  11. Shan Khan

    how to use net command to change other domain user password ?

  12. syed

    Dude, if I forget the user name and password of the computer what should i do? or if i forget only the password then how we can find out the password.

  13. Jack pot

    I just done this to my schools library computer! Thx mate!

  14. Mizael Longuini de Morais

    This trick of changing the password by the prompt command help me!

  15. akia

    it didnt help me though man. its pprob cause im on guest account.(cause i dont no admin pass)

  16. Abhishek

    Good article Dude!See also How to change Xp Password
    You can participate in the Best Blogger Award

  17. fong

    but what if i want to change domain user password when the user computer not connected to domain? is there anyway to change it?

  18. Ashish

    Simple and accurate. Best article I came across for password change. Thank you so much!

  19. Linky Wu

    GREAT!
    You could also refer to this great blog–free windows 7 password reset methods.
    Those all are free and very helpful!

  20. kevin

    1rd Method:
    Try following trick which is actually a loophole in Windows XP Setup and a big security hole:
    A. Boot using Windows XP Setup CD and follow the instruction like Accepting EULA, etc.
    B. When it asks to repair your existing Windows installation, accept it and press “R” to run the repair.
    C. Setup will start repairing your Windows and will start copying files, etc.
    D. After a few minutes setup will restart your system and when it restarts don’t press any key when it shows “Press any key to continue…” otherwise Setup will start from the beginning. Don’t press any key and setup will resume where it left.
    E. Now it’ll start doing other tasks and will show a small progressbar with a few details in left side.
    F. Look carefully at the details and when it shows “Installing devices”, press +F10 keys in your keyboard.
    G. It’ll open a Command Prompt window. Now type nusrmgr.cpl and press .
    H. It’ll open the same “User Accounts” window which you see in Control Panel.
    I. Now you can remove or reset any account password without any problem.
    2th Method:
    There are many 3rd party utilities which claim to reset forgotten Windows password:
    The program that I recommend is the Windows Password Key 8.0. It is a very quick and useful utility for resetting passwords. It not only supports XP, 2000, and NT, I have personally tested it with Vista Home Premium and Ultimate. It works perfectly to reset any local user account to a blank password.
    Just an easy to use bootable CD/DVD . It can also be used on a USB Flash Drive. http://sn.im/bypasswindowspassword

  21. Linky Wu

    Thank you!
    it is quite helpful.
    I just found something about windows password reset methods.
    It also support windows 7 password reset
    Those all are free and very helpful!

  22. Zach

    I have personally tested a windows password recovery tool which is named “windows login recovery”. Burn a boot CD with the program, and insert it into the problem computer and your password will be reset to “Blank”, without losing any data and you needn’t reinstall windows OS.
    more info: http://www.windowsloginrecovery.com

  23. bsarmak

    How can i prevent changing my password??(I dont want sb change my password in these ways)…..

  24. dindia

    I ever used a windows password recovery tool to bypass windows xp password ,its easily and safely to use ,not need to reinstall windows OS and with no data losing.you can have a try.

  25. abruly

    If you forgot windows password ,i know a windows password recovery tool which can help you bypass windows password easily,then left the password blank.

  26. abruly

    I know a windows password recovery tool which can help you bypass windows xp password easily,then left the password blank.IF you just forgot windows xp password,try to manage it.

  27. fburlyr

    Forgot windows xp password?Using this windows password recovery tool can easily bypass windows xp password ,just with a few steps.And it can be burnt into a reset disk.

  28. Chris

    Windows password recovery software can change the lost or forgotten windows password.

  29. masood

    thank you.. !!

  30. Annyyu22

    I would like to introduce Windows Password Key 8.0 . it not only supports XP, 2000, and NT, I have personally tested it with Vista Home Premium and Ultimate. It creates a password recovery CD/DVD,USB Flash Drive for home, business and enterprise. It works perfectly to reset your Windows password. You can download it from  http://www.lostwindowspassword.com

  31. Annyyu22

     Windows Password Key 8.0.

  32. himanshu

    Hello,
    Just i want to ask you
    can i change other user (domain) password from command promt??????

  33. PradeeP

    you’re not giving clear response. Sorry to say but a good attempt.

  34. jim

    If you lost windows password. I found a windows password reset tool. you can wrote it to an blank CD or USB flash drive to reset administrator password. Booting up and clearing a password takes a minute or two works like a charm.

  35. Brent Nelson

    I found a windows password reset tool. you can wrote it to an blank CD or DVD to reset administrator password. Booting up and clearing a password takes a minute or two works like a charm.

  36. Nickmannn

    The Windows Password Reset can solve all your problem within a few minutes. Importantly, No need to call a technician, no need to re-install anything, and you certainly don’t need to reformat

  37. jasto wesh

    man!!!! thanks alot this tricks really work!!!!!

  38. Jeremy

    My favorite software is the Windows Password Reset Kit.

  39. rcmichelle

    you can try to google Password Genius

  40. mark

    I would like to introduce Windows Password Recovery Tool 3.0 . it not only supports XP, 2000, and NT, I have personally tested it with Vista Home Premium and Ultimate.

  41. hekmat

    send me emails i can give you the best software just write it on CD and you can remove any user password
    even tho if you don’t have any user account

  42. kokkie20

    thanks, u saved my ass with the control userpassword2 🙂

  43. lynet

    Resetting windows local password is easy but reset domain password is more tricy. I found Windows Password Key Enterprise can help to reset domain admin password and I successfully did it.
    Just google search “Windows Password Key” and you will find the enterprise version

  44. Hldin

    I have lost my server domain password for a while, thanks lynet, I found Windows Password Key Enterprise, it help me to reset my lost domain password to AD123456

  45. AGH

    This is Stupid men I need more professionals try another one men………

  46. karthick

    Type and blo0g our pasword
    this is simple way ( Netuser)