How to Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10


Using a strong password is among the most important steps you can take to protect your computer from hackers and other unwelcome users.

If you have a local account on the PC, then your Windows password is what you use to sign in to your user account in Windows on the PC.

If you have a Microsoft account, then your password is what you use to sign in to online Microsoft services and Windows on PCs and devices that you use the same Microsoft account on.

When you create a password to sign in to Windows, you can create a hint to help you remember it. If you've already created a password, you'll need to change it in order to create a password hint. If your PC is on a domain, you can't create a password hint.

This tutorial will show you different ways to add a password to your or any local account in Windows 10.

You must add a password before you can use the other sign-on options (ex: PIN, face, fingerprint, picture password).



Contents

  • Option One: To Add Password to your Local Account in Settings app
  • Option Two: To Add Password to any Local Account in Control Panel
  • Option Three: To Add Password to any Local Account in Command Prompt






OPTION ONE

To Add Password to your Local Account in Settings app


1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.

2 Click/tap on Sign-in options on the left side, click/tap on Password under Sign-in options on the right side, and click/tap on the Add button. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_settings-1.png

3 Type a New password, type the password again to Confirm password, type a Password hint, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_settings-2.png

4 Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_settings-3.png

5 If you would like to add security questions to be able to use to reset your password on the Sign-in screen if needed, click/tap on the Update your security questions link. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_settings-4.png

6 You can now close Settings if you like.






OPTION TWO

To Add Password to any Local Account in Control Panel


You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.


1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.

2 Click/tap on the Manage another account link. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_control_panel-1.png

3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

4 Click/tap on a local account (ex: Brink2) that you want to change or remove the password of. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_control_panel-2.png

5 Click/tap on Create a password. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_control_panel-3.png

6 Type in a new password and password hint, and click/tap on Create password. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_control_panel-4.png

7 You can close the "Change an Account" Control Panel if you like.

8 Be sure to remember to let the local account know their new password.






OPTION THREE

To Add Password to any Local Account in Command Prompt


You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.


1 Open an elevated command prompt.

2 To see a list of names for user accounts on the PC, type net users in the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_command-1.png

3 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

net user "UserName" "Password"

Substitute UserName in the command above with the actual user name of the local account within quotes from step 2 above that you want to add a password to.

Substitute Password in the command above with the actual password within quotes you want to add for the local account.

Add Password to Local Account in Windows 10-add_password_command-2.png

4 When finished, you can close the elevated command prompt if you like.

5 Be sure to remember to let the local account know their new password.


That's it,
Shawn