How to Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10


Starting with Windows 10 build 17063, Microsoft added the use of security questions to local accounts in Windows 10.

Security questions will provide an extra layer of protection for your local account in case you forget your password.

Available security questions for local account:

  • What was your first pet's name?
  • What's the name of the city where you were born?
  • What was your childhood nickname?
  • What's the name of the city where your parents met?
  • What's the first name of your oldest cousin?
  • What's the name of the first school you attended?

If you already have a local account, you can add security questions. If you are installing a new PC using a local account, setup will walk you through adding these questions and answers right there in the workflow. Once your security questions are set up, if you find yourself unable to remember your password on the sign-in screen, you will see a link to reset your password, whereupon clicking you’ll be prompted to enter the answers to your security questions.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18237, a new group policy was added for preventing the use of security questions for local accounts. If you enable this policy setting, local users won’t be able to set up and use security questions to reset their passwords at sign in.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the use of security questions for local accounts to reset passwords in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable security questions for local accounts.



Contents

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts using Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts using a REG file



EXAMPLE: Security questions for local accounts enabled and disabled in Windows 10
Enable or Disable Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10-use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts_enabled.jpg Enable or Disable Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10-reset_local_account_password_at_sign-.jpg
Enable or Disable Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10-use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts_disabled.png






OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts using Local Group Policy Editor


The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.


1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Credential User Interface

Enable or Disable Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10-use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts_gpedit-1.jpg

2 In the right pane of Credential User Interface in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Prevent the use of security questions for local accounts policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5 To Enable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.



6 To Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts

A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10-use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts_gpedit-2.png


7 When finished, close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts using a REG file


The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System

NoLocalPasswordResetQuestions DWORD

(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable


1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2 2. To Enable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_Use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts.reg

Download


3 To Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_Use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts.reg

Download


4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink