How To Create and Use a Password Reset Disk or USB In Windows 8 or 10
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image56.png)
Forgetting your password can be very frustrating, however this situation could be completely alleviated if you always had a password reset disk handy. Lets see how we can create one in Windows 8 or Windows 10.
Note: This will only work for local user accounts, if you chose to sign in with a Live ID, you will have to reset your password using an alternative method.
Creating a Password Reset Disk
If you are using Windows 8 or 10, you’ll need to open the old Control Panel using the search, and then drill down into User Accounts.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image29.png)
Alternatively you can use the search from the Start Menu or Start Screen to find User Accounts.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image28.png)
This will take you to the User Accounts section of the old control panel that we showed earlier. Here, you can select the link to “Create a password reset disk”.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image29.png)
You will be greeted with a Wizard, make sure that your USB is inserted before clicking next.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image30.png)
Now you can select the USB that you want to create the password key on, then click next.
![sshot-1 sshot-1](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sshot-1.png)
You will then be asked for your current Windows password.
![sshot-2 sshot-2](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sshot-2.png)
That’s all there is to creating a a reset disk, since anyone could use this to gain access to you machine you will need to store it in a safe place.
![sshot-4 sshot-4](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sshot-41.png)
Resetting Your Password
Once you have a password reset disk, you can use it easily the next time you forget your password… once you’ve typed the wrong password Windows 8 or 10 will show a “Reset password” link below the login box.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image51.png)
At this point you should have your USB already plugged in, so go ahead and hit the Reset password button, this will kick off a wizard, click next to continue.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image52.png)
You’ll want to pick the right disk if you have more than one.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image53.png)
Now you will need to type a new password, and of course a new hint for your password.![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image54.png)
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image54.png)
That’s all there is to it.
![image image](https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/image55.png)
Now you can store the USB key somewhere safe, so that next time you forget your password you have it handy.
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