How To: Enable local administrator account and reset password – Microsoft Windows

How To: Enable local administrator account and reset password – Microsoft Windows

Pre-requisites:

  1. Must be able to use command prompt and issue required commands
  2. Must be able to restart Microsoft Windows in advanced recovery mode

There are multiple scenarios where a user will come across this issue to enable local administrator account and reset password.

It’s easier to enable and reset local administrator password if you have the hardware in hand or someone who can have a remote call having a video camera option available. Follow under listed instructions to enable and reset password of local administrator. You will have to enable local administrator user as mostly it comes as disabled in newer versions of Windows 10/11.

Scenario #1:

If you are already logged in with a standard user:

Scenario #2:

If you can’t login to Windows but the system is at login screen of Windows 10/11

For both scenarios

Hold Left Shift and press Restart button

Otherwise find a Windows 10/11 bootable USB and boot the system with it to go to advanced troubleshoot option.

Now follow the instructions below:

  • You will be on a windows recovery environment which is a blue screen with options.
  • Press troubleshoot, then advanced options, then finally command prompt.
  • When the command prompt opens, navigate to your root disk which is most likely C: but pls check with dir command.
  • Also type (disk letter): like this C: instead of cd C:
  • then type in these commands and it will work
    • cd windows
    • cd system32
    • copy utilman.exe utilman.exe.bak
    • copy cmd.exe utilman.exe
  • It will ask you to overwrite, select yes because this is not going to do anything harmful. you will have to revert it back when this process of enable and reset administrator process is completed.
  • Restart the computer to return back to Windows 10/11 login screen. Please don’t login rather go to accessibility options and click on it.
  • enable local administrator account and reset password
  • When you click on it, command prompt will open with administrator rights so that you can run under listed commands. The first command will mark the local administrator user as active, and second command will change the password. make sure you replace YOUR-PASSWORD with your desired password before issuing the command.
    • net user administrator /active:yes
    • net user administrator YOUR-PASSWORD

Azhar Ali Buttar has 20 years of experience working in different domains within IT industry. From network protocols to server hardening, he knows about multiple areas and has been working side by side with MNCs to provide cost-effective security and infrastructure solutions. Azhar’s expertise lies in off-site and hybrid infrastructure deployment using multiple platforms which includes, but not limited to, Azure, AWS, Google and Private Clouds. He has also been leading several infrastructure and security teams to deploy and perform security optimization in multiple projects, and now leads Nocastra with his decision-making and client-oriented skills.

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