From the course: Help Yourself: Tech Tips Weekly

Dealing with a bad sign-in

From the course: Help Yourself: Tech Tips Weekly

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Dealing with a bad sign-in

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- [Host] I can't help you if you've forgotten your Windows sign in before watching this movie, but before it happens in the future, you can take a few proactive steps. What you can do depends on how you sign in to Windows 10. You can sign in by using your Windows account, by using a local account, or by using a biometric device such as a fingerprint reader. Each of these authentication methods has a different fail safe, but one you must set right away. In fact, immediately after creating the sign-in method, if you lose your Windows account password, ensure that your account name appears on the sign-in screen. Choose I forgot my password, and follow the steps as presented. After completing the steps, you'll have the instructions to reset your password. If you have a local account, you can try using the password hint displayed on this screen so you type in the wrong password and there's the password hint. If the hint doesn't help, you can choose to reset the password and answer the security questions presented to choose a new password. To add password hints for a local account, open the settings app, press the windows and I keyboard shortcut. Choose accounts, sign in options, click the change button to reset a local account password. Type your current password, and on the next screen you see where you can type in the password as well as a box to type in a password hint. I don't need to reset the password here, so I'm going to go ahead and back out. Click the link, update your security questions to modify the security questions to confirm your local account. For a biometric device, a security pin is required as secondary authentication. And if you forget that pin, choose sign in options at the sign in screen, and you can choose to reset your password as described earlier in the movie. Finally, if you just can't recover the password, your remaining option is to reset the PC, removing all your files, programs, and personal information, and start over with initial configuration of Windows 10. Yes, this is a drastic step, which is why it's important to remember your password. If you can't, then write it down in a non-obvious location so that you won't forget it again in the future.

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