Change password hint to reset your Windows 7 password
The easiest way to recover access to Windows 7 if your forget your user account password is to use the password hint you have added when you (or another person using that same computer) initially created your profile. If you have not added yourself a password hint, you need to either add one manually, or change the password hint, which we'll show you how to do in this tutorial. If you have already gone through changing your Windows 7 password, you will be familiar with the procedure, since both operations are done from the same page inside the Control Panel.
Choose and pick another password hint for your Windows 7 user account
Follow these simple steps to access your password settings and change password hint:
- Once you are logged in to your Windows profile (ideally the one for which you want to pick another password hint), click on the start menu, and type "change password" inside the search field (don't type something like "change password hint", as Windows 7 won't show results from the Control Panel). Then, click on "Change your Windows password":
- Windows 7 will open the Control Panel, with the appropriate screen automatically displayed; you cannot directly click to change your password hint; instead, click on the "Change your password" link to load another page that lets you change everything "password-related".
- On the "Change your password" screen, you will see several fields; unfortunately, Windows 7 doesn't let you change your password hint without changing your password; but fortunately, Windows 7 does let you "change your password" by re-entering the current one. In other words, since you don't want to change your password, enter the current one inside the "Current Password" field, but also inside the next two text fields.
- Now that you have satisfied Windows' requirements for that screen, you can finally change your password hint; simply enter a new secret question or tip that will allow you (and only you!) to remember your password if you forget what it is: the password hint can be a single word, numbers, or a short sentence that will trigger your memory.
- Windows 7 displays the following warning below the password hint field: "The password hint will be visible to everyone who uses this computer". What Windows is trying to tell you is that if you are sharing your PC with other users, each of you likely has their own user account (Windows profile), which they access from the Windows 7 logon screen, that lists all users currently setup for this particular computer. And anyone who tries to log into your user account and requests the password hint will be able to see it - this is why Windows 7 is trying to warn you, since you want to avoid any hint that would allow other users to guess your password!
Once you have changed your password hint for Windows 7, click on the "Change password" button: remember, we entered the same current password everywhere, all we changed was actually the password hint, but the Control Panel will save all that information together.
Windows 7 Tip: whenever you get to the password screen for your user account / profile, the password hint text field will be blank, but this does not mean that Windows 7 has not saved it. If you change your password, be sure to update your password hint as well, or it will be blank (no password hint, in other words).
Reset Change Windows 7 Password is not affiliated with Microsoft; Windows 7, the Windows logo, and other Windows-related brands mentioned on this site are registered trademarks of Microsoft and/or other companies. Always use best judgment when changing Windows 7 password and other credentials or security settings on your computer, laptop, or PC. Information on change your Windows 7 password is provided "as is", without warranties of any kind. Keep your Windows 7 passwords safe and never share them.