I Forgot My Windows 7 Password! How Do I Get Back In?

So you forgot your Windows 7 password? Hey, it happens. We're supposed to make very complicated passwords so they're difficult to guess, but sometimes we make them so complicated that we forget them ourselves.

You are not alone, trust us. Fortunately, there are several ways to find that all important Windows 7 login password that has somehow slipped your mind.

Ashley Deleon ©Lifewire

Let's work through the ideas one by one, starting with the easiest:

Use Your Windows 7 Password Reset Disk

Right now is the time to use that Windows 7 password reset disk that you created. Congrats to you for being proactive!

It's likely, however, that most of you don't have a Windows 7 password reset disk either because you didn't know the feature existed or you never thought you'd actually forget your Windows 7 password.

Either way, once you do get in with one of the other ideas below, be sure to come back to that link above and make one right away. This is you learning your lesson right now.

Have an Administrator Change Your Windows 7 Password for You

If there are other people that have accounts on your computer, one of them may be configured with administrator level access. Since those with administrator privileges can manage the passwords of all the users in Windows 7, this person would be able to change your Windows 7 password for you from within his or her account.

Clearly, if you're the only person that has an account on your computer, which is probably the situation for many of you, then this trick isn't going to do you any good.

Try to Guess the Windows 7 Password You Forgot

Hey, don't roll your eyes! You'd be surprised how often this works. Before we jump in to some high-tech password recovery methods, you'd be wise to make educated guesses as to what your Windows 7 password may be.

Since most passwords, even highly complicated ones, are often inspired by the places, people, and things in our personal and professional lives, you might be able to spur your memory with a little effort.

Could your Windows 7 password have had anything to do with:

• A favorite food?
• Your home or office address?
• A frequently dialed telephone number?
• Something from your childhood?
• A favorite number or set of numbers?
• Your name?
• The name of a friend, family member, or pet?
• A loved one's birthday?
• A school location or name?
• A combination of any of the above?

If you need some more help remembering your Windows 7 password, see How to Successfully Guess Your Own Password.

Reset Your Windows 7 Password With This Trick

Believe it or not, there's a way to reset your Windows 7 password with nothing but the tools and software you already have at your disposal. This is a nifty little trick that anyone can pull off. The worst you'll have to do is boot from a disc or flash drive and use Command Prompt a few times.

See How to Reset a Windows 7 Password for a complete tutorial.

Considering the fact that you likely don't really have a password reset disk or a second administrator on your computer, and you probably already have a headache trying to remember what you set your password as, this trick will be the solution for most of you.

Hack Your Windows 7 Account With a Password Recovery Program

If you've tried guessing, there are no other users on your computer, the last trick didn't work for some reason, and you are sure you don't have a Windows 7 password reset disk lying around, then it's time to try something a bit more complicated.

Windows password recovery programs are software tools designed to recover or reset/delete your Windows 7 password. They can sometimes be difficult to use but if you truly have forgotten your Windows 7 password and you can also follow some simple directions, there's an excellent chance that one of these programs will get you back into Windows.

Still Can't Find Your Windows 7 Password?

If you've tried everything above, and that lost Windows 7 password really is lost for good, then you'll need to perform a clean install of Windows 7, a process which will erase everything on your computer.

It's a drastic, and obviously destructive, step but if you want your computer back, you'll need to consider this option if everything else has failed.

What to Do After You Reset Your Password

Forgetting your Windows 7 password, and having to walk through various steps to reset it, definitely isn't fun. So, you'd be wise to take advantage of whatever methods possible to avoid having to reset your Windows 7 password again in the future.

Beyond the password reset disk method mentioned above, you could save your new Windows 7 password in a password manager. So long as you use one with mobile access, you can refer to the password manager app any time you need to remember your Windows 7 password.

Something you can do instead is set up your Windows 7 to automatically log in each time your computer starts. This definitely isn't ideal if security is a concern, because then anyone can get in to your computer, but it does stop you from having to remember your password