How to log in to Windows 11/10 if you forgot your password. (FIX "The Password is incorrect")
If you can't log in to your Windows 10/11 PC because of error "The Password is incorrect" or if you've forgotten your password, continue reading below to learn how to regain access to your PC and files.
Not being able to sign in to your Windows 11/10 account due to the "Password is incorrect" error is a common and annoying issue because it prevents you from accessing your files and applications on your computer. The "password is incorrect" error usually occurs due to a typing error, but it can also occur if you've lost or forgotten your account password, due to a corrupted profile or system errors causing problems with the login process.
In this tutorial you will find step-by-step instructions on how to login to your Windows 10/11 computer when you have forgotten your password or when you cannot log in to your account even if you remember and type the correct password.
How to Reset Windows 10/11 Password if you have forgotten it (FIX "The Password is incorrect").
The only way to sign in to a Windows computer if you have forgotten the password, is to reset the current password using the hidden 'Administrator' account as instructed below.
Step 1. Enable Command Prompt on the 'Sign in' Screen.
To be able to log in to Windows 10/11 if you've forgotten your password, you first need to do a little trick: to set the "Accessibility" icon on the 'Sign in' screen to open the Command Prompt. To do that:
1. On the 'Sign -in' screen, click the Power button, then hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and click Restart with your mouse.
2. After restarting,* click Troubleshoot –> Advanced options -> Command Prompt.
* Important Notice: If the computer is protected with BitLocker, then after restarting you'll prompted to type the BitLocker Recovery Key to continue. If you don't know the recovery key and you use a Microsoft account on the device (eg to sign in to Windows, download Apps from the Microsoft Store, get your emails or activate Microsoft Office), then from another device with internet access (eg your smartphone), navigate to one of the following locations to find it:
- Microsoft BitLocker recovery keys webpage and sign in using the Microsoft account you use on the device to find out the recovery key.
- Azure Account if you sign in to the device with an Azure Active Directory (Microsoft/Office 365) account.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands in order (press Enter after typing each command):
- move c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe c:\
- copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe
- exit
4. Now close the Command Prompt window and then click Continue (Exit and Continue to Windows)
5. Then, on the 'Sign in' screen, click the Accessibility icon to the left of the Power button.
6. If you have followed the above instructions correctly, a Command Prompt window will open. Now, depending on the type of account you have (Local or Microsoft), proceed to the corresponding section below:
A. LOCAL ACCOUNT.
If you are using Windows 10/11 with a Local account, follow the steps below to reset your account password:
1. In the command prompt window, type the below command and press Enter.
- control userpasswords2
2. On the 'User Accounts' window, click the Reset Password button to reset the password of your Account.
3. On the 'Reset Password' window, click OK to clear the current password or, type a new password (and hit OK). Then click OK again to apply the change.
4. Close the Command Prompt window and then press Enter on the 'Sign-in' screen if you haven't specified a new password on the previous step, or type the new password and press Enter to login to Windows.
5. After entering Windows proceed to step-2 below to get things back.
B. MICROSOFT ACCOUNT.
If you are using Windows 10/11 with a Microsoft account and you forgotten the password for it, proceed to enable the hidden 'Administrator' account to gain access on the computer and then reset your Microsoft Account password as instructed below:
1. In the command prompt window, type "regedit" and press Enter.
2. In Registry Editor navigate to the following location:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\Domains\Account\Users\000001F4
3. At the right pane, double click to open the F REG_BINARY value.
4. Using the down arrow key or your mouse place the cursor on the line 0038 before the number "11" as shown on the screenshot below.
5. Now press once the delete key to delete the number "11" and then just type 1 to insert the number '10'. Then click OK.
6. Now close the Registry Editor and the Command Prompt windows and then click Turn off your PC.
7. Turn on your PC again and in the 'Sign in' screen click on Administrator account at the bottom left. Then let Windows to create the new profile and set your preferred settings in 'Privacy' questions.
8. After entering Windows, navigate to Reset Microsoft Account Password webpage and follow the onscreen instructions to reset the current password and set a new password for your MS account. Then restart the computer, click on your Microsoft Account in the 'Sign in' screen and login to Windows using the new password.*
9. Finally, proceed to step-2 below to get things back and you're done!
* Note: If you are unable to reset your Microsoft account password or if you are unable to login to Windows with your Microsoft account after changing the password, then you can do the following:
- Create a new local account and set it as the Administrator (Read the instructions on Additional Help section on the end of the article to learn how to create a new account).
- Restart your PC, login to Windows with the new account and transfer all your files from your Microsoft Account profile folder to the new account's profile.
- When done, open Command Prompt as Administrator and give the following command to disable the 'Administrator' account.
- net user administrator /active:no
- Finally, follow the instructions on Step-2 below to restore the function of the 'Accessibility' icon.
Step 2. Disable Command Prompt on the 'Sign in' screen.
After fixing your problem, proceed to disable 'Command Prompt' and restore the "Accessibility" function in the Sign-in screen. To do this:
1. Navigate to your C:\ drive and explore its contents.
2. Cut (or copy) the "utilman.exe" file inside the "C:\Windows\System32" folder. Then choose Yes when prompted to give permissions and you're done!
Additional Help
How to create a local account in Windows 10/11.
To add a new local account with administrative rights in Windows 10/11:
1a. Simultaneously press the Windows 
+ R keys to open the run command box.
1b. Type the following command and press Enter.
- control userpasswords2
2. Click the Add button.
3. At the next screen click on Sign in without Microsoft account (not recommended)
4. Then click Local Account.
5. Now type a username for the new account and click Next to create it without a password. Then click Finish to close the "Add User" wizard.
6. Back to 'User Accounts' window, select the new account and click Properties.
7. In the User Properties window, select the Group Membership tab, select Administrator and then click OK.
That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my Windows 10/11 PC displays 'The Password is incorrect' error?
This error can occur due to a typing mistake or if you've forgotten your password. You can regain access by resetting your password using the hidden 'Administrator' account through Command Prompt.
How do I open Command Prompt on the 'Sign in' screen of Windows 10/11?
On the 'Sign in' screen, click the Power button, hold down the SHIFT key, and click Restart. After the restart, navigate to Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command Prompt.
What steps are required to reset a password for a Local account if I've forgotten it?
Open Command Prompt on the 'Sign in' screen, then type 'control userpasswords2' and press Enter. In the User Accounts window, you can reset your password by clicking the Reset Password button and following the prompts.
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April 22, 2026 @ 10:26 pm
Hi! I got as far as editing the registry, but the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\Domains does not exist. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM is there but it is empty, no Domains. :-(
Any idea? Do I dare to reboot?
April 24, 2026 @ 10:32 am
Ensure that you look at C:\ drive (where also there is the "Users" folder) or try to enable the Administrator account offline by following this guide: How to Enable Administrator Offline
February 26, 2026 @ 11:10 pm
Thank you for clear, helpful, and explicit instructions.
January 29, 2026 @ 12:02 am
It worked for me, Thanks!
November 5, 2025 @ 6:44 am
Did the routine several times, but at the end hitting the accessibility prompt just gets me the accessibility menu. No command prompt. I have fought this problem through the years, but in the past I was somehow able to get in.
Because of this problem I always go and set it up to NEVER ask for a password, but it doesn't seem to matter.
June 11, 2025 @ 5:23 pm
Hello,
I followed the instructions you provided, but when I got to the screen to access the Command Prompt, I was required to select an account. The only account listed is the one I'm trying to reset the password. When I click on that account, the screen asks me for my password. Every option that comes up under Advanced Options asks for my password. So, I can't Restore, or Remove Updates, etc … Any ideas on what I can do next?
Thanks
June 12, 2025 @ 9:59 am
Yes, boot from a Windows USB installation media and at the 1st screen of "Windows Setup" press SHIFT + F10 to open the command prompt. Then follow the instructions in Step-2 of Method-5 to enable the hidden administrator account.
May 22, 2025 @ 11:21 pm
Hello Konstantinos,
I get as far as cmd prompt, but when I try to move the file c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe, I get message "Access is denied"
I am in windows 11 "Safe mode" with command prompt. Using the steps above, I was not able to get access to the file address unless I went into "Safe mode". Using the above steps, I was not able to get permission to move the file and the file did not even appear in the Directory. So, I tried Safe mode, which allowed me to see the file but was not able to move or copy it to the c:\ directory.
Ron
May 26, 2025 @ 3:31 pm
You won't be able to move the file in safe mode. You have to do it from the recovery environment as instructed.
April 26, 2025 @ 6:39 pm
ok i forgot windows password to oen up laptop in the first place. I click any buttin on the keyboarf and all it sayd is "Main User" then an empty box under it that says "password" and, an arrow pointing to the right o the screen. In the bottom right hand corner we have 3 symbols, one holds the restart, shut down and the sleep button, the other button is the ease of access button which holds numerous options such as filter keys, sticky keys, high contrast,magnifier and narrator and finally the last option left there is nothing nut the wifi button and all the available connections i can coneeect upto for the wifi. There is no problem here and it is hooked upto the home network wifi fine but that is it. The hint i gave myself is useless..lol..i have no idea hwast was going through my head at the time i didn this .
Is there any way I can at least back up this laptop before i hard reset it. Resetting it seem to be thonly way im going to be able to get outof this mess. Its been a long time since Ive used this laptop ( Lenovo Thinkpad 11E)..oldie but goodie.. Im just curious as to what I have on it actually and knowing me there will be important stuff.even when i restart the laptop and reset it? I cannot bring up he command option at asll.It continuously ust continues to pen upto the same stupid start up page asking for password. Really hoping you can help as Im positive there is important stuff on this hard drive. Thank you in advance and I look forward to heaing from you.
Kind regards
Rebecca Meharry
April 28, 2025 @ 9:53 am
Follow the instructions. This is the only way to view the contents of the disc.