How to Break Windows 10/8/7 Password in Command Prompt or Without Software

Wondering how to break Windows 10 password with methods that also work for Windows 8 and Windows 7? Using built-in utilities require slightly different approaches depending on the Windows version, but if you have the right software application for the job, you can break or reset Windows password easily and quickly for any Windows version.

In this article, we'll show you three ways to break a Windows 10 password, including how to enter Windows 10 safe mode to reset the password, how to use a reliable software to break your Windows 10 password and how to use Command Prompt to change a Windows 10 password. These methods also work for Windows 7 and later versions, and the software showcased here can even crack Windows password for XP and Vista.

Method 1: How to Break Windows 10 Password in Safe Mode

This method uses something called Safe Mode that's been built into Windows 10 and older versions to help with troubleshooting. Fortunately, you can also utilize it to reset a Windows 10 password from within the system. The method of how to enter Windows 10 safe mode is slightly different from the older Win7 and Win8/8.1, but the logic for the process is pretty much the same. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: At the login screen, hold down the Shift key and click on Power > Restart.

Step 2: You'll be shown a screen with several options. Click on Troubleshoot, then go to Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

Step 3: On rebooting, you'll see several options. Click either 4 or F4 to enter safe mode in Windows 10.

The process of how to enter Windows 7 safe mode is slightly different. When you restart your PC, press and hold the F8 key until you see the Advanced Options window. Here, select Safe Mode with your up/down arrow keys and hit Enter.

Step 4: You will now see a new Administrator account on the login screen. Click on that, and then open Command Prompt and execute the following command:

net user [user] [new password]

This command defines a new password for the user account in question, so what you just did was successfully break the Windows 10 password. This also works to reset Windows 7 password and Windows 8 password, except for the difference in how you access Safe Mode.

Method 2: Break Windows 10/8/7/XP Password with Windows Password Recovery Software

WinPWD offers an award-winning password recovery software that will reset any Windows password for all the recent versions of Windows from XP and Vista to Windows 7 to Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10. Your load is lightened because of several things: First, you can crack Windows 10 password for any local, Server or Microsoft account, including admin; second, you don't need any technical expertise because the software automatically creates a password reset disk to break Windows 10 password or any other Windows version; third, this one tool is enough for the job - no command line work, no additional software, no need to worry about ISO files and so on.

If that doesn't convince you, how about the fact that WinPWD has been downloaded millions of times by Windows users worldwide. The fact that it has been extensively tested on multiple Windows versions and dozens of the world's top PC brands like HP, Asus, Lenovo, Acer, etc. means a bug-free experience for you, along with quick results.

Step 1: Install Password Recovery Software to Break Windows 10 Password

Download the latest version from the official website and follow the instructions in the installation wizard to get it set up. If your PC is locked, then this and the next step need to be executed on a secondary PC with admin rights.

Step 2: Make the Password Reset Disk

Now insert a storage medium like a USB flash drive or writeable DVD/CD and launch PassMoz. You will see an option to "Burn" next to the storage medium you chose. Click on that to create your Windows password reset disk.

Step 3: Remove Windows 10 Password after Booting from Reset Disk

Remove the disk or drive from the second PC and put it in your locked machine. When booting up, hit F2 to enter the Setup menu and change the boot order. Continue with the boot.

When you see the PassMoz interface, select the Windows version and the user account that you want to break Windows 10 password for. Click on "Reset Password" to add a new password and then on "Reboot" to start your PC after removing the boot disk.

 

You will now be able to access the specified user account without a password. This is the recommended way of unlocking a Windows 10 password, and we saw that it even works on older Win versions. The next method is to use elevated Command Prompt to break Windows 10 password.

 

 

Method 3: Break Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista Password in Command Prompt

This method requires a Windows 10 installation disk or an appropriate equivalent for whatever Windows version you're using. You won't actually reinstall Windows, but you require the disk to access the elevated Command Prompt in order to bypass the Windows password. The steps are easy, but follow them carefully if you're not familiar with this process.

Step 1: Start your locked PC from the installation disk. You can do this by hitting F2 (laptop) or Del (desktop) during the boot. This takes you to the BIOS Setup menu, where you can change the boot priority.

Step 2: Once it boots up, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.

move d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe.bak
copy d:\windows\system32\cmd.exe d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe

Execute one command at a time, pressing Enter after each.

Step 3: Now reboot your PC with this command:

wpeutil reboot

Step 4: On the login page, click on the Utility Manager icon. This will open Command Prompt since the .exe files were replaced.

Step 5: In Command Prompt, execute the following command:

net user [user] [new password]

This command will effectively break the Windows 10 password and replace it with a new one created by you.

All three methods described above to break Windows 10 password will also work with Windows 7 and Windows 8. However, we recommend method 2 because it doesn't require any technical knowledge. The other methods could go wrong if you haven't done command line work before or you don't know how to create a Windows 10 installation disk. With WinPWD Password Reset tool, you know that the recovery rate for Windows 10 passwords is over 95%, and in just a few minutes and no other tools, you can break Windows 10 password or any other Windows password.

[Update on Mar 2020] According to our user feedback, another great tool for breaking Windows password is iSeePassword Windows Password Recovery. If the above suggestions failed at the same time, you can give a try on this new recommendation.