How to I remove and/or reset an administrator password from a standard/local account?

Question

How to I remove and/or reset an administrator password from a standard/local account?

Levon'te Scott 85

I was given this laptop from my late relative who said I could keep it for myself. He already had an account created for me on the laptop with my own password. Everything was fine until I was unable to install certain applications/updates I needed without an administrator password; later on I found out it was because my account was a local account and not an administrator account. I tried researching ways I could remove or reset the password of the administrator account from my local account (I’ve tried changing the password, logging in and enabling the built-in administrator, deleting the administrator account, etc), unfortunately I was unable to since every attempt lead to my computer telling me that my access was denied. I need help because there are certain applications and updates I absolutely need for my computer that I’m unable to install without access.

LIN, Zihan 40 Reputation points

2024-08-01T20:55:04.6033333+00:00
All these answers are appropriate but if you are insanely desperate try this

I think. It's worth a try. Cause it worked for me.

Hold Left Shift and press Restart button.

Let it do it's stuff.

You will be on a windows recovery environment which is a blue screen with options.

Press troubleshoot, then advanced options, then finally command prompt.

When the command prompt opens, navigate to your root disk which is most likely C: but pls check with dir command.

Also type (diskletter): like this C: instead of cd C:

then type in these commands and it will work

cd windows

cd system32

copy utilman.exe utilmanbackup.exe

copy cmd.exe utilman.exe

Then it will ask to overwrite, select yes because this is not going to do anything harmful. I'll later explain.

Then return to windows login screen, there will look like there was no difference, but don't login yet instead press the accessibility button (that button with a human) if you did the steps correct, then a command prompt will pop up. This command prompt has admin access without needing a password. Then go ahead and type in

net user administrator NewPassword

Like Azar stated replace NewPassword with desired password.

Now I'll explain. The accessibility button has assets and those assets are stored in a file called utilman.exe without utilman.exe the accessibility button will not work, but you can always replace the utilman.exe with something else. Like cmd.exe which will open command prompt so when you click the button, the button thinks the cmd.exe is utilman.exe so it will forcefully open cmd.exe which will then pop up as 'admin' because it did not have any other choices. So there you go. A nice and simple way to get your password back.

P.S. You don't have to read all of this. This is nothing crucial, just some explaining. :)
Susan Thiari 0 Reputation points

2024-10-08T07:14:51.2166667+00:00

Thanks,it worked
gmak 0 Reputation points

2024-10-14T15:52:44.9466667+00:00

so because my pc was from germany many stuff is in german can you help?
jlalbrecht 1 Reputation point

2024-10-27T10:53:58.7+00:00

gmak - You can use the same commands with a German Windows install. I'm in Austria with German Windows and it worked fine for me
jlalbrecht 1 Reputation point

2024-10-27T10:57:54.02+00:00

LIN, Zihan - how do I rename utilmanbackup.exe back to utilman.exe?

Windows says I do not have the privileges to do so (even though I'm logged in as Administrator). I tried setting the owner of system32 to Administrator. This changed the error message from saying only "TrustedInstaller" could make the change to only "Administrator" (i.e. "me") could delete or rename Utilman.exe. I get an "access denied" error (Zugriff verweigert") in German.
dusty hausken 0 Reputation points

2024-11-15T04:52:55.21+00:00

i tried it did not work for me
fabian hachur 10 Reputation points

2024-11-15T19:35:57.9233333+00:00

@jlalbrecht follow steps 1-6 from @zihanlin-7753 then type:

cd windows

cd system32

del utilman.exe

copy utilmanbackup.exe utilman.exe

upvote if it helps
Rishabh Sharma 0 Reputation points

2024-11-26T15:55:02.9666667+00:00

Thanks a lot man!!!
Marina White 0 Reputation points

2025-01-11T13:18:11.2966667+00:00

I can’t complete the first step of C:

when I get into safe mode cmd I see c:\windows\system 32 and everything says access denied. Any ideas?
jlalbrecht 1 Reputation point

2025-01-11T15:46:58.0633333+00:00

@Fabian Hachur does not work. I cannot delete utilman.exe
Seb the guy that outsmarted IT 0 Reputation points

2025-02-23T02:40:55.1633333+00:00
Easy mend.

settings

update

recovery

advanced

advanced boot menu

restart

troubleshooting

reset PC

don't save data

local reset

that should do the trick. it even works on my school laptop. please try it
Nico kier 0 Reputation points

2025-06-26T18:46:09.1+00:00

I tried the first option and my pc just shut off
Big Nic Energee 0 Reputation points

2025-06-30T21:31:01.3+00:00

So my ex-boyfriend decided to change the passwords on ALL my devices before leaving me for someone else. He also stole a bunch of my belongings, but I digress. I followed the advice and after pressing command prompt it brought me to a blue screen that makes me select an account to continue. Once I press on the account in question it then asks me to enter the password which of course I don't have.

Any thoughts? Thank you in advance for any and all suggestions. Every failed attempt to get in is just another painful reminder of him and his betrayal.
Kurtis Byrne 0 Reputation points

2025-07-30T01:18:07.29+00:00

The command prompt screen is telling me sign in the one of the users, which I obviously can’t as I don’t know the passwords
Kurtis Byrne 0 Reputation points

2025-07-30T01:20:04.5666667+00:00

This doesn’t work if your not signed in
Taufique 0 Reputation points

2025-09-30T06:28:05.3433333+00:00

I cannot go to command prompt without admin password
Powell Nelson 0 Reputation points

2025-10-08T00:47:03.9033333+00:00

where is the restart button on my keyboard (please insert picture with a circle around it)

6 answers

Your answer

LIN, Zihan 40 Reputation points

2024-08-01T20:55:04.6033333+00:00

All these answers are appropriate but if you are insanely desperate try this

I think. It's worth a try. Cause it worked for me.

Hold Left Shift and press Restart button.

Let it do it's stuff.

You will be on a windows recovery environment which is a blue screen with options.

Press troubleshoot, then advanced options, then finally command prompt.

When the command prompt opens, navigate to your root disk which is most likely C: but pls check with dir command.

Also type (diskletter): like this C: instead of cd C:

then type in these commands and it will work

cd windows

cd system32

copy utilman.exe utilmanbackup.exe

copy cmd.exe utilman.exe

Then it will ask to overwrite, select yes because this is not going to do anything harmful. I'll later explain.

Then return to windows login screen, there will look like there was no difference, but don't login yet instead press the accessibility button (that button with a human) if you did the steps correct, then a command prompt will pop up. This command prompt has admin access without needing a password. Then go ahead and type in

net user administrator NewPassword

Like Azar stated replace NewPassword with desired password.

Now I'll explain. The accessibility button has assets and those assets are stored in a file called utilman.exe without utilman.exe the accessibility button will not work, but you can always replace the utilman.exe with something else. Like cmd.exe which will open command prompt so when you click the button, the button thinks the cmd.exe is utilman.exe so it will forcefully open cmd.exe which will then pop up as 'admin' because it did not have any other choices. So there you go. A nice and simple way to get your password back.

P.S. You don't have to read all of this. This is nothing crucial, just some explaining. :)
Susan Thiari 0 Reputation points

2024-10-08T07:14:51.2166667+00:00

Thanks,it worked
gmak 0 Reputation points

2024-10-14T15:52:44.9466667+00:00

so because my pc was from germany many stuff is in german can you help?
jlalbrecht 1 Reputation point

2024-10-27T10:53:58.7+00:00

gmak - You can use the same commands with a German Windows install. I'm in Austria with German Windows and it worked fine for me
jlalbrecht 1 Reputation point

2024-10-27T10:57:54.02+00:00

LIN, Zihan - how do I rename utilmanbackup.exe back to utilman.exe?

Windows says I do not have the privileges to do so (even though I'm logged in as Administrator). I tried setting the owner of system32 to Administrator. This changed the error message from saying only "TrustedInstaller" could make the change to only "Administrator" (i.e. "me") could delete or rename Utilman.exe. I get an "access denied" error (Zugriff verweigert") in German.
dusty hausken 0 Reputation points

2024-11-15T04:52:55.21+00:00

i tried it did not work for me
fabian hachur 10 Reputation points

2024-11-15T19:35:57.9233333+00:00

@jlalbrecht follow steps 1-6 from @zihanlin-7753 then type:

cd windows

cd system32

del utilman.exe

copy utilmanbackup.exe utilman.exe

upvote if it helps
Rishabh Sharma 0 Reputation points

2024-11-26T15:55:02.9666667+00:00

Thanks a lot man!!!
Marina White 0 Reputation points

2025-01-11T13:18:11.2966667+00:00

I can’t complete the first step of C:

when I get into safe mode cmd I see c:\windows\system 32 and everything says access denied. Any ideas?
jlalbrecht 1 Reputation point

2025-01-11T15:46:58.0633333+00:00

@Fabian Hachur does not work. I cannot delete utilman.exe
Seb the guy that outsmarted IT 0 Reputation points

2025-02-23T02:40:55.1633333+00:00

Easy mend.

settings

update

recovery

advanced

advanced boot menu

restart

troubleshooting

reset PC

don't save data

local reset

that should do the trick. it even works on my school laptop. please try it
Nico kier 0 Reputation points

2025-06-26T18:46:09.1+00:00

I tried the first option and my pc just shut off
Big Nic Energee 0 Reputation points

2025-06-30T21:31:01.3+00:00

So my ex-boyfriend decided to change the passwords on ALL my devices before leaving me for someone else. He also stole a bunch of my belongings, but I digress. I followed the advice and after pressing command prompt it brought me to a blue screen that makes me select an account to continue. Once I press on the account in question it then asks me to enter the password which of course I don't have.

Any thoughts? Thank you in advance for any and all suggestions. Every failed attempt to get in is just another painful reminder of him and his betrayal.
Kurtis Byrne 0 Reputation points

2025-07-30T01:18:07.29+00:00

The command prompt screen is telling me sign in the one of the users, which I obviously can’t as I don’t know the passwords
Kurtis Byrne 0 Reputation points

2025-07-30T01:20:04.5666667+00:00

This doesn’t work if your not signed in
Taufique 0 Reputation points

2025-09-30T06:28:05.3433333+00:00

I cannot go to command prompt without admin password
Powell Nelson 0 Reputation points

2025-10-08T00:47:03.9033333+00:00

where is the restart button on my keyboard (please insert picture with a circle around it)

Answer 1

Azar 30,345 MVP Volunteer Moderator

Hey there
Levon'te Scott To reset it, you can try booting into Safe Mode and change things through Command Prompt. Once you're in Safe Mode, log in using the built-in admin account (if it doesn't have a password, even better). Now, let's open Command Prompt with admin privileges. Right-click on the Start button and choose "Command Prompt (Admin)." Then, use this nifty command:

net user administrator NewPassword

Replace "NewPassword" with your desired password. Give it a shot, reboot your laptop, and then log in with the administrator account using the new password. Fingers crossed this does the trick . If this helps kindly accept the answer thanks much.

Azar 30,345 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2024-01-16T13:00:03.5333333+00:00

Hey there, checking if this helped you, if it did kindly accept the answer thanks much.
Azar 30,345 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2024-01-18T11:52:53.32+00:00

Hi I hope the information provided has been helpful to you! If so, please accept the answer by clicking the Accept Answer or Upvote on the post. We value your feedback, and it will help to assist others who might have a similar query. Thank you for your contribution in enhancing Microsoft Q&A!
Logan Fredrick-Pond 0 Reputation points

2024-07-28T05:03:08.4166667+00:00

This doesn't reset the computer at all right?
LIN, Zihan 40 Reputation points

2024-08-01T20:58:10.38+00:00

Yes it does not. You require admin rights to open a command prompt with admin privileges. Without the password, you cannot open a cmd with admin. Therefore, it has a fatal flaw. But nice try :)
DKolu 0 Reputation points

2024-08-28T22:02:51.4066667+00:00

hey lin and AZAR. i followed all these steps but it didnt work. im trynna get access to reg editor on my school device but its not even when i put the new password

Answer 2

Hello, Thank you for posting in Q&A forum. Please try below steps and see if it help:

If you are using Microsoft Account and logged into Windows Client, please try resetting the Microsoft account password online via below link: https://account.live.com/password/reset
Enable built-in Administrator account

Restart your computer and press F8 key repeatedly until you see the Advanced Boot Options menu.
Click "Safe Mode with Command Prompt."
In the Command Prompt window, type net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter.
Restart the computer and log in as the administrator.
Change your account to an administrator account.
Log in with your account and now you already have adminstrator permission.

REF: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/enable-and-disable-the-built-in-administrator-account?view=windows-11 3. If all else fails, please considering reinstalling operating system. Before that please remember backup all personal data for safety. Best Regards, Hania Lian

If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it

Answer 3

Jesse Rumsby 5

I've been through 50 different topics on this and every one of them has been absolutely wasted time and I'm starting get pissed off ... when I power the laptop on tells me to enter pin but something happened and isn't available click to set up pin again when I click set up my PIN it tries to load a Microsoft page and then closes ..... when I click on the world picture for the internet there is nothing but the airplane picture that I can't click on. I don't even know why this is happened I brought the laptop two days ago and just tainted on today and worst of all I can't even get a refund after I paid 800 for this piece of s*** please help me before I throw this in the bath

Michael Chinecherem 0 Reputation points

2025-10-10T20:24:18.9266667+00:00

How to hack admin device

Answer 4

Ahmed Naseeb 0

it does not work because i do not have access to c drive as the windows file are in c drive and that is locked as well

Kurtis Byrne 0 Reputation points

2025-07-30T01:19:29.32+00:00

Same lol

Answer 5

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How to I remove and/or reset an administrator password from a standard/local account?

6 answers

Your answer