Admin Password Problems

Phylicia Hubbard 0 Reputation points
2026-09-18T14:38:31.34+00:00

My Mother gave me this laptop but Windows still says she is the administrator on the account. I am trying to download an app for school and it needs her password. Problem is, she doesn't remember her password. I have tried to guess and now it's locked me out of her account. What should I do to have someone help me with password recovery so I can get this fixed?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login
0 comments

1 answer

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. DaveM121 931.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-18T15:18:00.3366667+00:00

    The best option if your mother gave you the laptop and she does not know the password to her Microsoft account would be to reset Windows and choose to delete everything to make that laptop your own, then add the details of your own Microsoft account to the new user that would be created after the reset.

    Please note, this process is like clean installing Windows and all apps and data will be deleted from the laptop.

    Click the power icon on the Login screen.

    Press the Shift Key and click Restart,

    Your laptop will boot into the Windows Recovery Environment

    Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Options - Reset this PC

    Choose to keep nothing.

    Then start the Reset.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.