Cannot change log-in password on PC

[seahermit]

Just wondering if anyone can shed light on a strange glitch - getting slightly desperate, not because it matters that much but because it's very irritating and nobody else seems to know the answer!

I have a year-old Acer desktop PC with Windows 10 and, when I set up the PC, I of course opened an Administrator account and opted to log-in with a MS account rather than a local account (and I haven't opened any User accounts). I used the same password both to log-in and to access my MS account, Outlook email etc. I can't remember whether I had to set up the log-in password separately or whether it was automatically linked with the MS password.

The other day I changed my password for MS, email etc. and I was expecting the log-in password to change too - didn't happen, the computer still demands my old password when I start it up. I have searched all the PC settings and scoured the internet, nobody seems to know a setting/menu which changes the log-in password. However, problems with the clunky MS systems appear to be quite common and I now recall that several Windows updates have been sent to my PC recently - I didn't have any problems resetting passwords before then. Perhaps the setting I am looking for has been discreetly squirelled away by MS?!

I am the only one using the PC currently but I suppose that, if anyone did want to play with it, a separate log-in password is more secure than using my MS/email one - but not what I want!

[Richard]

As long as you still know your login password:

How to change login password in Windows 10?
To Change / Set a Password

Click the Start button at the bottom left of your screen.
Click Settings from the list to the left.
Select Accounts.
Select Sign-in options from the menu.
Click on Change under Change your account password.

[seahermit]

I know that procedure, Richard, and of course I used that a few days ago to change the password for my MS account. What is strange is that the password for logging-in on the PC (when I first switch on and get the very nice Windows picture across the screen) hasn''t been changed - the PC still demands my old password and there seems to be no menu to change that one.

There must be a way - I'll keep researching.

[Richard]

You can hit ctrl/alt/del and select 'change password'
If you want to remove it then just leave the new password box blank.

[seahermit]

Thanks Richard but hitting CTRL/ALT/DEL only brings up the following options:

Lock
Switch user (but I am the only user)
Sign out
Task Manager (brings up Task Manager + Internet Explorer - but you can't actually click on either of those options!)

No option for passwords

[Richard]

MJ,

re- the ctrl/alt del not giving the change password option.
Try signing in with a local account (Settings:Accounts:sign in with a local account) instead of a Microsoft account to bring back the change password option on the ctrl-alt-del screen.

I'm sure Morecambe & Wise could have made a good joke about all this sort of stuff.
"I'm playing all the right notes - but not necessarily in the right order.

[seahermit]

I really appreciate the help here. To be honest, I have also posted the problem onto the forum at PCAdvisor.co.uk (now renamed TechAdvisor.co.uk) - usually a very useful and helpful resource, but everybody is stumped. Also onto something called PC Help - useless, very amateurish website , they didn't understand my question and got it into their heads that I was trying to hack someone's password!!

Anyway, I am at the moment not daring to try to remove the requirement to sign-in with my MS account/alternatively cancelling my MS account and opening a new one. Of course those actions should be simple in theory but some people have reported problems with the complicated systems of MS - MS refusing to close the old account, or not recognising the new one but still demanding the old password etc.

Following your suggestion, I went into Settings/Switch to a local account. This came up:

You can use an account on this PC only, instead of signing-in with your Microsoft account. First we need to verify your current password."

Tony F....
k........@outlook.com

[current password]


I haven't gone further yet! I am not sure about creating a local account and, besides, I never did that at the beginning after I bought the PC. So, what is this account which I have to log into whenever I start the computer and why can't I change the password for it? I'm very confused!

[Richard]

Hi MJ,
I have never created an ms account password and do not log in to it.
I don't see why you have to either.
I have always used a local account.
I don't need an ms account and also I don't see why you think you should be able to change the lock screen password via your ms account.
The lock screen is a security feature and maybe this would be compromised if anyone hacked into your ms account.

You can alternatively use a picture instead of a password to get through your lock screen.

[Richard]

A word of warning:
(Forget about the picture login option for now.)
If you disable the password prompt and login screen on Windows 10, you'll lose the ability to sync settings and data across all of your Windows devices.

[seahermit]

Thanks for that. I don't have time just now to act on it but I will consider removing the MS account from the PC - and see what options appear if I try to use just a local account.

The only thing is that I still want to keep my MS Outlook email account, but I don't use MS as an email client - I never saw the point in jumping through all the hoops required, nor wanted all my emails lumped into one place etc.