What If I Forget My HP Laptop Password?
Nowadays, people usually set a complex password to protect their computers and data from any unauthorized access. If you are a HP laptop user, it’s very likely that you’ve created a password for it. There is no doubt that a strong password with high security level can safeguard a laptop, however, you may forget it sometimes as it is difficult to memorize.
So, here comes a question: how to unlock HP laptop if the password is forgotten? This is a hot topic discussed in some related forums, indeed. It’s a frustrating issue, especially when you need to work with laptop and visit data in it.
Well, please don’t worry. We are going to share some proven methods to help you unlock HP laptop without a password. Now, let’s begin to check them.
How to unlock HP laptop without Using Password
Solution 1: Use Password Reset Disk
It will be much easier if you have created a password reset disk for HP laptop when you plan to unlock the laptop without the password. Here is a guide for you.
Step 1: Connect the password reset disk to HP laptop.
Step 2: Type a wrong password and press Enter in login screen. Then, you’ll be informed the password is incorrect. Click OK to go on.
Step 3: Click Reset password under the password text box.
Step 4: Now, you can follow the wizard to create a new password that will replace the original one. then, click Next and Finish to end the process.
Pay Attention: you can use this tool only on the laptop, on which it is created. If your current HP laptop didn’t create this password reset disk before, you need to use a professional App to create the disk on another computer.
Solution 2: Use Hidden Administrator Account
Administrator account has most control over a laptop or desktop. So, it can help you manage password of another account. If you can’t log in a certain account on HP laptop due to lack of correct password, you may try using another administrator account to reset the password.
You can follow steps below to reset the password with admin account.
Step 1: Just log in the admin account if you have an available one with admin privileges. Otherwise, please press Shift button 5 times to activate hidden administrator account quickly.
Step 2: Open Control Panel. Then, go to Accounts > User Accounts.
Step 3: Choose the option Manage another account. Then, click the locked user account.
Step 4: After click Change the password, you can see a new interface asking you to create new password. Type the new password and password hint. Then, click Change password to confirm.
Once finishing these steps, you can sign out of this account, and then try logging into the lock account with the newly created password.
Solution 3: Use HP Recovery Manager
HP Recovery Manager is an inbuilt utility coming with each HP laptop. You can also use it to unlock HP laptop if you don’t have a password reset disk.
System Recovery feature will be employed during the unlocking process. In the period, the feature will reformat the system drive. Windows system and hardware drivers will be reinstalled. However, there is no need to worry about data loss on the system drive, since this tool enables you back up data.
Step 1: Reboot your HP laptop. Press Shift button and click Restart when get to the login screen.
Step 2: Click Troubleshoot and Recovery Manager to run the utility. Then, click System Recovery to continue.
Step 3: Choose Back up your Files first (recommended) option and click Next.
Step 4: When the backup is over, click Next to go on the recovery. After all processes finish, you can restart laptop. This time, you may be able to enter it without password.
Solution 4: Restore HP Laptop to Factory Settings
Factory reset is another useful way to unlock your HP laptop when you forget the password. However, this method will erase all data as well as operating system on the system drive, because it doesn’t provide the option of data backup.
To deal with it, you can make a copy of the system drive in advance by using a reliable disk manager. MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Ultimate is recommended. Here’s how to run it to back up data.
Step 1: After installing this App on another working computer, enter the registry key to activate the Pro Ultimate edition.
Step 2: Make a bootable USB drive with the Bootable Media Builder. Then, boot the locked HP laptop with the bootable USB. Connect an external storage drive to the HP to save backup.
Step 3: When get to the main interface of the App, select the system partition and click Copy Partition on the left panel.
Step 4: Choose the destination on the external drive to hold the system partition.
Step 5: Configure new partition on basis of your needs. Click Finish.
Step 6. Finally, click Apply on the main interface to confirm.
After finishing system drive backup, you can get down to resetting the laptop to factory settings without worrying about data loss. Now, you can enter recovery environment and follow steps below to complete factory reset.
- 1. Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything.
- Click the option Only the drive where Windows is installed.
- Click Remove files and clean the drive to continue.
Once you confirm the operation, Windows system will begin to work. Just wait for a while until it completes.
If you still can’t unlock HP after trying all methods introduced above, you may contact a HP store to find professional help.
Final Words
Well, we’ve gone through different ways to unlock HP laptop if you forget the password. Each one has benefit and weakness. You may just choose a preferred one to get the issue solved according to your needs and situations. Please share with us if you have any other solutions by commenting in the section below. Thanks!