How to Delete Windows XP Password

Although password-protecting your Windows XP user account is an important security measure, as it prevents other users from accessing your account, if your account is the sole account on your computer, you may find this security measure to be a hassle. One of the main benefits of deleting your Windows XP password when your account is the sole user account is that you will no longer be prompted to enter your password for Windows XP to load. To delete your Windows XP password, you must access your user account and change its settings.

Things You'll Need

• Your old password
• Administrative privileges

Instructions

1. Click "Start," then select "Control Panel." When the Control Panel window loads, find the "User Accounts" icon and double-click it.

2. Select your user account under the "pick an account to change" heading. Be sure that you have selected your user account and not someone else's, as you will have to input the account's password in order to complete this task.

3. Click "Remove My Password." After you select your user account, a new page loads that will ask "What do you want to change about your account?" and lists several actions in the form of hyperlinks. Click the "Remove My Password" link.

4. Type in your old password. After clicking "Remove My Password," click the text box and type in your old password. This step prevents other computer users from deleting your account without your knowledge so long as you have not shared your account password with others.

5. Confirm the changes. Click the "Remove Password" button to finalize the changes. Close the User Accounts window and the Control Panel window. Your old Windows XP password is now deleted. Any password protection features you had previously set up, such as requiring a password upon resume for screen savers, will now be disabled.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have forgotten your password and do not have a reset disk, you may have to reinstall Windows XP.

• Removing password protection from your Windows XP user account may increase your computer's risk of being hacked and remotely controlled, especially when using a shared network.

Resources

• Microsoft.com -- Windows XP: Create and Customize User Accounts
• Microsoft.com -- Windows XP Solution Center