You Really DO Need a Windows Password

Although you may be the only person who makes regular use of your computer, it is crucial that you set a password on your Windows user account. While you are connected to the Internet, crackers and their programs may attack your computer. They can easily scan for your account names, and then they can attempt to logon and take control of your computer, or install malicious software (malware). If you do not have an account password, you have not merely left the front door unlocked, you have left it wide open with a sign that says "here, take everything I have." Macintosh computers are not immune to attack, but users are required to create an account password the first time they use their computer.

Setting Your Password on Windows 7
Setting Your Password on Windows Vista
Setting Your Password on Windows XP Professional
Setting Your Password on Windows XP Home

Setting Your Password on Windows 7

1. Select Start | Control Panel | User Accounts and Family Safety | Add or remove user accounts.
2. If prompted by User Access Control (UAC) that you need permission to continue, select "Continue."
3. Find your user name in the list of accounts. If its description says "Password protected," then you need take no further action for your account.
4. If the description does not include "Password protected," then open the account settings by clicking on the icon next to the account name.
5. Select "Create password" and then follow the prompted instructions.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for any other listed account other than "Guest."

Note that in Vista, the "Administrator" account by default cannot logon, so you need not set a password for it.

Setting Your Password on Windows Vista

1. Select Start | Control Panel | User Accounts and Family Safety | Add or remove user accounts.
2. If prompted by User Access Control (UAC) that you need permission to continue, select "Continue."
3. Find your user name in the list of accounts. If its description says "Password protected," then you need take no further action for your account.
4. If the description does not include "Password protected," then open the account settings by clicking on the icon next to the account name.
5. Select "Create password" and then follow the prompted instructions.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for any other listed account other than "Guest."

Note that in Vista, the "Administrator" account by default cannot logon, so you need not set a password for it.

Setting Your Password on Windows XP Professional

You need to set passwords on both your user account and the Administrator account.

1. Go to Start then select Run.
2. In the window that appears type “mmc” (without the quotes) to run Microsoft Management Console.
3. Go to File, Add/Remove Snap-in, Add . . ., select Local Users and Groups and then choose, Add, Finish, Close, OK.
4. The Console Root Window appears.
5. Click on the plus sign to expand Local Users and Groups.
6. In the left pane, click on the folder called “Users” and the local users will appear in the right pane.
7. Right-click on Administrator and choose Set password . . .
8. If a warning pops up, select Proceed.
9. Type in your desired password in the New password and Confirm password fields and select OK.
10. Set a password on your named account following the same steps.
11. Set a password on any other named account, other than "Guest," by following the same steps.

Windows XP Home

You need to set passwords on both your user account and the Administrator account.

You cannot use the Microsoft Management Console to set account passwords in the Home version. Instead, follow these instructions:

1. Start the computer in safe mode. Do this by holding down the F8 key as it boots.
2. Select Safe mode from the menu.
3. When the desktop has loaded, select Start | Control Panel.
4. Select "User Accounts."
5. Select the Administrator account and if "Create Password" is an option, select it and create a password.
6. If "Change Password" is an option, then the account aleady has a password and you need not change it.
7. Return to the list of user accounts, select your named account, and repeat steps 5 and 6.
8. Return to the list of user accounts and set a password for any other named account, other than "Guest," by repeating steps 5 and 6.