How to Reset Windows 2016 Server Administrator Password [4 Ways]

When you have forgotten administrator password in Windows Server 2016, things can be a little tricky. The usual password-reset method is to use the password hint information or the password backup that you wrote on the paper, which is advised to do when you set up your account. But what if the password hint no longer exists or can't find that piece of paper? How can you reset the forgotten Windows Server 2016 password and regain access to your account?

The good news is that you're not out of luck. There are actually quite a few ways to reset password on Windows Server 2016 and we'll take a look at them here.

Option 1: Bypass Windows Server 2016 Password with a 3rd Party Tool (the most user-friendly way)

The first option will be using a 3rd party Windows Server 2016 password reset (or recovery) software program with GUI interface - Spower Windows Password Reset. It offers a solid password reset process that allows you to quickly delete/ reset your Windows server 2016 password and back in to system within a few minutes.

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Tip: this tool also helps you reset password on any other version of Windows operating system.

Step 1: Download the program on an accessible computer and install it.

Step 2: Open up it and insert a blank USB drive or CD/DVD into the computer. And then click the "USB device" or "CD/DVD" button (depending on what media you choose) on the main interface to create a Windows server 2016 password reset disk. This will take about one minute.

Step 3: Take out the disc and plug into your locked Windows Server 2016 computer. Now power on the machine and set it to boot from the disk (Why do this? Because a computer boots from the drive that has Windows installation by default).

• How to boot from a USB drive in Windows
• How to boot from CD/DVD-ROM in Windows

After you set the 1st Boot order to the password disc in BIOS, save the settings and restart the computer.

Step 4: When everything passes, the computer should boot from the password reset disk and get you into the program's screen, just like the image shown below. You're ready to unlock the forgotten windows server 2016 admin password.

To do this, simply select Windows Server 2016 from the operating system field, and select the account you want to reset password, then click the Reset button. The program will quickly remove the lost password and set to be Spower@2011 (new password).

One of good features of this Windows Server 2016 password reset software is it comes with a Add User function, which enables you to create a new account with Administrator privilege.

Option 2: Reset Password to Windows Server 2016 with Windows Installation Disk

Resetting a lost password to Server 2016 is pretty easy if you have the original Windows installation disk—assuming, of course, you have one. This involves a couple of steps:

• Boot the server from the Windows Server 2016 Installation disc. When you arrive at Windows Setup screen, press SHIFT + F10 keys to open Command Prompt (or click on Next → Repair your computer → Troubleshoot → Command Prompt).
• With Command Prompt now open, execute the following commands:

d:

cd Windows\System32

ren Utilman.exe Utilman.exe.original

copy cmd.exe Utilman.exe

shutdown -r -t 0

• The computer should now reboot.
• Once the server 2016 login screen appears, press Windows Key + U button on the keyboard.
• Now that Command Prompt is open, execute the net user command to reset lost admin password on Windows Server 2016, replacing newpasswords with whatever new password you'd like to use:

net user Administrator newpasswords

• Close the Command Prompt window and now you should be able to log onto Windows Server 2016 with the new password you set in the command prompt.
• At last, browse to the directory C:\Windows\System32, delete Utilman.exe and rename Utilman.exe.original back to Utilman.exe.

If you don't have that installation disk or are not familiar with command lines, the next way to get out of a "lost Windows server 2016 password" predicament is to use an Admin account if you have—move on to the next idea.

Option 3: Have an Administrator Change Windows Sever 2016 password

The next way to bypass a forgotten Windows Server 2016 login password is to have another account on the server change your lost password for you. This will only work if that account comes with administrator level access. In that case, you just sign in with that account to get your password unlocked on Windows Server 2016. Here's how to do.

• Log on to your Windows Server 2016 system from Remote Desktop with an account that's set up with administrator privilege.
• Type the word "administrative tools" on the start menu "Search Box" then click on the "Computer Management" item from the search results.
• In the left panel of Computer Management window, navigate the following path: "Local Users and Groups" → Users folder, where you can view the details of the user accounts.
• Now select your account, right-click on it and select "Set Password". Followed by Proceed to complete the password resetting process.

Now you have access to your account again.

Option 4: Clean Reinstall Windows Server 2016

This is the last-resort fix you really don't want to try but it's a certain fix for a Windows Server 2016 password lost problem.

Check: Install Windows Server 2016 Step by Step

Important note: a clean install of Windows Server 2016 will erase everything from the drive that Windows is installed on and return your computer to the same state it was in the day you first turned it on. So be sure to get all of your important information backed up in somewhere safe before you begin this process.