How to set an expiring password in Windows 10

Microsoft decided to put in Windows 10 a feature that allows you to set one deadline for the password, so as to change this keyword often. Along with continuing technological developments, the dangers also grow exponentially and, precisely for this reason, it would be good to protect yourself.

expiring password in Windows 10

The Windows 10 icon, the latest Microsoft operating system launched on July 29, 2015.

A great way to prevent any malicious can enter your computer is to frequently change the password that allows you to access your profile. In Windows 10 you can follow two distinct procedures. In fact, on a computer running this operating system, you can log in with your Microsoft account or use one local.

Expiring password: Microsoft account

This is the procedure that affects the most users since the Redmond company pushes us to use a Microsoft account. If you too have decided to go along with the manufacturer, you can decide to enter a password with expiration, so as to receive a notification asking you to change it every 72 days.

To do it is very simple. First, you will need to connect to your area Microsoft account dedicated to security. Log in by entering your primate data. Search now for the entry “Change Password” And check the date of the last modification, just under the name of the functionality. Click now on “Change“.

You will be asked, first of all, to confirm your current password, so as not to risk that the attackers can access your account. Enter your new password in the appropriate field and repeat it a second time. For reasons of safety, we recommend that you opt for a combination that includes all of these elements:

  • A lowercase letter;
  • A capital letter;
  • A symbol;
  • A number.

After making your choice, you must enter the check-in the box next to “Let me change my password every 72 days“, So as to enable the function. Click now on the blue button with the word “Save“.

Let me change my password every 72 days

This is the form that must be completed to change the password. Important, to successfully conclude our guide, is to tick the option “Let me change my password every 72 days”.

After completing this simple procedure, you will be automatically taken to the page dedicated to safety: this means that everything went well and the setting was successfully saved.

Expiring password: local account

For “local account” Means an account created specifically for your computer. It is therefore not linked to a Microsoft profile. Again you can set a password with expiration, but the procedure it’s totally different.

First, you will need to disable a block which, otherwise, would not allow this action. Type the keyboard shortcut “Windows – R“, So as to open the box”Run“. Here you will need to type:

netplwiz

Click on “OK” and wait to be taken to the account settings.

Go to the “advanced”, Which gives you access to other settings. In the second group, you will find the entry “Advanced user management“: Click on the button with the wording”advanced“.

Click on “Users” (or “Users“), So as to bring up the list of all users present on your computer. Click with the right mouse button on your user and choose, from the drop-down menu, “Property“.

Here you will find several options: the one that interests us to complete our modification is “The password never expires“. Remove the check, if present, on this option and click on “OK“.

Now you can finally set one deadline for your password. Unlike what happens with a Microsoft account, you will choose how often to change your password.

Windows 10 Pro, Education or Enterprise

Does it run on your computer Windows 10 Pro, Education or Enterprise? Just press the “Windows + R” keys together, which allows you to open the “Run“. In the bar just opened, enter the value:

gpedit.msc

Click on “OK“. By doing so, you will open “Local Group Policy Editor“.

In the menu located on the left, you will have to click on “Computer configuration“, Then on”Windows settings“, “Security settings “, “Account policies” and finally, “Password policy“. In the part positioned on the right, the item “Maximum password duration“.

The preset value, as already said, is 42 days. Change the value as you see fit. Remember that after that period of time, you will be forced to change the useful word to enter your account.

Windows 10 Home

The second procedure is also compatible for those who use a computer with Windows 10 Home, but it is also good for all other editions. To continue, you will need to open PowerShell or the command prompt. Both are valid and the choice depends solely on your preferences.

Move to the “Start” And click with the right mouse button. Choose “Windows PowerShell” or “Command Prompt”, the important thing, in both cases, is to have I administrator privileges.

In the “Start” key we can choose Windows PowerShell or the command prompt, according to our preferences. However, the important thing is to start the tools with administrator privileges.

In the window that will open automatically, you will have to type the value:

net accounts for

In this way, you will see the currently set value (almost certainly, you will find “42 days”). To change the tempo, type the following command:

net accounts / maxpwage: 00

You will have to replace “00” with the value you intend to set and press “Submit“.

With Windows PowerShell, you can get various information on the password of our account and change its expiration. The value to be entered is “net accounts / maxpwage: 00”.

On all account, your computer will make the change.

Conclusion

By doing so, you can freely set a deadline for your own password. This will allow you to increase safety.