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Customize the Password Policy In Windows 7 / 8 / 10

RECOMMENDED: Click here to fix Windows errors and optimize system performance http://link.tweakbit.com/tds/1avD
You might have seen on certain websites that for registering, you will have to enter a password that matches the criterion set by the website
for example a password should be minimum 8 characters long, should contain lower and upper case letters etc. You can implement this
feature in Windows 8 and Windows 7 as well, using either Local Security Policy for Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate users or using an
elevated command prompt for users with other Windows 10 / 8 / 7 editions.

Change Windows Password Policy

Using Local Security Policy.
Type Local Security Policy in the start menu search and press Enter. The LSP window will open. Now from the left pane, choose Password
Policy from under Account Policies. Now on the right side six options will be listed.

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Details of each of those options are listed below.

Enforce Password history: This security setting determines the number of unique new passwords that have to be associated with a user
account before an old password can be reused. The value must be between 0 and 24 passwords. This policy enables administrators to
enhance security by ensuring that old passwords are not reused continually.
Maximum password age: This security setting determines the period of time in days that a password can be used before the system
requires the user to change it. You can set passwords to expire after a number of days between 1 and 999, or you can specify that
passwords never expire by setting the number of days to 0. If the maximum password age is between 1 and 999 days, the Minimum
password age must be less than the maximum password age. If the maximum password age is set to 0, the minimum password age can be
any value between 0 and 998 days.
Minimum password age: This security setting determines the period of time in days that a password must be used before the user can
change it. You can set a value between 1 and 998 days, or you can allow changes immediately by setting the number of days to 0. The
minimum password age must be less than the Maximum password age, unless the maximum password age is set to 0, indicating that
passwords will never expire. If the maximum password age is set to 0, the minimum password age can be set to any value between 0 and
998.
Minimum password length: This security setting determines the least number of characters that a password for a user account may
contain. You can set a value of between 1 and 14 characters, or you can establish that no password is required by setting the number of
characters to 0.
Password must meet complexity requirements: This security setting determines whether passwords must meet complexity requirements.
If this policy is enabled, passwords must meet the following minimum requirements:
Not contain the users account name or parts of the users full name that exceed two consecutive characters
Be at least six characters in length
Contain characters from three of the following four categories:
English uppercase characters A through Z
English lowercase characters a through z
Base 10 digits 0 through 9
Nonalphabetic characters for example, !, $, #, %
Complexity requirements are enforced when passwords are changed or created.

Store password using reversible encryption: This security setting determines whether the operating system stores passwords using
reversible encryption. This policy provides support for applications that use protocols that require knowledge of the users password for
authentication purposes. Storing passwords using reversible encryption is essentially the same as storing plaintext versions of the
passwords. For this reason, this policy should never be enabled unless application requirements outweigh the need to protect password
information.
To change any or all these options, just double click the option, select the appropriate choice and click OK.
Using Elevated Command Prompt.
Type cmd in the start menu search. From under Programs, right click cmd and select Run as administrator.

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The commands and their explanation is given below.
net accounts /minpwlen:length This sets the minimum number of characters a password must contain. Replace the word length with the
desired number of characters. Range is 014.
example: net accounts /minpwlen:7
net accounts /maxpwage:days This sets the maximum number of days after which the user will have to change the password. Replace days
with the desired value. Range is from 1999. If used unlimited, no limit is set. The value of maxpwage should always be greater than
minpwage.
example: net accounts /maxpwage:30
net accounts /minpwage:days This sets the minimum number of days that must pass before the password can be changed. Replace days
with the desired value. Range is from 1999.
example: net accounts /minpwage:10
net accounts /uniquepw:number This sets the number of times after which a password can be used again. Replace number with the desired
value. Maximum value is 24.
23

example: net accounts /uniquepw:8

Shares

To use a command, just enter it in the command prompt as shown and press enter.

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To review the settings type net accounts in the cmd and press enter.

http://thewindowsclub.thewindowsclubco.netdnacdn.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/03/img.jpg
An overview of all the settings will be shown!

Related Posts:
Harden Windows Login Password Policy in Windows 10 / 8 / 7 http://www.thewindowsclub.com/windowsloginpassword
policy
What is the maximum length of password in Windows 10? http://www.thewindowsclub.com/maximumlengthofpassword
windows10
Use Password Hint and Password Reset Disk to recover from forgotten Windows password
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/recoverlostpasswordwindows78natively
Prevent users from changing Password in Windows 8 http://www.thewindowsclub.com/preventuserschangingpassword
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Analyze and check strength of your password with Password Security Scanner http://www.thewindowsclub.com/analyze
checkstrengthpasswordpasswordsecurityscanner
Posted by NithinR@TWC http://www.thewindowsclub.com/author/nithinrtwc on March 24, 2011 , in Category Windows
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/category/windows with Tags Passwords http://www.thewindowsclub.com/tag/passwords,
Security http://www.thewindowsclub.com/tag/security

Currently pursuing Bachelors in Electronics, the author Nithin Ramesh is a technology blogger. Apart from technology
his other interests include cricket and rock music.

7Comments

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Mee39 4yearsago

Thankyou,veryuseful!

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Simon 4yearsago

JustwhatIneeded.Microsoftsitedoesn'ttellyouhowtochangeviacmd.manythanks.Simon.

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David 3yearsago

Howdoyouremovepasswordcomplexityviacmd?
20

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Yessai 2yearsago

Veryuseful!Thanku.

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Bonjovi ayearago

Howdoyoubypassthepolicythatwon'tletyouresetyourpasswordasapreviouspassword?

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Bonjovi>Bonjovi ayearago

Inwindows8

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AndresF 4monthsago

Thankyou,ItisworkingsuccesfullforWindowsServer2012

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