To change the Windows password inside Remote Desktop, press Ctrl + Alt + End in the RDP window and choose Change a password. Enter the old password, then the new one twice, and press Enter. Don’t use Ctrl + Alt + Del: your own computer catches that shortcut, so it never reaches the server.
Before you change it
- Connect to the server first. If you need help with that, see How to Connect to a Windows VPS with Remote Desktop.
- Have the new password ready in a password manager.
Windows Server checks password complexity by default. The new password must:
- mix at least three of these four groups: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, digits and symbols;
- not contain the user name.
We recommend 16 characters or more.
Method 1: Ctrl + Alt + End (easiest)
- Click inside the Remote Desktop window so the session has focus.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + End.
- Click Change a password.
- Fill in Old password, New password and Confirm password.
- Press Enter. The message “Your password has been changed” confirms it.
If the shortcut does nothing, for example on a laptop keyboard without an End key, use the on-screen keyboard. Run osk from the Start menu, then hold Ctrl and Alt on your physical keyboard and click Del on the on-screen one.
Method 2: Command Prompt with net user
This method is quick when you manage several servers. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click › Run as administrator) and run:
net user Administrator *Windows asks for the new password twice and does not show what you type. A successful change ends with The command completed successfully.
To change the password of another account, replace Administrator with that user name.
Method 3: PowerShell
In PowerShell (Admin):
$pw = Read-Host -AsSecureString "New password"
Set-LocalUser -Name "Administrator" -Password $pwRead-Host -AsSecureString keeps the password out of the PowerShell history, which a plain-text command would not.
After the change: three things that commonly break
Saved RDP connections. If you saved the old password in Remote Desktop Connection, your next login fails with “The credentials that were used to connect did not work”. Open the saved connection, click Edit next to the user name and enter the new password. You can also remove the old entry in Control Panel › Credential Manager › Windows Credentials.
Scheduled tasks and services. A task or service set to run as Administrator stores its own copy of the password. It fails at its next run until you update it. In Task Scheduler, open the task, click OK and enter the new password. For services, the setting is under Services › Properties › Log On.
Mapped drives and other servers. Any other computer that connects to this server with the old password needs the new one too.
What the error messages mean
“The password does not meet the password policy requirements.” The password is too short, is not complex enough, or contains the user name. Add symbols and length, then try again.
“The specified network password is not correct.” The old password you typed is wrong. This happens with Method 1, which asks for the current password. Method 2 and Method 3 do not need it when you run them as Administrator.
Forgot the password and can’t log in?
The Administrator password can’t be read back from Windows. If you are locked out of Remote Desktop, open a ticket from our contact page and tell us the server IP. We will help you regain access.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn’t Ctrl + Alt + Del work in Remote Desktop?
Your local Windows reserves that shortcut for itself. Remote Desktop uses Ctrl + Alt + End to send the same signal to the server.
Will changing the password disconnect me?
No. Your current session stays open. The new password is used for the next login.
Can I change the password from my phone?
Yes. Most mobile RDP apps have a key menu for Ctrl + Alt + Del, or you can open Command Prompt on the server and use net user.
Is the Windows password the same as the Client Area password?
No. They are separate accounts, and changing one does not affect the other.
