This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the use of security questions for local accounts in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you set up a local account with a password via Settings, you are required by default to select and answer security questions.
Security questions provide an extra layer of protection for your local account in case you forget your password. These security questions are used to verify who you are so you can reset the password of your local account on the sign-in screen if needed.
Available security questions for a local account:
- What was your first pet's name?
- What's the name of the city where you were born?
- What was your childhood nickname?
- What's the name of the city where your parents met?
- What's the first name of your oldest cousin?
- What's the name of the first school you attended?
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable security questions for local accounts.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts using REG file
EXAMPLE: Security questions for local accounts enabled and disabled
Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two to configure the same policy.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Credential User Interface
3 In the right pane of Credential User Interface in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Prevent the use of security questions for local accounts policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you want.
5 Enable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts
This is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7. (see screenshot below)
6 Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7. (see screenshot below)
7 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
2 Enable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts
This is the default setting
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"NoLocalPasswordResetQuestions"=-3 Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Use_of_security_questions_for_local_accounts.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"NoLocalPasswordResetQuestions"=dword:000000014 Save the REG file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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