No, deleting entries in the registry will not clear a password. As mentioned is this FAQ entry, the password hash is stored in the registry in a hashed format. Deleting the hash from the registry will not remove the password itself, but will simply remove the ability to authenticate with that password. If you need to clear a password, the correct way to do so is to use the built-in Windows tools to reset the password or remove it entirely. For example, if you have administrative access to the computer,… Read More
Posts tagged windows password
Is Windows password stored in the registry?
Yes, Windows password hashes are stored in the registry in a hashed format. The exact location of the password hash depends on the version of Windows you are using. In Windows 10, for example, the password hash is stored in the SAM (Security Accounts Manager) registry hive, which is located in the %SystemRoot%\system32\config directory. The password hash is stored in the SAM hive as part of the user’s security identifier (SID). However, it’s important to note that the password hash is not stored in plaintext, but is instead hashed using… Read More