Windows 10 lets you create a local user account, or use your Microsoft account. The local account, while perfectly functional, prevents you from using some Windows 10 features. The Microsoft account on the other hand gives you full access to all Windows 10 features. You can use it to backup your Windows key and use Cortana. In either case, you can lock your system with a password. The local account lets you by-pass this option if you want but if you’re using a Microsoft account, you will always have to enter a password. If you don’t like entering your password all the time, you can use a PIN instead. Windows has long had an option to automatically expire your password and force you to set a new one. It’s to keep things extra safe. You need to enable password expiration in Windows 10 to get it to work.
This is a Windows 10 Pro feature. It is not available in Windows 10 Home edition.
Tap the Win+R keyboard shortcut to open the run dialog box. Type the following in the run box and tap the Enter key.
lusrmgr.msc
This will open the Local Users and Groups manager. Select the ‘Users’ folder on the left column and then double-click the user you want to enable password expiration for in the details pane.
This will open the properties window for the profile. On the General tab, look for the ‘Password never expires’ option. If you want to enable password expiration in Windows 10, uncheck this option. If the option is already enabled and you find it annoying, check this option to turn it off.
You can enable password expiration in Windows 10 for both local and Microsoft accounts. The password expires after 30 days.
What Happens When The Password Expires?
When the password to your account expires, you’re unable to login to it unless you set a new password. You aren’t locked out of your account. Your old password will work so far as to let you change the password. With this option enabled, you can’t postpone changing your Windows password.
This option is usually enabled if you’re connected to a domain. It’s a tool that network administrators use to force everyone on the domain to keep their accounts safe. If your network administrator has enabled it though, you won’t be able to turn it off. You can only disable it if you have Windows 10 Pro installed on your home computer and you’re the admin.
If your work computer forces you to reset your password after 30 days, then that’s just a company policy enforced via Windows. There’s no way around it.