How to Create, Change, or Remove a Picture Password in Windows 8

   Information

A picture password is a new way to help protect your Windows 8 computer or touchscreen PC. You can choose to use any picture, and the three gestures you use with the picture, to create a strong unique password for your user account in Windows 8.

This will show you how to create, change, or remove a picture password for your user account in Windows 8.

   Note

After creating a picture password, you will need to perform the three gestures you setup below on the picture to be able to sign in to your user account in Windows 8.

On the sign in screen, you will have an option to Switch to password to be able to enter you user account's password instead of using the picture password.

If you used Switch to password, you will still be able to click on the Sign-in options link to select the picture password icon to sign in with the picture password instead.

EXAMPLE: Picture Password at Log on Screen

OPTION ONE

To "Create a Picture Password" for your Windows 8 User Account

1. Open PC settings.

2. Click on Users in the left pane, then click on Create a picture password in the right pane. (see screenshot below)






3. Type in your user account's password, and press Enter or click on OK. (see screenshot below)





4. Click on Choose a picture. (see screenshot below)





5. Navigate to and select the folder that contains the picture that you want to use, select the image by clicking on it, then click on the Open button at the bottom right corner. (see screenshot below)

   Tip

How to Navigate:

A) Click on Files to open a root folder to have it's subfolders open in the main window.

B) Click on a folder in the main window to open it's subfolders in the main window.

C) During this, you can click on Go up to go up one folder level in the main window.

6. If you like the selected picture, then click on Use this picture and continue on to step 7. If not, then click on Choose new picture and repeat step 5. (see screenshot below)






7. From here, you will need to draw three gestures on the picture one at a time. You can use any combination of circles, straight lines, and taps/clicks. The size, position, and direction of your gestures -- and the order in which you make them become part of your picture password. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you make a mistake while drawing your gestures, then you can click on the Start Over button.





8. When finished drawing the three gestures, you will now have to repeat them again exactly one by one again to confirm them. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you make a mistake while drawing your gestures, then you can click on the Start Over button.





9. When finished, click on Finish. Your picture password has now been created. (see screenshot below)







10. If you like, you could press the Windows key to return to the Start screen.

OPTION TWO

To "Change Picture Password" for your Windows 8 User Account

1. Open PC settings.

2. Click on Users in the left pane, then click on Change picture password in the right pane. (see screenshot below)






3. Type in your user account's password, and press Enter or click on OK. (see screenshot below step 3 in OPTION ONE)

4. From here, you can select to Use this picture or to Choose a different picture. (see screenshot below)





5. When finished selecting a picture to use, you can now repeat steps 7 to 10 in OPTION ONE above to draw 3 gestures for the selected picture.

OPTION THREE

To "Remove Picture Password" from your Windows 8 User Account

1. Open PC settings.

2. Click on Users in the left pane, then click on Remove to the right of Change picture password in the right pane. (see screenshot below)







3. The picture password for your user account has now been removed.


4. If you like, you could press the Windows key to return to the Start screen.




That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

• How to Create a Pin for a User to Sign in or Unlock Windows 8
• How to Relearn your Picture Password if Forgotten in Windows 8
• How to Add a New User Account in Windows 8
• How to Sign in to Windows 8