How to Unlock a Dell Laptop

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You can unlock a laptop in safe mode.

If you forget your user password and find yourself locked out of your own machine, it could mean you lose access to all your work on your system. Entering the start-up menu can be the first step in accessing your locked machine. The resolution of this problem should only take a few minutes and will ensure that even if your computer becomes locked, it is still possible to access it and resolve the problem.

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Step 1

Restart your computer and, as the computer starts up again, press the "F8" mode to enter the start-up options part of your computer system.

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Step 2

Select "Safe Mode" from the start-up options in this screen and press "Enter" to start your computer in safe mode, which will allow you to log in as administrator with no password.

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Step 3

Choose "Administrator" from the login profiles. You will not need a password to access the computer this way, and you can now go about resetting the password and unlocking the laptop.

Step 4

Enter the "Control Panel" and click on "User Accounts." Find your regular, locked user name and click the option named "Remove the Password."

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Step 5

Click on "Apply" then "OK" to confirm the changes.

Step 6

Restart your computer and login via your newly-unlocked regular user profile.

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