Windows 7: Password Expiration - Change MAX and MIN Password Age

   Information

This will show you how to change the maximum and minimum password age in days the password for all users can be used before it expires and must be changed by the user.

By default it is 42 days maximum password age, 0 days minimum password age.

   Note

Maximum Password Age -
This security setting determines the period of time (in days) that a password can be used before the system requires the user to change it. You can set passwords to expire after a number of days between 1 and 999, or you can specify that passwords never expire by setting the number of days to 0. If the maximum password age is between 1 and 999 days, the Minimum password age must be less than the maximum password age. If the maximum password age is set to 0, the minimum password age can be any value between 0 and 998 days.

Minimum Password Age -
This security setting determines the period of time (in days) that a password must be used before the user can change it. You can set a value between 1 and 998 days, or you can allow changes immediately by setting the number of days to 0. The minimum password age must be less than the Maximum password age, unless the maximum password age is set to 0, indicating that passwords will never expire. If the maximum password age is set to 0, the minimum password age can be set to any value between 0 and 998.

Configure the minimum password age to be more than 0 if you want Enforce password history to be effective. Without a minimum password age, users can cycle through passwords repeatedly until they get to an old favorite.

   Warning

You can only do this while logged in as an administrator.

OPTION ONE

Through Local Security Policy Manager

1. If you have not already, you must enable password expiration for each user account that you want to have their password expire after the maximum password age.

2. Open the Local Security Policy editor.

3. In the left pane, expand Account Policies, and click on Password Policy. (see screenshot below)

4. To Change the Maximum Password Age

A) In the right pane, double click on Maximum password age. (see screenshot above)

B) Enter how many days between 0 and 999 that you want passwords can be used before the system require's the user to change it, then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Setting the maximum password age to 0 will set passwords to never expire for all users. See NOTE box at the top of the tutorial.

5. To Change the Minimum Password Age

A) In the right pane, double click on Minimum password age. (see screenshot below step 3)

B) Enter how many days between 1 and 998 that you want passwords for all users to be used for before the user is allowed to change it, then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: See NOTE box at the top of the tutorial.

6. Close the Local Security Policy editor.

OPTION TWO

Through a Elevated Command Prompt

1. If you have not already, you must enable password expiration for each user account that you want to have their password expire after the maximum password age.

2. Log in to the user account that you want to change the maximum and minimum password age for.

3. Open a elevated command prompt.

4. To See the Current "MAX and MIN password age" Settings

A) In the elevated command prompt, type net accounts and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

5. To Disable Password Expiration for All Users

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

Code:

net accounts /maxpwage:unlimited

B) Go to step 8.

6. To Change the Maximum Password Age

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute (1-999) for how many days between 1 and 999 that you want passwords can be used before the system require's the user to change it. See NOTE box at the top of the tutorial.

Code:

net accounts /maxpwage:(1-999)

FOR EXAMPLE: I would type in this command exactly for the default of 42 days, and press enter.

Code:

net accounts /maxpwage:42

7. To Change the Minimum Password Age

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute (0-998) for how many days between 0 and 998 that you want passwords for all users to be used for before the user is allowed to change it. See NOTE box at the top of the tutorial.

Code:

net accounts /minpwage:(0-998)

FOR EXAMPLE: I would type in this command exactly for the default of 0 days, and press enter.

Code:

net accounts /minpwage:0

8. Close the elevated command prompt.