Password History Enforcement - Enable or Disable

Brink · Mar 24, 2010

How to Enable or Disable Password History Enforcement in Windows 7 and Windows 8

Information

Password history determines the number of unique new passwords that have to be associated with and used by a user before an old password can be reused again. This enables administrators to enhance security by ensuring that old passwords are not reused continually.

By default, there is 24 remembered on domains, and 0 remembered on stand-alone computers. This will show you how to enable or disable enforcing password history, and set how many passwords will be remembered before users can reuse a password.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

Tip

To maintain the effectiveness of the password history, do not allow passwords to be changed immediately after they were just changed by also enabling the minimum password age and setting it to be more than 0 days.

In Windows 8, this will only apply to local accounts, and not to Microsoft accounts.

EXAMPLE: Password History Message
NOTE: This is a message a user will get when they try to change their password to a reused older password instead of a new unique password before the number of remember passwords has been reached.

OPTION ONE

Through Local Security Policy Manager

NOTE: This option is only available in the Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Pro, and Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise editions. 1. Open the Local Security Policy editor.

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

3. In the right pane, double click on Enforce password history. (see screenshot above)

4. To Disable Password History for All Users A) Enter 0, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

B) Go to step 6.
5. To Enforce Password History for All Users A) Enter how many passwords between 0 and 24 that you want remembered before users can reuse a password, then click on OK. (see screenshot above)
6. Close the Local Security Policy editor.

OPTION TWO

Through an Elevated Command Prompt

NOTE: This option is available in all Windows 7 and Windows 8 editions. 1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. To See the Current "Password History" Setting A) In the elevated command prompt, type net accounts and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

3. To Disable Password History for All Users A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

Code:

net accounts /uniquepw:0

B) Go to step 5.
4. To Enable or Change the Password History for All Users A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute (1-24) for how many passwords you want remembered before users can reuse a password.

Code:

net accounts /uniquepw:[COLOR=red][B](1-24)[/B][/COLOR]

FOR EXAMPLE: I would type in this command exactly for 5 remembered passwords, and press enter.

Code:

net accounts /uniquepw:5

5. Close the elevated command prompt.
That's it,
Shawn