Change the security questions / answers needed for local-account recovery

If you log into Windows 10 with a "local", offline account, you may have set-up security questions. But if you log into your PC with an email address or phone number, you're using a live account (see the tip below).

If your "password hint" doesn't jog your memory, your security questions will be your next option to regain access to your account, without entering a password. In the beautiful screenshot is me, pretending to have forgotten my password. Windows 10 is displaying my security questions and is about to collect my answers.

Reset your security questions

To change your security questions, click on the start button (Windows logo) and type "password". Now click on the "Change your password" result (you won't need to change your password). This will open the "Sign in options" screen in the Settings app.

You'll see a list of login methods. Click on the one that reads "Password". When the gray "box" opens, click on the "Update your security questions" link:

To prevent other people from changing your security questions, you'll now be asked to type your Windows password. Do so and hit Enter / click OK:

Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't let you pick your own security questions. Click on the first dropdown and select one of the six pre-approved questions:

Type an answer for the question you selected. Do the same for the second and third question: all three are required. Click on the Finish button when you're done. The window abruptly closes, without a peep or confirmation. That's your cue that your security questions (and their answers) were updated.

Disable your security questions

Security questions used to be optional in Windows 10, but they're now mandatory. It's a good decision, except for not letting us pick our own questions. Technically, it is possible to disable the requirement. Since I don't recommend doing it, I won't explain how. But if you're set on disabling the security-question requirement though, do an online search for "gpedit.msc" (the Group Policy Editor applet.) And if you're using Windows 10 Home edition, you will first need to enable gpedit (the internet will help you discover how).

Make sure that your password hint is set-up

To give yourself an extra chance, you should make sure that you have a "password hint". The only way to ensure that you do is to change your Windows password and type a password hint. But Windows lets you change it to the same password as the current one (so you won't need to pick a new password).