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Reset a Domain User's Password (Active Directory)

This guide covers how to rest a domain user's password. 

Getting Started

Locating a Domain Controller/Active Directory

Most domain controllers have Active Directory on them, Active Directory is the tool/service that keeps the records for all your networks domain users. There are several ways to locate a domain controller.

Finding a Domain Controller

  1. Use an RMM - Your RRM (Kaseya, Datto RMM, Connectwise, Solarwinds etc...) will generally tell you somewhere which servers are domain controllers.
  2. Running a command on a server or workstation joined to the same domain.
    1. set L - Command Prompt
    2. echo %logonserver% - Command Prompt
    3. $env:logonserver - PowerShell
    4. systeminfo - Command Prompt or PowerShell

Using RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools)

As long as the device you're on can access the active directory domain you want to create the user on, you can install RSAT and use that to manage your domain/users. RSAT allows you to install server tools like Active Directory Users & Computers onto another Windows device.  However, the tools only work if you're on the same network you're trying to manage. 

Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows Client and Windows Server (dsforum2wiki) - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki (microsoft.com)

Open Active Directory Users & Computers

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Find the User Account

You can either navigate directly to the user object if you know where it is inside our AD structure, or you can use the Find tool.

Using the Find Tool

Right click on your domain and select Find.

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Enter the users name and click Find Now.

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Now that you see the user object, you can right click and hit Reset Password.

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Enter the user's new password and hit OK.

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Finding the Record Directly

Navigate to the user's user object, right click the object and select Reset Password.

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Enter the user's new password and hit OK.

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Reset Password via PowerShell

This isn't covered in this guide but if you want more information on the topic use the link below.

Set-ADAccountPassword (ActiveDirectory) | Microsoft Docs

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