How to reset Windows user account password in Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition?

IMPORTANT

Resetting Windows password may violate privacy and can be used at user's own responsibility. Parallels Support team will not apply the below instructions at any circumstances.

Symptoms

• I cannot log in to Windows virtual machine and I want to reset local user account password.

NOTE: if you need to reset password for Microsoft account, refer to this page: Forgotten password and other sign-in problems

Cause

Windows login password misconfiguration.

NOTE:  The instructions below are applicable to the Pro Edition of Parallels Desktop for Mac only. If you are using Parallels Desktop Standard edition, visit KB117557

To learn more about the differences between the editions please refer to this article: What is the difference between Standard and Pro Edition of Parallels Desktop for Mac?

Resolution

1. Start your virtual machine;
2. Open Terminal application (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal);

3. Copy the following command, paste it into Terminal window and press Return:

   prlctl list --all
   

   The output should look similar to the following:

   UUID                                   STATUS  IP_ADDR NAME 
   {3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723} running -       Windows 7
   

4. Copy and paste the following command into Terminal window and add space:

   prlctl exec
   

5. Copy the UUID from the output of the step 3. (3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 in the example) and paste it at the end of the "prlctl exec" command (do not forget that there should be a space between "exec" and UUID number), then add space, type the following:

   net user
   

   So now you will have something similar to this:

   prlctl exec 3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 net user
   

6. Press Return.

   You will see output similar to this:

   User accounts for \\
   
   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Administrator            Guest                    parallels
   

   So in our example the user name is "parallels"

7. Now type in the Terminal:

   prlctl set
   

   copy-paste the UUID number from step 3 again, add space and then type

   --userpasswd
   

   Now you will have something like:

   prlctl set 3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 --userpasswd 
   

8. Add username (your actual Windows user account name retrieved at step 6), colon, and a new password (do not add space between username, colon and password). Please see the example below:

   prlctl set 3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 --userpasswd parallels:123
   

9. Press Return. You should see the following:

   Authentication tokens updated successfully.
   Success. The operation was successfully completed.
   
   The VM has been successfully configured.
   

You can now log in to your Windows user account using the specified password.