Setting Local Admin Password via Group Policy: A Comprehensive Guide

Setting Local Admin Password via Group Policy: A Comprehensive Guide

Setting the local admin password through Group Policy can be a useful method to maintain security and standardize passwords across multiple systems within a network. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to accomplish this:

1. Open Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) on a domain controller.
2. Create a new Group Policy Object (GPO) or select an existing GPO that you want to modify.
3. Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Preferences -> Control Panel Settings -> Local Users and Groups.
4. Right-click on 'Local Users and Groups' and select 'New' -> 'Local User'.
5. Enter the desired details for the local administrator account, including the username and password.
6. Once the settings are configured, close the GPMC and ensure the GPO is applied to the relevant organizational units (OU) or computers.
7. Perform a 'gpupdate /force' on the client machines to immediately apply the new password.

By following these steps, you can effectively set the local admin password via Group Policy, enhancing security and simplifying password management within your network.