How to use regedit for password policy configuration

In this article:

• Overview
• Steps to be followed
• Validation and confirmation
• Best practices
• Related topics and articles

Overview:

This article explains how to configure local password policies using the Windows Registry Editor (regedit) and highlights why using ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus Password Policy Enforcer is recommended for enterprise environments.

On a standalone Windows machine, password policy settings such as minimum password length, password history, and complexity are stored in the Security Account Manager (SAM) hive (HKLM\SAM\SAM\Domains\Account) in a protected, binary-encoded format. While the regedit c ommand can display parts of the registry, these values cannot be safely edited directly, as doing so may corrupt the SAM and prevent login.

Moreover, Active Directory environments typically use the password policy in GPO, which does not provide secure and compliant password policy settings. This is why ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus provides a more powerful, flexible alternative for Active Directory password policy configuration: Password Policy Enforcer.

Steps to be followed to edit a password policy

Since regedit cannot be used to configure Windows password policies, here is the default method:

For Active Directory

• In a Domain Controller, press Win + R, type gpmc.msc, and press Enter.
• In the left-side pane, expand your forest and domain. Double-click your domain to display the policies configured.
• Edit the policy by right clicking Default Domain Policy and clicking Edit from the drop-down.
• In the Group Policy Management Editor that opens, navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Account Policies > Password Policy.
• Double-click each setting to configure according to your organizational requirements:
  • Enforce password history
  • Maximum password age
  • Minimum password age
  • Minimum password length
  • Password must meet complexity requirements
  • Store passwords using reversible encryption
• Save and close the editor.
• Open the Command Prompt. Run the command:
  gpupdate /force

You have now made changes to the Active Directory password policy.

Validation and confirmation

To confirm that the changes have been made, access the Group Policy Management Console to check the domain-wide password policy settings.

Best practices

Local password policy values for Windows accounts are stored in the SAM hive as a binary value, which cannot be safely edited in regedit. Domain policies cannot be changed via regedit. The registry on domain-joined machines only reflects cached or local settings, not the Active Directory policy. Active Directory group password policies do not contain advanced rules like custom banned password lists or granular complexity enforcement.

ADSelfService Plus' Password Policy Enforcer provides the remedy you need efficiently. By enabling administrators to enforce stricter, more granular password requirements than the Active Directory GPO password policy or fine-grained password policies, this solution can:

• Block dictionary words, common patterns, and palindromes.
• Restrict the use of strings from usernames and old passwords.
• Blocklist breached passwords.
• Enforce custom complexity rules for different domains, OUs, or groups.
• Set advanced restrictions without modifying Group Policy or registry values.

Configuring and enforcing a strong password policy is crucial for protecting accounts against brute-force, credential stuffing, and phishing attacks. With ADSelfService Plus' robust password policy enforcer at the helm, weak and reused passwords—common entry points for cybercriminals—can be averted.

Related topics and articles

How to configure the Password Policy Enforcer

Fine-grained password policies

What is an AD policy?