[KB333] Reset your settings password using the ESET unlock tool (11.1 and earlier)

Issue

This article applies to earlier versions of ESET products

If your ESET product is version 11.1 and earlier, follow the steps in this article.

If your ESET product (home) is version 11.2 and later, click here.

If your ESET product (business) is version 7.1 and later, click here.

  • Prompted for a password when trying to access program settings
  • User-defined password does not work
  • Forgot user-defined password for program settings
  • Unlock or reset the password for Advanced setup
  • You need the unlock code (downloaded and ran unlock.exe)

Android users

My Username, Password or License Key is not working

My ESET program is not updating correctly

Details

ESET Windows home products provide the option to establish a user-defined password to access program settings. If your system is part of a company network, contact your network administrator for assistance.

Solution

If you do not know your user-defined password, you can use the ESET Unlock Utility to remove it and restore your access to the configuration settings. ESET Technical Support can only provide unlock codes to users who can validate and verify their installed ESET product with settings protection password enabled. 

NOTE:

User-defined password is different from the ESET-issued Username and Password ESET emailed to you upon purchase of your product).

Follow the instructions below to use the ESET Unlock Utility to generate an unlock code:

  1. Click the following link and save the ESET Unlock Utility to your Desktop:

Download unlock.exe

  1. Double-click the file named unlock.exe. A window will appear with a numeric unlock ID.
Microsoft Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 users

You must right-click the ESET Unlock Utility and click Run as Administrator.

Figure 1-1

  1. If you have not yet contacted ESET Technical Support, submit a Technical Support support request containing the unlock ID that you generated in step 2, as well as the ESET-issued Username, Password and/or License key that was sent to you after purchase. After opening the support form navigate to Home User & Small Office Support » Other question or feedback (none of the above) » Request unlock code to access password protected settings. When you are finished, proceed to step 4.

If you have already opened a Technical Support support request, please respond to their email with the unlock code generated by the ESET Unlock Utility and then skip to step 5.

  1. You will receive an email from ESET Technical Support with a unique case number. Close the ESET Unlock Utility while waiting for the email response from ESET technical support. The unlock code will be located at the top of the email following the sentence Below is the unlock code you requested.

    Figure 1-2

  2. Run the ESET Unlock Utility again and enter the numeric unlock code provided by ESET Technical Support (from step 4) into the Enter Code field. When you are finished entering the code press Enter.
    Microsoft Windows Vista / 7/ 8 / 10 users

    You must right-click the ESET Unlock Utility and click Run as Administrator.

    Figure 1-3

  3. Open the main program window of your Windows ESET product.

  4. Press the F5 key to open the Advanced setup window. If the Advanced setup window appears, the password has been removed successfully.

  5. Click OK.

  6. Restart your computer.

Last Updated: Aug 9, 2022

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