Cannot set Minimum password length to more than 14 characters

MHD 96 Reputation points
2020-12-04T18:21:51.417+00:00

Our default domain policy is setting the Minimum password length to 16 characters although when I run net accounts on a 2016 OS server it does not show that.

Also when I run 'NET accounts /MINPWLEN:16' it returns this error 'You entered an invalid value for the /MINPWLEN option.'

I can run NET accounts /MINPWLEN:any value up to 14 with no error
Also that command seems to override the default domain policy setting because when I run gpupdate /force the setting still shows what was set using NET accounts /MINPWLEN:xx' when i run Net Accounts or view the setting in gpedit.

Is there any fix or work around for the /MINPWLEN: option to set it for more than 14 characters?

Is there a similar Powershell cmdlet to set this?

Windows
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  1. MHD 96 Reputation points
    2020-12-07T21:53:03.757+00:00

    Thanks guys. The issue is how our compliance software reads the information. We use BigFix for compliance and even that can't set it properly.

    For now since the GPO is configured properly and the Net Accounts command only sets the setting locally I'll consider the compliance results as a false positive.

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  1. Fan Fan 15,291 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2020-12-07T02:39:31.347+00:00

    Hi,
    Windows version 2004 introduces a new Group Policy setting that allows you to configure the minimum password length to a value greater than 14.
    But to let the new settings apply to workstations, we need to activate the Relax minimum password length limits setting, which was added with Windows 10 2004, the Group Policy Management Editor allows up to 128 characters.
    45477-12072.png

    If you edit the GPO on an older version of Windows, the standard limit of 14 characters applies again.

    Best Regards,

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Thameur-BOURBITA 32,586 Reputation points
    2020-12-05T00:19:02.677+00:00

    Hi,

    When you set a password policy through Default domain policy , the policy will be applied only on domain users.

    If you are using a local account (not domain account), and you want that its password respects the password policy ,you have to set the password policy on another GPO and link it to server Unit organisation.

    please don't forget to mark this reply as answer if it help you to fix your issue

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