Zkteco attendance machine forgot password

If you’ve lost administrative access to a ZKTeco attendance or fingerprint device, this guide helps you take the correct, authorized steps to regain control. Follow the legal, vendor‑approved recovery process—do not attempt unverified workarounds that may void warranties or cause data loss.

What is the ZKTeco Password Reset Tool?

A ZKTeco Password Reset Tool is software or a hardware process used to recover a forgotten administrator password on ZKTeco fingerprint or access control devices. The "tool" can be a Time-Based Password Generation method requiring you to enter the device's current time into a specific software to get a temporary password, a physical tamper switch reset, or modifying a configuration file within the attendance management system's software.

Time-Based Password Generation (Software)

This method uses a specific software tool to generate a password based on the device's current time. Contact support: Obtain the ZKTeco Password Reset Tool software from a supplier or contact ZKTeco directly. Get the device time: On the fingerprint device, note the current time shown on the screen.

• Generate the password: Open the tool on your PC and enter the time (e.g., "14:20" becomes "1420").
• Unlock the device: The tool will provide a temporary password.
• Access the menu: On the device, press the menu button, enter "8888", then press OK.
• Clear the password: Enter the generated temporary password and clear the admin password to gain access to the menu.
• Tamper Switch Reset (Hardware)

For some devices, you can reset the password by triggering the physical tamper switch.

• Identify the tamper switch: Locate the tamper switch on the device.
• Initiate the reset: Press the tamper switch for 2-5 seconds, and repeat this process three times within a short timeframe (e.g., 30-60 seconds) after the device powers on.
• Confirm reset: The device will indicate a successful reset, usually with a beep and a light.
• Use default credentials: You can then use the default administrator password, which is often "1234" or "admin," to log in.

Attendance Management System File Modification

This method is for resetting passwords within the associated attendance software, not directly on the device. Locate the file: Find the setup or data folder for your ZKTeco attendance management system software. Access the data: Open the database file to locate user information. Clear the password: Select the admin user and clear the security flag and password fields. Save and restart: Save the modified file and restart the attendance management system. The system will no longer prompt for a password.