Windows 10 - Not accepting password

Hi, AJamesB

My name is Kathleen and I am an Independent Advisor. I would be happy to help you today.

If you need to get into an account and have forgotten the password, if it is a Microsoft Account, click the link below to reset your password and follow the prompts:
https://account.live.com/password/reset

Let us know if these steps help you to resolve the issue.

Hi James

My name is Andre Da Costa; an Independent Consultant, Windows Insider MVP and Windows & Devices for IT MVP. I'm here to help you with your problem.

Give it 3 hours then try using the new password again - make sure the computer remains connected to the Internet. Sometimes it takes some time for the password reset to federate. If it doesn't work try using the old password.

Try restarting a few times then try again.

Try disconnecting from the Internet and try again.

If that does not work, reboot in Safe Mode then try signing in.

At the sign in screen:
Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen.
Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart.
Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears.
Click Troubleshoot
Click Advanced options
Click Startup Settings
Click Restart
Press (4) to Enable Safe Mode
Wait while Windows 10 starts in safe mode.
Log in

If you are still unable to log in, see the following:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Other things you can try - enable to built in Administrator account:

Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen.
Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart.
Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears.
Click Troubleshoot
Click Advanced options
Click Command Prompt

At the command prompt, type:
net user administrator /active:yes

Hit Enter

Close command prompt, restart, then try signing into the Administrator account.

Try signing in again.

Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen.
Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart.
Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears.
Click Troubleshoot
Click Advanced options
Click Startup repair the follow the on screen instructions.
When complete, restart.
Try signing in again.

Change password
Open Control Panel - see how to find control panel:
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/open-control-p...

Open User Accounts
Click Manage another account
Select the other account
CLick Change the password

Enter the password
Confirm the new password

Type a hint

Click Change password

or

Open Start, type: CMD
Right click CMD
Click Run as administrator

Type: net user
Hit Enter

This should reveal your account name

Type: net user YOURACCOUNTNAME *

Hit Enter

Type a new password for the account then hit Enter.

If none of the above works, you are best off reinstalling Windows 10.

How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

If there are files on the drive you want to recover, see - How to: Perform a Custom install of Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

Step 4: how to recover your files from Windows.old:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Hi Kathleen,

I know the password. Many thanks for your response. 

James

I recommend you create a USB to repair Windows
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-downlo...

Check this link to recover your files when repairing Windows

https://www.backup-utility.com/windows-10/reins...

Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

Hi Andre,

Pressed Startup repair - Asks to choose an account to continue - But it wont accept the password..... So only option is to click forgot password and it takes me back to logon screen, where it wont accept my password.... So I click forgot password and its got the spinning dots and then asks me for my password again, that it wont accept..... I know its the right password as I can log on from my windows tablet.

None of the other accounts on the laptop work either which is strange....

Thanks for your assistance so far.

James

Hi James

Thanks for the update.

Go to a working computer, download, create a bootable copy, then perform a clean install.

Step 1: How to download official Windows 10 ISO files
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Step 2: How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

If there are files on the drive you want to recover, see - How to: Perform a Custom install of Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

Step 4: how to recover your files from Windows.old:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Hi Andre,

Had to do a clean , almost back to normal, but still have some unrepairable sectors on the hard drive. 

Many thanks for your suggestions... 

James

It could be a sign the drive might be failing. You might want to backup and consider replacing the drive.

How to: Create a system image in Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

How to restore a Windows 10 system image to an existing or larger storage device
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Hi James

My name is Andre Da Costa; an Independent Consultant, Windows Insider MVP and Windows & Devices for IT MVP. I'm here to help you with your problem.

Give it 3 hours then try using the new password again - make sure the computer remains connected to the Internet. Sometimes it takes some time for the password reset to federate. If it doesn't work try using the old password.

Try restarting a few times then try again.

Try disconnecting from the Internet and try again.

If that does not work, reboot in Safe Mode then try signing in.

At the sign in screen:
Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen.
Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart.
Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears.
Click Troubleshoot
Click Advanced options
Click Startup Settings
Click Restart
Press (4) to Enable Safe Mode
Wait while Windows 10 starts in safe mode.
Log in

If you are still unable to log in, see the following:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Other things you can try - enable to built in Administrator account:

Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen.
Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart.
Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears.
Click Troubleshoot
Click Advanced options
Click Command Prompt

At the command prompt, type:
net user administrator /active:yes

Hit Enter

Close command prompt, restart, then try signing into the Administrator account.

Try signing in again.

Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen.
Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart.
Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears.
Click Troubleshoot
Click Advanced options
Click Startup repair the follow the on screen instructions.
When complete, restart.
Try signing in again.

Change password
Open Control Panel - see how to find control panel:
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/open-control-p...

Open User Accounts
Click Manage another account
Select the other account
CLick Change the password

Enter the password
Confirm the new password

Type a hint

Click Change password

or

Open Start, type: CMD
Right click CMD
Click Run as administrator

Type: net user
Hit Enter

This should reveal your account name

Type: net user YOURACCOUNTNAME *

Hit Enter

Type a new password for the account then hit Enter.

If none of the above works, you are best off reinstalling Windows 10.

How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

If there are files on the drive you want to recover, see - How to: Perform a Custom install of Windows 10
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

Step 4: how to recover your files from Windows.old:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Andrew, I'm having the same problem as James is and I had just tried all of your suggestions you mentioned in another post on my desktop computer with the same password I use here on my laptop, . I had the same results James had, anything I get into wants my Password and will NOT accept the password that is currently working on my laptop. I absolutely don't know what to do next. I wonder if James had any luck.  Do have any suggestions of what to do NOW?   BTW, I use a PIN and not a password but it's the same one that works on this laptop. Thank you! Suzy

Hi Suzy

I had to reinstall windows 10 with the ISO file. It was the only thing that worked. Gonna get a new hard drive now... Hope you manage to get it sorted. It's very frustrating... 

James