your a life saver i have just spent 2 hours trying to trouble shoot im not an it person i even contacted microsoft and they put a help ticket. omg it was so easy. thank you
Windows 11 Sign Issues with Challenge Phrase
Hi,
I am trying to sign into my laptop as normal, but it says my password has been entered incorrectly so I have to enter the challenge phrase A1B2C3 and then my password. I know my password is correct but it keeps locking me out saying it is incorrect. I've followed Windows 11 tutorials to fix login issues but none mention the challenge phrase, which seems to be our issue.
Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
111 answers
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Anonymous
2024-02-10T20:44:56+00:00 -
Anonymous
2024-02-07T14:40:48+00:00 To try again enter A1b2c3
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Anonymous
2024-01-28T07:48:51+00:00 I forgot my password
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Anonymous
2023-12-25T23:23:56+00:00 hi I am the same issue with my window and I need help it's said a12bc3
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Anonymous
2023-12-12T15:09:15+00:00 this actually has good points. (will explain)
BUT, microsoft is at fault for NOT explaining why this phrase occurs, AND in my opinion, for not enabling bitlocker full mode on all machines.
first, the challenge phrase. if someone enters the WRONG password/pin/etc, from my understanding, after about 4 or 5 attempts, then they have to enter a CHALLENGE phrase, before re-entering the correct password/pin/etc.
The Challenge phrase is like a firewall. it is not to open your computer; it is to RE_open the gate to allow you to ENTER the correct pin/password/etc.
AND, when entering your pin/password/etc, there is a time-delay of couple seconds between each entry; this prevents robots from blasting the system every 2 milliseconds with a new password, etc.
SO, from a security standpoint, this IS a good implementation.. The new security steps are to prevent robotic attacks on your system.
NOW, the main thing is to make it work correctly (microsoft) withot glitches
NOW, onto bitlocker.
Bitlocker in a crippled form is enabled on windows 11 machines, home or pro. in HOME, though, you can't enable pre-boot-encryption. the minute the machine is on, and asking you a password, bitlocker is in an unencrypted access mode. (from my understanding). I upgraded to PRO, because then i can have a pre-startup-PIN for bitlocker, so if anybody steals the machine, it is a brick, unaccessible.
if someone steals your windows HOME machine, and turns it on, it unlocks bitlocker and goes immediately to PIN/PASSWORD/etc. That is not of much comfort to me.
anyway, hopefully this helps somewhat explain some of hte new security stuff, the challenge phrase, and microsoft's deficiency in more widely explaining this to end users.
nick