“Your credentials could not be verified” when entering PIN. Help!!

I've tried restarting my computer in the way specified with safe mode networking and all that but my computer still says Credentials could not be verified. Why is it not working?

Hi Alleah,

I'm Baran. I had the same thing occur on my Windows 10 Home after the February Windows Update Patch. I knew my pin, had forgotten my original Admin Password, and even though I could use my system, as soon as any app went out of date and needed to be updated, I was in trouble. In essence my laptop became one expensive brick.

There is a solution. It is drastic, and I hope you still have access to your personal files and can download onto thumb drives.

The solution is to override the Security checks in the Boot sequence. If you are starting your machine up, just push your power button and hold it for 3-4 seconds, let go, and when you get to the Windows logon screen, push and hold the power button until the system completely shuts down. The recommendation from Ten Forums is to repeat this step 3-4 times. The Security processor is overridden, and you are taken to a new screen. This is the Automatic Repair Install Screen. Follow the prompts. It basically does a clean install of your system with the Windows 10 version the system originally came with. You really have no choice but to do this method.

This is because the Windows Update patches are distributed in sequence. I have been told by some really knowledgeable and trusted folks in these forums that if there were any small glitches with your system, regardless of when it happened, or if you have non-standard ( not OEM ) drivers installed on your system, these kinds of bugaboos start to happen. Because Windows 10, and especially 11, are hard nosed and standardized as far as the equipment on the system is concerned. We used to build our own systems in the 90;s and even now can build some pretty fantastically powerful gaming, media creation, and graphical design systems. Windows Operating Systems, through the elegance of the developers designs used to find their own way to fit into users systems.

No longer.

I had to do the hard start\hard shut down 22 times, and then on the 23rd try, the Automatic Repair Installation comes up. You are going to take back and keep full control over your machine.

And here is some advice, and this is important. It is not necessary to have a Standard User Account to be safe online. Make your account the Administrator Account, with a Microsoft Username, and a very strong password that you write down or record in a hard method that will not be lost. And then add, either a Pin, or Facial Recognition... or whatever other Windows Hello method you choose as a backup. Follow all the prompts, and build the machine you want.

The neat thing about this installation is that once you have told the system what you want, it then goes to work, for about an hour, or even two or three. And it does the latest Windows Update available. One thing, you must have WiFi, or a hard (Ethernet ) connection. The system will duplicate whatever version you had at purchase, but the install date, and the system will be dated the day you do the Install. So you will probably have only two months of Windows updates. I had Windows 10 Home 64 ver. 10.0 19045, 06'23/2019 20H1. I now have Windows 10 Home 64 10.0 19045 22H2 03/23/2023. Its streamlined, and cool.

Mandatory reading! Go to the forum on How to do a Clean Install of Windows 10/11. The forum is run by one of the folks who worked at Microsoft, and is now retired and helping here. There are some station-keeping tasks one must do, like reopening your webpage at your Laptops, or PC makers website so you can get all the correct and up-to-date drivers.

It sounds like its too much to do, and you might just say to heck with it and go buy an Apple, or make your system Linux. Honestly, it does really feel empowering to accomplish this task, and I encourage you to go ahead. Because with the very unique set of issues you are having there is no other realistic fix. Once administrator privileges over your system are lost there is no retrieving them, save finding your original password. Your expensive electronic abacus and word processor has become, well, a book end. Good Luck...

BK

Geek since1973, on a Sperry 3000 time shared system...

This happens to me while trying to enter safe mode! I can't enter safe mode because my "credentials cannot be verified". It is suggesting that I restart which I did several times already. What now?

Make sure you are using an administrator account to resolve this. 1] Repair Windows Hello Passwords (Face/PIN)

• Login with an admin account.
• Open File Explorer (Win + E) and navigate to the following location: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC
• Use Ctrl + A, and delete everything within that folder. If you don’t see the folder, then enable the show hidden files, folders, and drives option in File Explorer.
• If promoted with a Continue, then click Yes.

If you get the message— You don’t currently have permissions for this folder, then you need to change the folder’s permission.

• Righ-click the NGC folder and go to properties and click the Security tab.
• Click Advanced.
• Click Change beside Owner and type in Administrators and click OK.
• Restart PC.

I was able to get access to the NGC folder. You may need to reboot the PC after adding the account.

Now try emptying the NGC folder again. Done that, close all the open folders, and then go ahead and reset the PIN.

• Go to Windows Settings
• Navigate to Accounts > Sign-in Options
• Click Add a PIN again and set your PIN

Do the same for Face recognition, and check if the issue is resolved.

Yes need help on my computer