"This sign-in option is disabled because of failed sign-in attempts or repeated shutdowns". I've been locked out of my laptop since last night and can't log back in. How do I fix this issue?

Reported
Anonymous
2022-01-28T09:51:54+00:00

So randomly last night (about 12 hours ago) my laptop with Windows 11 shows the above error message when I input my pin.

"This sign-in option is disabled because of failed sign-in attempts or repeated shutdowns. Use a different sign-in option, or keep your device powered on for at least 2 hours and then try again".

Prior to this, I used my laptop normally and everything was fine. I did not put in the pin several times and certainly not repeatedly shut down my laptop, so I'm not sure where this even comes from.

From what I understand, my only chances to log back in my laptop are to:

  1. Wait 2 hours WHILE the laptop is powered on.
  2. Use a different sign-in option (use password - and I have no idea what this password is lol).

I can't do solution 1 because my laptop powers down after like 30 seconds, so I cannot keep it powered on for 2 hours unless I press a button on my laptop every 29 seconds for 2 hours.

For solution 2, the different sign in method asks me to put in a password, not sure which password this is. It can't be the password that I use to log in to my Microsoft account online because it says that's incorrect.

Now, following from solution 2, I get the option to reset this password, by answering 3 memorable questions, but here too at least 1 of memorable questions is incorrect.

Can I get back into my laptop without having to factory reset everything?

Does anyone know if the 2 hours wait need to be consecutive?

Thanks all :)

EDIT: It has been 11 months and people still seem to have the same issue as me. Microsoft, please fix this bug / glitch. It's obviously causing a lot of headaches. I was able to simply factory reset my laptop as everything I had was backed up elsewhere, but I'm sure 90% of the people here cannot do this because the laptop still has vital stuff not backed up else where. Even if they could backup, it's a really long and painful process to set the laptop back up.

This really needs to be addressed asap please :)

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-15T16:11:35+00:00

    Half serious answer: have you considered Linux with a Windows Emulator?

    Serious answer: depends if you got this issue because your machine has been off the internet for a long period. The last one I had to fix was caused by this. From what I can see the cached authentication credentials for the Microsoft Account are just like a domain login: they expire after a period of time and you cannot get back in until you connect the device to the domain network. In this case the "domain" network is Microsoft.com via the internet.

    If your device is always connected to the internet, which several of the posters to this thread seem to be, it is harder to understand and to fix. I found by stopping the device from sleeping and leaving it hardwired to the router via ethernet after a couple of hours I could get in with the PIN again. What initially stopped it from doing this is that if you left it alone unobserved it went to sleep very quickly shutting down the internet connection. I had it on my desk at work and kept moving the mouse pointer to keep it awake at intervals. I suspect if you can get it connected to WiFi and keep it awake it might do the same thing.

    hope that help you.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-05-15T15:21:03+00:00

    I’m facing the same issue in 2025, does anyone have a fix to this issue please

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-05-14T11:49:56+00:00

    Hello R, may I ask how you ended up resolving the problem. I have the exact same problem you described. Thank you

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-05-12T17:53:39+00:00

    its protecting your data and making sure only you can log in, so you have to re verify yourself with the password, and when you change pin can use the same pin, it just updates it, i add a cell to my ms account then its a bit esier to just get a txt with code to make sure you can get in even if password is forgotten which seems to happen to many, in next windows i read it will ask for your cell number during setup for this reason, ,

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-05-12T17:22:50+00:00

    I had the same issue with my son's laptop. Both mine and my son's accounts reported the same message. Even though I knew the pins and they were correct I still got the message.

    To fix it I selected the "I forgotten my pin" option. This then requires you to authenticate using the Microsoft account. Once you've done that you can enter a new pin and the message goes away.

    I suspect that, as the pin is meant to be a quick way to auth your MS account and can only be used on the machine they're generated on, they are given an expiration date and after that date you are meant to change them. The laptop is a couple of years old and this would have been the first time we changed the pins.

    If this is the problem then my guess would be that the pins have expired and MS is just not handling the error correctly. Rather then locking the account it should allow you in but force the pin to be changed.

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