Microsoft Password Sync Problems: Now locked out of PC

Question

Microsoft Password Sync Problems: Now locked out of PC

Bob Neufeld 25

I have three pc's on my home network. Two are Windows 10. The third is about a two weeks old and is Windows 11 Pro. I changed my Microsoft Account password online and was having trouble getting the password to sync to the pc's. I'm not sure how, but I was able to manually input the new password on the two W10 pc's but not the Windows 11 PC. I tried every procedure I could think of and nothing worked. I generally ran into the issue of having to enter the old PW, and I had no record of it since my password keeper kept only the new one when I changed the online MS Account PW. Oddly, in wandering around I tried switching to the local password on the W11 machine accomplishing that with merely the click of a button, no PW required. However, I was unable to switch back to the MS Account using my PW as I was also asked for my Windows (Local Account) PW, and I don't recall ever setting one. I could not get past this step using the PW route. Fortunately, I was able to switch back to the MS Account using my PIN. I think this my be related to my bigger problem.

Trying to solve this problem of syncing the MS Account PW to all PCs, I followed the instructions at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4061944/windows-10-11-pc-not-syncing-new-ms-account-passwo?source=docs, which is to use lusrmgr.msc and clear "Password Never Expires" on my account on the W11 PC. Now, I am locked out of the W11 PC. On booting, I get a message that my organization wants me to change my PW. I enter the existing MS Account PW and am told the PWs don't match. I make up a brand new PW and get the same message. I restart the PC, and I get a normal PW change request where one enters the old PW and twice enters the new PW. I am told it's the wrong PW, presumably the local PW I don't recall ever creating. My PIN leads to the same sequence of my organization wanting a new PW. How do I get out of this situation?

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Answer 1

Because the Windows 11 PC is now enforcing a password change and neither the Microsoft account password nor a known local password is accepted, the only supported ways out of this state are to recover/reset the sign‑in credentials or rebuild the device.

Use these supported paths:

If the issue is with the Microsoft account password
- Use the Microsoft account self‑service recovery to ensure the online password is correct: see Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password from the article Forgot your Microsoft account password referenced under Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows.
- After confirming the account password online, try signing in again on the Windows 11 PC with that exact password (no PIN, no cached password from a password manager).
If Windows sign‑in is still blocked
- Follow the guidance in Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows to address sign‑in failures on the device:
  - If the device is asking for a PIN that no longer works or cannot be reset, use the Forgot your PIN flow described in Change or reset your PIN in Windows (linked from the same article).
  - If the profile on that PC has become corrupted or unusable, use the steps in Fix a corrupted user profile to create a new profile and move data, as referenced in Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows.
If none of the recovery options work and sign‑in remains impossible
- As shown in a similar case on Microsoft Q&A where no sign‑in method (PIN, password, Safe Mode) worked, the final resolution was to reformat and perform a clean install of Windows on the affected laptop, then sign in again with the Microsoft account on a fresh setup. See the outcome in Unable to log in to Dell Rugged Laptop where “wound up reformatting the laptop and restarting with a clean install.”
- Before doing this, if there is important data on the device and no other account can sign in, professional data‑recovery or service options may be required.
If the problem is tied to account security/verification
- If verification codes or account security checks are blocking password resets or sign‑in, use the guidance under Not getting verification codes and Forgot your Microsoft account password from Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows, and the more detailed help in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form linked from My username and password have stopped working.

If self‑service recovery and local troubleshooting do not restore access, contact Microsoft Support using another account, as suggested in the Q&A guidance for locked/blocked accounts, and provide details of the sign‑in prompts and errors being seen on the Windows 11 PC.

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