I keep getting locked out without even putting in a bad password.

Question

I keep getting locked out without even putting in a bad password.

ZM11 5

This has happened twice where I try to log into my user, but then it says “The referenced account is currently locked out and may not be logged on to”. What makes this confusing and scary is that I haven’t typed out a bad password. The latest time that this has happened, I just closed my laptop lid and I tried putting in the password, only for that message to appear and lock me out.

How do I fix this?

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Hendrix-V 19,035 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi ZM11,

It sounds like Windows is detecting enough failed sign-in attempts to trigger the account lockout policy, even if those attempts are not coming directly from you. In some cases, a saved credential, background app, or another device connected to the same account can repeatedly try an outdated password and cause a lockout.

You can try these quick checks:

1, Review recent sign-in activity

Sign in to your Microsoft account security page.
Check for unfamiliar sign-in attempts or devices.
Sign out of devices you no longer use.

2, Update saved passwords

If you recently changed your password, update it on all PCs, phones, email apps, and browsers that use the account.
Remove any old saved credentials that may still be trying to authenticate.

3, Check Event Viewer

Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Security.
Look for account lockout or failed sign-in events around the time the issue occurred.
These events can help identify what triggered the lockout.

4, Test with a clean restart

Restart the PC and monitor whether the lockout returns after waking from sleep or reconnecting to the network.
If it only happens after sleep, a background service or synced application may be involved.

If the account continues to lock unexpectedly after these checks, please let me know whether you're using a Microsoft account or a local account, and whether the lockout occurs only on this device or on multiple devices. That information can help narrow down the cause.

Feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

ZM11 5 Reputation points

2026-09-03T19:00:04.6066667+00:00

My account is local so it isn't Microsoft account related; and the only Audit Failure I can find is from the 31st of August, and this happened last night. All I can find in Event Viewer are a bunch of Audit Successes, constant, like 32,000 events, I would like to know why, but first I want to tackle the lockout situation.

I did do an sfc scannow on System Recovery, it found things wrong and repaired them, before logging in with no WiFi, and it let me back on.
Hendrix-V 19,035 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-04T03:11:28.98+00:00
Hi ZM11,

Thank you for the additional information. Since you're using a local account, that does help narrow the investigation. The fact that you didn't find any Audit Failure events around the time of the lockout suggests Windows may not have recorded it as a typical failed sign-in attempt. Also, the discovery that SFC found and repaired system file issues is a notable clue.

At this point, I would focus on whether the issue returns rather than making major changes immediately:

Continue using the system normally for a few days and monitor for another lockout.

If it happens again, note the exact time and check Windows Logs > System for warnings or errors that occurred just before the lockout.

Since SFC repaired corrupted files and you were able to sign in afterward, it's possible those repairs addressed a component involved in the sign-in process.

Regarding the large number of Audit Success entries, seeing thousands of successful audit events can be normal when Windows auditing is enabled, as it records routine system and sign-in activity. The more useful information would typically be any warnings, errors, or lockout-related events that coincide with the time of the problem.

For now, the strongest lead is that system file corruption was detected and repaired. If the lockout does not reoccur after those repairs, that may indicate the issue has already been resolved.
ZM11 5 Reputation points

2026-09-08T03:26:34.9833333+00:00

Hi again @Hendrix-V , so it happened again.Literally randomly after I opened up the lid it gave me that message. I tried running sfc again but it still locked me out. but it could be that I didn’t let the repairs set into place because shortly after I turned it off by the power button and booted it up, it let me sign back on. The entire security logs around the time I was locked out were Audit Successes, so that is weird.

Please help me fix this because this is getting annoying and concerning.

Edit: So it happened again out of nowhere, I tried my usual steps but to no avail. I think I’ll settle with turning off my password because this is getting too frequent. I’ll still be replying however because I do want to fix this problem.
Hendrix-V 19,035 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-09T02:35:10.0266667+00:00
Hi ZM11,

Thank you for the update. Since the issue has now occurred multiple times, including immediately after waking the laptop from sleep, and you still do not see corresponding Audit Failure events, this appears to be more than a simple incorrect-password scenario.

A few targeted checks may help identify the source:

1, Create a secondary local administrator account

Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users.

Create a temporary local account and set it as Administrator.

This provides access to the system if your primary account becomes locked again.

2, Check account lockout settings

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Run: net accounts

Review the lockout threshold, duration, and reset values. Unexpected settings can cause repeated lockouts when the threshold is reached.

3, Look for Account Lockout events

Open Event Viewer.

Navigate to Windows Logs > Security.

Filter for Event ID 4740, which is the Windows event generated when an account is locked out. Microsoft documents Event ID 4740 specifically for tracking account lockout activity.

4, Test sleep and wake behavior

Since the problem often appears after opening the lid, temporarily disable sleep or hibernation and monitor whether the lockouts stop.

This can help determine whether the issue is related to the resume process rather than the account itself.

The fact that a power-off and restart immediately allows sign-in again is an important clue. That behavior suggests the account may not be remaining genuinely locked for a prolonged period and could indicate a temporary authentication, credential, or wake-from-sleep issue rather than a persistent password problem.
Hendrix-V 19,035 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-10T07:18:41+00:00

Hi ZM11,

I just wanted to follow up and check if the information I provided was helpful. If you have any further questions or updates regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section. I'd be happy to assist you.
ZM11 5 Reputation points

2026-09-16T17:53:49.4833333+00:00

Hey @Hendrix-V

it hasn’t happened until today. I restarted my laptop for a BIOS update, and I find it’s been locked out. I did what you said made an extra administrator account, and I found the lockout event. Before that it was a series of 4798 Event IDs, then it was a 5382, 4672, and 4624.

I traced another lockout event, and again, it was a series of events marked with ID 4798, and the pattern broke with a 5382.

i traced another event, it was again a lockout event, before that a series of 4798, and then a series of 5379.

i then got the earliest lockout event, which was the same as the first one I talked about.