Referenced account is currently locked out and may not be logged on to

Dan Joshy 0 Reputation points
2026-09-04T05:39:39.7833333+00:00

I started facing this issue of being locked out of my account. When I searched up , it said maybe its due to entering the incorrect password multiple times, and my keyboard does get stuck sometimes. I watched some YT tutorials and fixed it somehow because I was in a hurry. Today I faced the same issue once again, in which I entered my correct password and it locked me out. So I need a permanent fix for this issue, and I hope the community can help me. It all started with me created an Outlook email, which was accidentally linked to my Windows , which was already linked to my Gmail account.
So I'm ready to delete that Outlook email, as I only use it on my phone or is there any way I can fix this so that I won't be facing being locked out anymore?

Please help me to fix this.

Thank You in Advance.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-04T05:40:00.22+00:00

    If the Microsoft account is being locked because of repeated sign-in failures, the supported fixes are:

    1. Stop repeated sign-in attempts. The lock can happen after too many incorrect password attempts, and repeated retries can keep the problem going.
    2. Use the Microsoft account sign-in helper to check the account state and follow the guided recovery steps: Sign-in Helper
    3. If the account is locked, unlock it by signing in at Sign in to request a security code.
      • Any phone number can be used to receive the security code.
      • The phone number does not need to be associated with the account.
      • The phone only needs to be able to receive text messages.
    4. If the password is known but has stopped working, use the recovery flow to reset it: Recover your account Then:
      • enter the email address, phone number, or Skype name used to sign in
      • choose where to receive the security code
      • enter the code
      • set a new password
    5. If the sign-in name shows as turned off, sign in with another alias that is not blocked for sign-in. If the correct alias is unknown, use Forgot your username? to identify which aliases can still be used.
    6. If the account remains blocked after recovery attempts, use Microsoft Support from the support flow: Contact Microsoft Support

    Deleting the Outlook email is not presented as the supported fix in the available guidance. The supported path is account recovery, unlock, and sign-in troubleshooting.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Vikki-T 9,685 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-04T10:18:09.9966667+00:00

    Hi Dan Joshy,

    I understand why you are considering deleting the Outlook address, especially if the lockout started after it was added to Windows. However, I would not delete the account yet, as the Outlook address may not be the actual cause of the Windows lockout.

    The message you mentioned can refer either to the Windows user profile on the computer or to the Microsoft account itself. Could you please clarify the following?

    • Does the message appear on the Windows sign-in screen before you reach the desktop?
    • Does the account shown there display your Outlook address, Gmail address, or only a local username?
    • Are you signing in with a PIN or with the account password?
    • Can you sign in successfully to your Microsoft account online from another device?
    • Is this a personal computer, or is it managed by a workplace or school?

    If you can access the Microsoft account online but Windows still shows the lockout message, please stop retrying temporarily and check the keyboard layout, Caps Lock, Num Lock, and any keys that may be sticking. At the Windows sign-in screen, select Sign-in options and try the password option instead of the PIN, or the PIN instead of the password, if both are available.

    Once you regain access to Windows, open Settings > Accounts > Your info and Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts to check how the Outlook address is connected. If it is listed only as an account used by apps, it may be removable without deleting the Microsoft account itself. Before changing or removing anything, please back up important files and check whether OneDrive is syncing any folders.

    If you also cannot sign in to the account online, use the Microsoft account Sign-in Helper or review Microsoft’s guidance for a locked Microsoft account. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

    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.

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  3. Kapil Arya 38,361 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-04T16:20:00.2+00:00

    Wait for around 30 minutes, see if you can login then.

    After login, check if you've account lockout policy enabled.

    Try disabling it, at Local Security Policy (secpol.msc) > Account Policies > Account Lockout Policy > Allow Administrator account lockout.

    Hope this helps!

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