Child (family group) Microsoft account cannot sign in to Windows 11 device — "password is incorrect" despite verified credentials

Matthew Webster 0 Reputation points
2026-09-16T09:04:38.1433333+00:00

I'm the organizer of a Microsoft Family group and am unable to get my child's Microsoft account signed in on a Windows 11 Home device, despite extensive troubleshooting that has ruled out every local/device-side cause I can identify. The symptom appears specific to this account rather than to the device.

  • Family group: child is an existing member; consent has been granted (confirmed via "Remove consent for this child's account" being present under Manage consent on account.microsoft.com/family)
  • Device: Windows 11 Home, version 25H2

Summary of the problem: My child's account cannot sign in to this Windows 11 device via Settings > Accounts, nor via the lock screen's "Other user" > Sign-in options > "Microsoft account password." Every attempt returns: "That password is incorrect. Make sure that you are using the password for your Microsoft account."

My own Microsoft account signs in on this exact same device, through the exact same mechanism, without any issue.

Troubleshooting already completed:

  1. Reset the child's password via account.live.com/password/reset and confirmed the new password is correct by (a) signing into account.live.com and account.microsoft.com/family successfully with it from a separate device, and (b) using the password-reveal ("eye") icon on the Windows lock screen to visually confirm the exact characters entered match.
  2. Ruled out keyboard/typing/layout issues by entering the password character-by-character using the on-screen keyboard.
  3. Confirmed two-step verification is OFF on the child's account (checked at account.live.com/proofs/manage/additional).
  4. Confirmed parental consent has already been granted for this child's account (the "Remove consent" option is present, which only appears once consent is granted).
  5. Checked account.live.com/activity for the child's account — it shows only successful sign-in and password-reset entries; no failed attempts, blocks, or security alerts of any kind.
  6. Confirmed the organizer (parent) account is a genuine Microsoft-account sign-in on this device (Settings > Accounts > Your info shows the Microsoft email, not a local account), so this isn't a local-vs-Microsoft-account gap on my side.
  7. Confirmed the PC's system clock/time zone is correct and synced.
  8. Confirmed no proxy is configured (netsh winhttp show proxy shows "Direct access, no proxy server") and the hosts file has no entries blocking Microsoft's sign-in domains.
  9. Confirmed no third-party antivirus, parental-control software, or MDM/device management enrollment is present on the device (Settings > Accounts > Access work or school shows nothing enrolled).
  10. Performed a full in-place repair install of Windows 11 (via the official ISO, "Keep personal files and apps") to rule out local OS corruption. This did not change the outcome.
  11. Separately, Settings > Accounts > Family (and the direct ms-settings:family-group link) does not open a functional page on this device even after the repair install — it returns to the Settings home page. I mention this in case it's related, since Microsoft's own "Connect your device" instructions (shown when signed into the child's account under Devices) direct the organizer to that exact Settings > Accounts > Family page to link the device.

Given the password is verified correct, consent is granted, 2FA is off, there's no logged failed attempt or security block, and the identical sign-in mechanism works for my own account on the same device, this looks like a restriction or issue specific to how this child account handles native/device sign-in rather than anything I can resolve locally.

Despite extensive troubleshooting that has ruled out every local/device-side cause I can identify.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft Family Safety | For home | Windows
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  1. Kai-H 26,950 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-16T13:33:39.47+00:00

    Hi, Matthew Webster

    The password message is likely misleading. Since the child’s credentials work online and no failed attempt appears in account activity, the problem is more likely with Windows creating or linking that user profile than with the password itself.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Sign in to Windows with the organizer account, then open Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account. Enter the child’s Microsoft account address there instead of using the broken Family page. This is also a supported way to add an existing Microsoft account to Windows.

    After the account is added, sign out, select the child’s newly created profile, and complete the first sign-in while the PC is online. Keep the account as a Standard user, not an administrator.

    Once signed in, open Settings > Accounts and select Verify if shown. If it is not shown, open Edge under the child’s Windows profile and visit the Family account verification page.

    If Add account still rejects the verified password, further resets or another Windows repair are unlikely to help. Use Contact Microsoft Support, sign in with the organizer account, and request help with a child Microsoft account’s Windows device sign-in or account provisioning.

    Please be advised that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, are not allowed to directly interfere with Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited solely to providing technical guidance on reported incidents, requests, or ideas.   

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment."    

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