Fix: Unable to Login with Microsoft Account in Windows 10

You have found this guide because you are unable to log in with your Microsoft account in Windows 10, so we will be telling you all you need to know.

Microsoft is an essential part of Windows 10 because, without a Microsoft Account, you won’t be able to do many things in the OS.

And if you’re, for some reason, unable to login into your Microsoft Account, it can cause a lot of damage. So, for example, you can lose all your emails, purchased apps, settings, etc.

So in this article, we’ll talk about what to do if you cannot log in to your Microsoft Account.

Why can’t I log into my Microsoft account on my PC?

Let us start with the most obvious; you have forgotten your username or password. If this is the case, there are different data restoration options.

Another common culprit is the caps lock. If you have the caps lock feature turned on, you may be typing your password in all caps without knowing.

Other than that, a damaged OS may be the cause. In this case, a reinstall may be your only bet. The downside is that when you perform a reinstall without logging in, you may be forced to part with valuable data.

Also, you may be having compatibility issues with the antivirus you use. Again, your best bet is to be booting into safe mode and uninstall the program.

Here are a few variations to this error:

• Windows 10 can’t sign in with a Microsoft account something went wrong – Many users reported an error message while trying to log in to Windows 10. A corrupted profile most likely causes this.
• Windows 10 won’t let me sign into my Microsoft account or computer – This is another common variation, and you should read further to see what solutions we have recommended.
• Windows 10 can’t sign in to your account – Many users reported this problem with Windows 10. However, you should be able to fix that problem using one solution.
• Can’t get past the login screen Windows 10 – In this case, you may have to boot into safe mode and try again; in extreme situations, you may need to reinstall the OS or deactivate the antivirus.
• We can’t sign into your account this problem can often be fixed by signing out of your account – Restart the system and try to log in with your regular profile.
• Windows 10 can’t login with password
• Can’t sign into Microsoft account on PC

What can I do if I can’t get past the login screen on Windows 10/11?

Many users reported that they can’t log into Windows, and if that happens, check your username and password and ensure they are correct.

If the Windows login screen is missing, your installation may be damaged, so you might have to repair it.

According to some users, they are stuck on the login screen, and if that happens, you might have to perform a system restore or even reinstall your operating system.

What can I do if I cannot log in with a Microsoft account?

1. Do basic recovery steps

Microsoft provides these basic recovery actions, and they only work if you can’t log in to your Microsoft Account if you, for example, forgot your password. If that’s the case, follow Microsoft’s instructions to reset your password.

To reset your Microsoft Account password, go to the password reset page, follow further instructions, and your password will be reset.

There’s also a chance that Microsoft blocks your account for some reason. To find out more about your blocked account, and look for a solution, go to the blocked account support page.

1.1 Use a dedicated tool

Although you can manually try and recover your password, one of the easiest and less time-consuming solutions is to use a dedicated third-party tool.

Dedicated password recovery tools can reset Windows admin passwords instantly, allowing you to access your data quickly. 

They can also store your passwords and sensitive data, such as credit card information, in safe, encrypted folders.

They are compatible with all major file types, so you can recover software passwords and OS credentials and even unlock password-protected documents.

Don’t forget that it is easier to recover a password and re-use it than trying to reset it. Resetting a password may result in some temporary or permanent account blocking.

One of the best password recovery software we use is Stellar Password Recovery.

Its main function is to easily change and reset Windows administrator and user passwords. It is also widely compatible with all versions of Windows.

Stellar Password Recovery

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2. Remove your antivirus

According to users, the problem can be your antivirus if you cannot log in with a Microsoft account. Antivirus can interfere with your operating system and prevent you from logging in with a Microsoft account.

We recommend removing your antivirus and checking if that solves the problem.

Many users reported that Avast was the cause of this problem, and the issue was resolved after removing it. However, other antivirus tools can also cause this issue besides Avast, so be sure to remove them.

You might have to use a dedicated uninstaller to ensure that your antivirus is completely removed. Almost all antivirus companies offer these tools for their products, so be sure to download one for your antivirus.

Once you remove your antivirus, the issue should be resolved. However, since Avast is usually the leading cause of this problem, we strongly recommend switching to a different antivirus.

3. Change Group Policy Settings

1. Go to Search, type group policy, and open Edit group policy.
   
2. Navigate to the following path
   Computer ConfigurationWindows SettingsSecurity SettingsLocal PoliciesSecurity OptionsAccounts: Block Microsoft Accounts
3. Find Accounts: Block Microsoft accounts, right-click them and go to Properties.
   
4. From the dropdown menu, select This policy is disabled, then click Apply and OK to save changes.
   

This solution applies if a group policy somehow blocks your Microsoft Account, and performing this action will unblock your Microsoft Account, and you should be able to log in normally.

4. Edit your Registry

1. Go to Search, type regedit, and open the regedit app.
   
2. Navigate to the path below.
   HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT/Software/Microsoft/IdentityCRL/StoredIdentities
3. You’ll find your account, right-click it, and choose Delete from the menu.
   
4. Now close Registry Editor, head to Settings and select Accounts, and try to add your account again.

If the Group Policy didn’t block your Microsoft Account, the previous solution wouldn’t be helpful, so you should try this regedit fix.

5. Check if your account is hacked

You probably think it can’t happen to you, but there is a chance that your Microsoft Account got hacked, especially if we know how many security threats are out there on the internet.

Check to see if your Microsoft account is hacked, and try to fix the issue as soon as possible.

Read more about this topic

• Fix: Signed in with a temporary profile error in Windows 10/11
• FIX: Windows 10/11 is stuck on the Welcome screen
• Fix: We need to fix your Microsoft account on Windows 10/11

6. Install the latest updates

1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
2. When the Settings app opens, go to the Update & Security section.
   
3. Now click on Check for updates button.
   

Windows will now check for updates. If any updates are available, Windows will download them in the background and install them once you restart your PC.

7. Delete the Credentials directory

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Now enter %localappdata% and press Enter or click OK.
   
3. Navigate to the Microsoft directory and remove the Credentials folder.
   

After that, you need to restart your PC, and you should be able to log in with your Microsoft account without any problems.

The issue might be corrupted credentials if you cannot log in with a Microsoft account. To fix this problem, locate the credentials directory and remove it.

8. Create a new user account

1. Open the Settings app and navigate to the Accounts section.
   
2. From the menu on the left, choose Family & other people, then click on Add someone else to this PC.
   
3. Now click on I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
   
4. You’ll be asked to enter your Microsoft information. Then, choose to Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   
5. Now enter the desired user name and click Next.
   

After doing that, switch to a new account. If the new account works, you might want to convert it to a Microsoft account and check if that solves the problem.

Several users reported that creating a new account fixed their old account, so you might want to try that.

If you’re unable to log in with a Microsoft account, you might be able to fix the problem simply by creating a new user account. This is relatively simple, and you can do it by following the steps above.

9. Change the EnableLUA value in the registry

1. Go to Search, type regedit, and open the regedit app.
   
2. When Registry Editor opens, navigate to the path below.
   ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem
3. In the left pane, click system, then in the right pane, double-click EnableLUA DWORD.
   
4. If Value data is set to 0, change it to 1 and click OK to save changes.
5. Optional: If the value of EnableLUA is already set to 1, you might have to recreate this DWORD. To do that, right-click EnableLUA DWORD and choose Delete from the menu.
   
6. Right-click the empty space in the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   
7. Enter EnableLUA as the name of the new DWORD, and make sure that its Value data is set to 1.

After making these changes to your registry, restart your PC and check if the problem reappears.

Sometimes specific values in your registry can get modified, causing this issue to appear. To fix this problem, you need to edit your registry manually, following the steps above.

10. Delete the corrupted profile from the registry

1. Go to Search, type regedit, and open the regedit app.
   
2. In the left pane, navigate to the path below.
   ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList
3. Expand the ProfileList key. All these keys represent a single user profile on your PC.
   
4. You must go through all keys and find the one related to the corrupted profile. The easiest way to identify the corrupted profile is to check the ProfileImagePath value.
   
5. Once you find the problematic profile, remove its key from the registry.
6. Right-click the key associated with it and choose Delete from the menu.
   
7. Click on Yes to confirm.
   

Now you need to restart your PC and try logging in to the problematic account. After doing that, the profile should be recreated, and you’ll be able to access it without any problems.

The problem can occur if you cannot log in with a Microsoft account because a specific profile directory is removed. However, you can recreate the profile directory simply by removing the problematic profile from the registry.

What can I do if I cannot log in with my Microsoft account on Windows 11?

Windows 10 and 11 are very similar operating systems. Therefore, most PC problems across these operating systems have the same triggers. This also implies that the fixes on Windows 10 will work on Windows 11.

In case you are not able to log in due to a challenge phrase on your Windows PC, read this guide to learn the ways to disable the feature in no time.

In a few rare instances, there may be minor UI changes. But generally, the steps are identical.

We hope this article helped you to get your Microsoft Account back. If you have any comments or questions, contact the comments below.