Forum Discussion
What should I do if Windows 11 locks up after startup and I can't log in?
After starting up, the computer goes directly to the lock screen, and entering the password is ineffective. How can I restore login or bypass the lock?
Hi,
If Safe Mode works but the system freezes right after startup in normal mode, it’s very likely that a third‑party startup program or service is causing the lock‑up.
You can try the following steps:
- Boot into Safe Mode
- Open Task Manager → Startup and temporarily disable all non‑Microsoft entries
- Reboot normally and see if the system loads correctly
- If it does, re‑enable the items one by one to identify the problematic program
- This type of issue is often caused by an application or service that auto‑starts and hangs the session before the desktop fully loads.
If you can share more details (screenshot, error message, recent changes), we can help narrow it down.
If the issue started right after installing a specific update or application, that can also help identify the root cause.