SOLVED

Why doesn't Windows 10, on my laptop, recognize my Microsoft account password?

Iron Contributor

I've got Windows 10 Professional on my laptop. I've enabled Windows Hello, which I normally use to authenticate into my account (profile, technically) on my laptop. Also, I can use the PIN, since I set it up. And lastly, there's my password for my Microsoft account, which I can use to log into my laptop. The PIN always works. Windows Hello will work, normally, unless it's too bright.

 

But for some reason which I don't understand my password never works on my laptop. Instead what it does it ask me to "log in with the password I last used". I would think that once I'm connected to the Internet that Windows would get my credentials for my Microsoft account online. I don't understand what it wants and why it doesn't work.

 

Please explain.

5 Replies
best response confirmed by Rod Falanga (Iron Contributor)
Solution
I had this issue all the time; whenever i changed my Microsoft account password, it didn't update on my other devices

the most reliable fix I've found is go to Settings / Accounts / Your info
select the option to sign in with a local account
then after a signing back in
go back to Settings / Accounts / Your info
and choose to sign in again with a Microsoft account

it only takes a minute or two and doesn't cause any issues
but its the best way i've found that will update your login password

the only way to avoid the issue completely is to use a local account or never change your Microsoft password

@Deleted  This seems like a good option. I should probably make sure I have a local account on my laptop before I try doing that.

to clarify: you don't need an existing local account, the above process converts the profile you're already signed in with into a "local account", it just changes the login credentials and keeps everything else, you'll still even be signed into store, edge, etc.
When you convert the local account back to a Microsoft account though you're readding your new/correct Microsoft credentials from scratch to the windows profile and that's what fixes the issue.

for technical context: there is no such thing as using windows with a Microsoft account, it is literally a standard local windows profile that just shares the same login details as your online Microsoft account and caches, but doesnt sync or update, those credentials to auto sign you into features/apps/email, hence the issues arise.

(also for what its worth the main feature of signing in with a Microsoft account, syncing your settings between devices as to provide the experience of using one profile across devices, is currently depreciated)
Hi, is it happening on Windows 10 1903?

@HotCakeX Yes. But I think I've got it fixed now. Thank you for your help and suggestion!

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Rod Falanga (Iron Contributor)
Solution
I had this issue all the time; whenever i changed my Microsoft account password, it didn't update on my other devices

the most reliable fix I've found is go to Settings / Accounts / Your info
select the option to sign in with a local account
then after a signing back in
go back to Settings / Accounts / Your info
and choose to sign in again with a Microsoft account

it only takes a minute or two and doesn't cause any issues
but its the best way i've found that will update your login password

the only way to avoid the issue completely is to use a local account or never change your Microsoft password

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