“The password is incorrect. Try again” at Windows sign-in: how to fix it

Applies to: the Windows 11 and Windows 10 sign-in screen.

Rule out typing problems first

Most cases have a simple cause. Check each of these before you reset anything:

• Caps Lock and Num Lock. Passwords are case-sensitive, and on laptops a Num Lock state can turn letters into numbers.
• Keyboard language. If the sign-in screen shows a layout such as ENG INTL or another language at the bottom right, symbols and some letters land on different keys. Click it, or press Win + Space, to switch to the layout you normally use.
• Show the password. Click the eye icon at the end of the box (hold it on some versions) to see exactly what you’ve typed.
• A faulty keyboard. Open the Accessibility menu at the bottom right and turn on the On-Screen Keyboard to rule out a stuck or broken key.
• The right account. If several accounts are listed at the bottom left, make sure the one you want is selected.

Be careful with repeated guesses. On many PCs, too many wrong attempts lock the account for a while; if you see that message, read “The referenced account is currently locked out”.

Check which kind of account it is

What to do next depends on the account type:

• Microsoft account: the sign-in screen shows an email address under your name. The password is the same one you use on outlook.com or account.microsoft.com.
• Local account: only a user name is shown, and the password exists only on this PC.
• Work or school account: the name looks like [email protected] or DOMAIN\name and is managed by your organization.

Microsoft account: reset the password online

If you changed your Microsoft account password on another device, the PC only learns the new one when it’s online. Connect to Wi-Fi with the network icon at the bottom right of the sign-in screen, wait a moment, and try the new password.

If you’ve forgotten it:

1. Under the password box, click I forgot my password (it can take one wrong attempt for the link to appear).
2. Follow the prompts to get a security code by email, text or the Authenticator app.
3. Create a new password and sign in with it while the PC is connected to the internet.

You can also reset it from a phone or another computer at account.live.com/password/reset, then connect the locked PC to the internet and sign in with the new password.

Local account: security questions or another admin

• Security questions. After a wrong attempt, Windows 10 (version 1803 and later) and Windows 11 show Reset password under the box. Answer the questions you set up and choose a new password.
• Password reset disk. If you created one on a USB drive, insert it and choose Reset password to start the wizard.
• Another administrator. Someone with an admin account on the same PC can sign in, open Command Prompt as administrator and run net user USERNAME * (use the real user name), then type a new password twice. This works only for local accounts, not Microsoft accounts.

If none of these is available and there’s no other admin account, Windows offers no supported way to recover a local password; the remaining option is to reset Windows, which removes the account. Back up what you can first.

Work or school PC

If your company password changed recently and the PC was offline, Windows may still expect the old one. Connect to the office network or the company VPN (from the sign-in screen if your PC supports it), then sign in with the new password. If that fails, or the account is locked, contact your IT help desk; they can reset the password or unlock the account. Don’t use the steps for local accounts on a managed PC.

Sign in another way

Click Sign-in options under the box and choose a PIN, fingerprint or face sign-in if you set one up. Once you’re in, update the password from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Password (local account) or at account.microsoft.com (Microsoft account). If the PIN option is missing or broken, see Windows Hello PIN: this option is currently unavailable or “This sign-in option is disabled”.

Related guides

• The referenced account is currently locked out
• Windows Hello PIN: this option is currently unavailable
• This sign-in option is disabled
• Your PIN is no longer available due to a change to the security settings

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own pages:

• Microsoft Support: Change or reset your local account password in Windows
• Microsoft Support: Change or reset your Microsoft account password in Windows

Frequently asked questions

Why is my password incorrect when I know it’s right?

Usually Caps Lock, a different keyboard layout, or a Microsoft account password that was changed elsewhere while the PC was offline. Check the layout indicator and connect to the internet.

Can I remove the password so this doesn’t happen again?

You can set up a PIN or Windows Hello, which is faster and safer than a password. Removing the password entirely is possible only for local accounts and isn’t recommended on a laptop.

Will resetting my Microsoft account password affect other devices?

Yes. The new password applies everywhere you use that account, such as Outlook, OneDrive and Xbox. Sign in again with the new one on those devices.