Cannot log into to Windows 11/10 | Windows login and password problems

Sometimes it may happen that after installing a Windows Update, a Feature Update – or randomly – you find that you are unable to login to your Windows 10 computer. This is most probably due to the occurrence of some common problems. They may be related to some basic or critical issues. If you cannot sign in or log on or log in to a Windows 11/10/8/7 computer, here are a few troubleshooting steps, you may want to follow.

Cannot log into Windows 11/10

If you cannot sign in or log on or log in to a Windows PC, the different scenarios could be:

• The username or password is incorrect
• You cannot log in even with the correct password
• The computer is part of a domain, and you want to log on to a local user account, not a domain account
• Can’t use the fingerprint reader or Windows Hello to log on
• Windows 10 login screen or Password box does not show up

Here are the common issues and solutions to some common problems with logging on to Windows.

The username or password is incorrect

Here are several possible solutions to fix this problem.

1] Check if the Caps Lock is ‘On’

Passwords in Windows are case-sensitive, which means that every time you type your password, you have to capitalize each letter in the same way that you did when you first created it. If you have accidentally pressed Caps Lock, then you’re inadvertently typing your password in all capital letters. Make sure Caps Lock is off, and then type your password again.

Read: The user name or password is incorrect.

2] You might be typing the wrong password

You might actually be using your wrong or old credentials. Did you change them recently? If you can’t remember your password, you need to reset your password, either with a password reset disk or an administrator account.

Read: Deleted User Profile by mistake and now can’t login.

3] You might have changed or forgotten your password

Forgetting a password is the most common issue. To overcome this issue use Reset Password option available at the logon screen once you tried to insert a wrong password. Check if you changed your password was changed on a different device.

Read: How to use Password Hint and Password Reset Disk.

4] An administrator on the computer might have reset your password

If your computer is on a network, a network administrator can reset your password. If you think this might be the problem, check with your network administrator. If your computer is in a workgroup, anyone who has an administrator account on the computer can change your password.

Read: That password is incorrect message.

5] You might be trying to log on to the wrong user account

If you have more than one user account on the computer, make sure you’re logging on to the account that matches the password you’re using. Use ‘switch user’ to select the right account.

Read: Cannot log into Windows after Update.

You cannot log in even with the correct password

Maybe the keyboard is faulty – so try a virtual keyboard and see. So ensure that the typed password is indeed the current and correct one. Ensure that you are using the correct one for your Microsoft or Local account. If it does not help ask your administrator to change it for you – or you could use a Password Recovery Tool.

Alternatively, see if you can boot into Safe Mode. Once here, activate the hidden super administrator account by executing the following command in an elevated command prompt.

net user administrator /active:yes

Once done, change the password of the problematic account. Remember to deactivate this account once your work is done.

This post will help you if your Windows is stuck at log in screen even after entering the correct password.

The computer is part of a domain, and you want to log on to a local user account, not a domain account

To log on to a local user account on your computer, you need to know the name of your computer and the username for the account that you want to log on to. To log on to a local user account, follow these steps:

1. On the Welcome screen, click Switch User.
2. Click Other User.
3. In the username field, type the name of your computer, a backslash (\), and the user name for the account that you want to log on to. For example – computer name\user name
4. Type your password, and then press Enter.

Can’t use fingerprint reader, PIN or Windows Hello to log on

If you upgraded Windows from a previous version, your fingerprint reader should continue to work. If you performed a clean install of Windows, your Fingerprint reader might not work; an updated driver or application might be available for download through Action Center or Windows Update. If you are not able to find a driver using Action Center or Windows Update, you should contact your computer or fingerprint reader manufacturer for drivers that are compatible with this version of Windows. See this post if the PIN is not working.

Read: Windows Hello does not recognize Face or Fingerprint.

Windows login screen or Password box does not show up

At times you may face a situation where the Windows 11/10 login screen does not appear at all. If you face this issue, then this post will help you if the Windows login screen or Password box does not show up.

TIP: Want to prevent users from changing the Password?