Why do I have to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to get the sign in button to show up on Windows 11 after Laptop is in sleep mode. No keys or mouse works. Screen is not responsive and the enter key does nothing.

Question

Why do I have to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to get the sign in button to show up on Windows 11 after Laptop is in sleep mode. No keys or mouse works. Screen is not responsive and the enter key does nothing.

TJ 25

I have a Lenovo 2 in 1 that was working fine but suddenly quit going to sign on page when I press enter. It sometimes stays black and sometimes show the photo I chose for the lock screen. It is a touch screen but nothing works when touched. Only ctrl alt delete will bring up the log on screen.

Brett Zinn 5 Reputation points

2025-10-26T14:00:05.9666667+00:00

I followed the instruction below also. The box is already "unchecked" as far as requiring users to enter contol,alt,delete but I still need to. It never did this until this morning? Any other ideas?

Answer accepted by question author

Jeronimo Fuerte 39,690 Independent Advisor

Hi! What’s happening is that Windows has a Secure Sign-In feature that sometimes gets turned on after an update or system change. When it’s enabled, the password/PIN box won’t appear until you press Ctrl+Alt+Del, which is why nothing else responds, even though normally tapping the screen, pressing Enter, or clicking the mouse should work.

To check this, press Win + R, type netplwiz, go to the Advanced tab, and uncheck “Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete” if it’s selected. That will remove the extra step entirely.

TJ 25 Reputation points

2025-08-16T11:05:06.83+00:00

Thank you for your answer, I'm relieved to know there was a simple explanation and not my laptop breaking down... However, when I opened it this morning the issue had fixed itself and the PIN screen came on immediately when I pressed enter and everything is working fine. I will make a note of the answer in case it happens again. Thanks

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Brett Zinn 5 Reputation points

2025-10-26T14:00:05.9666667+00:00

I followed the instruction below also. The box is already "unchecked" as far as requiring users to enter contol,alt,delete but I still need to. It never did this until this morning? Any other ideas?
TJ 25 Reputation points

2025-08-16T11:05:06.83+00:00

Thank you for your answer, I'm relieved to know there was a simple explanation and not my laptop breaking down... However, when I opened it this morning the issue had fixed itself and the PIN screen came on immediately when I pressed enter and everything is working fine. I will make a note of the answer in case it happens again. Thanks

Answer 1

Hi TJ,

Thank you for sharing your concern here in Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand that the device is currently stuck at the lock screen and only responds to Ctrl + Alt + Delete, with no response to touch or keyboard input.

As mentioned earlier above by the IA, there's a high chance that your device issue is related to Windows' Secure Sign-In feature, which requires pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete before the login prompt appears. This feature can sometimes be enabled automatically after a system update or change.

However, just in case disabling Secure Sign-In didn’t resolve the issue, it’s also possible that a deeper system-level problem is affecting your device, such as corrupted system files, driver conflicts, or a damaged user profile.

To address this, I recommend following these next steps:

Step 1: Boot into Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads only essential system files and drivers, which helps isolate the issue.

Restart your device.
As it powers on, press F8 or Shift + F8 repeatedly.
Select Safe Mode with Networking from the menu.

Step 2: Run System Repair Tools (SFC and DISM)

These tools help detect and fix corrupted system files.

In Safe Mode, open Command Prompt as administrator.
First, run the System File Checker:
```
  sfc /scannow
```
Once that completes, run the Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool (DISM):
```
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
```
These scans may take several minutes. Restart your device later to apply changes and check again.

Step 3: Create a New User Profile

If your current profile is corrupted, a new one may bypass the issue entirely.

-In Safe Mode, go to Settings > Accounts > Other users.

-Click Add account → choose Add a user without a Microsoft account.

-Enter a username and password → click Next.

-Restart and log in with the new profile to test functionality.

For more detailed instructions, please refer to the official Microsoft support page at: How to create a Local account in Windows 11 - ARTICLE - Microsoft Q&A

Step 4: Perform an In-Place Upgrade

This reinstalls Windows without deleting your files or apps.

Download the latest Windows installation media from Microsoft: Download Windows 11
Run Setup.exe and choose Upgrade this PC now.
Follow the on-screen instructions and select Keep personal files and apps when prompted.

*Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides:

How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A

How to perform a Windows 11 In-place upgrade | Microsoft - YouTube

Please keep me posted on how it goes, I’m happy to assist further.

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Why do I have to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to get the sign in button to show up on Windows 11 after Laptop is in sleep mode. No keys or mouse works. Screen is not responsive and the enter key does nothing.

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