"Your device is offline, try a different sign-in method"

Question

"Your device is offline, try a different sign-in method"

Nihil-1557 5

Hello,

I'm having a problem with my laptop and been trying to fix it. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but nothing seems to help and I keep getting more frustrated.

Anyway, back to the problem - I use ProtonVPN and have enabled the Kill Switch option. The app logs me out from time to time and that's what must've happened couple days ago as well. However, when I tried to use my PIN to and use my laptop, I got the message saying "Your device is offline, try a different sign-in method". I tried to use the password for my Microsoft account, but it didn't work. I changed it, but it didn't help because the laptop isn't connected to Wi-Fi. The problem isn't weak Wi-Fi, I've tried using mobile data as well, but the ProtonVPN is preventing it from connecting to it because I'm now logged out while the Kill Switch is on.

I've tried to ask ChatGPT and followed many different steps such as:

creating an USB Windows Recovery Drive
booting from the USB drive
using Command Prompt to create a new user, adding it to the administrator group and making it active

However, even though the commands seemed to be successful, after I removed the USB and chose to boot from Sandisk, the newly created user didn't appear, only the user which I cannot access.

ChatGPT also lead me to try to find the new user/profile by searching the Registry Editor (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList), but for some reason, I didn't find it there.

I really don't know what to do anymore. I'm so frustrated that I can't use my laptop just because of such a silly little thing aka simply getting logged out of an app. I don't understand why being offline is a problem now, it has never happened before.

Anyways, ChatGPT also said I could backup my files and data by creating a Linux Live USB just in case, so I might try it later (though I don't think I have an external disk with enough free storage).

I'd be very grateful for any advice - also, please bear in mind that I'm a complete noob when it comes to these things, I don't understand them, but I try to.

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Answer 1

Lucus-V 7,235 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Nihil,

Thank you for keeping me in touch. I'm happy to help.

Creating a Linux Live USB is the last thing you should do, cause if your drive is protected with BitLocker, it's encrypted, and Linux might not be able to decrypt it.

If Safe Mode with Networking does not work with you, please try the regular Safe Mode to see if you can log in with Built-in Administrator Account.

In case your Built-in Administrator Account is disabled, please follow this guide to enable it:

Reboot your computer to "Command Prompt to create a new user" that you already did
This time please enter this command: net user administrator /active:yes
Close the Command Prompt then restart your computer
Try to login with Built-in Administrator Account and do your necessary changes. You may do login in normal mode if you are able to, or Safe Mode if it's required

Please note that if your Built-in Administrator Account was renamed, you need to replace administrator on the command above to the exact username.

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Nihil-1557 5 Reputation points

2025-09-25T13:00:43.7333333+00:00

Hello,

thank you for your reply.

I've checked if the newly created administrator profile is active and all works well. However, once I exit the Command Prompt, remove the USB boot device or simply restart the laptop, there's only my first and only account/profile which I cannot access.

I've tried the same many times, but I keep getting stuck which is frustrating
Lucus-V 7,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-09-26T03:03:16.07+00:00
Hi Nihil,

Thank you for keeping me in touch, I'm looking forward to it.

I forget that you mentioned you did create new admin user and activate Built-in Admin user through USB Windows Recovery Drive. It might lead to the user is on recovery environment but not your Windows actually.

Please follow this guide and do not use USB Windows Recovery Drive this time.

Boot into Advanced Boot Options: Restart your computer and as soon as the Windows logo appears, press and hold the power button to force a shutdown. Repeat this process twice. On the third start, Windows should enter the Automatic Repair environment

From there, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. This will open the Command Prompt window

Type the following commands to create a new admin user:Windows Command PromptCopy
net user [username] [password] /add net localgroup administrators [username] /add wpeutil reboot
Notice: please replace [username] and [password] as your choice and differ from your exist users.

Your computer will reboot to Login Screen

Try to login with your new admin user just created

While you are successfully login to a local admin account, you may now be able to take any necessary changes.

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Nihil-1557 5 Reputation points

2025-09-26T21:30:38.11+00:00

Hello again,

I've managed to boot using the method you described. However, when I clicked on "Command Prompt", I had to choose an account to continue and it was the one I cannot access. I tried some passwords and one of them seemed to have worked and the Command Prompt actually opened.

I created the new admin user, typed this "wpeutil reboot" and the laptop restarted to the login screen. Unfortunately, only my first account appeared, nothing else. I tried to log in using the same password which worked in the previous step, but it suddenly said it was incorrect and PIN didn't work either ("Your credentials could not be verified").

After that I tried to restart and get to the "Enable Safe mode with Network", but I keep getting the same messages.

I'm worried that all I can do now is try to backup my data somehow and just do a factory reset, which is quite infuriating because all I did "wrong" was enable the Kill Switch of VPN app and then Windows suddenly deciding I need to be online to log in (first time it actually happened) 🙃
Lucus-V 7,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-09-29T04:14:29.4833333+00:00

Hi Nihil-1557,

Thank you for keeping me informed.

In additional of creating new admin user, you may enable Built-in Admin Account by using this command: net user administrator /active:yes

Please note that if your Built-in Administrator Account was renamed, you need to replace administrator on the command above to the exact username.

Then please reboot into regular Safe Mode and try to login with Built-in Admin.

I am looking forward to resolving the issue with you, so please keep me in touch.
Nihil-1557 5 Reputation points

2025-10-07T18:33:41.1666667+00:00

Hello,

I apologize for the very late reply, I believed I'd already done so.

As for your advice, I've already tried that as well, but unfortunately, it didn't help. No matter what I do, the new administrator account will not appear.
Lucus-V 7,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-08T02:37:30.02+00:00

Hi Nihil-1557,
It's good to see you back.

The thing that you cannot change user is strange. Normally if another user existed, you will be able to change user.

Please double check to make sure that you've successfully enabled Built-in Administrator using Command Prompt on Advanced Boot Options (not USB Windows Recovery). After that please Boot into Safe Mode.

Normally, while you boot your PC into Safe Mode, it's automatically login as Built-in Administrator.

In login screen, are you able to change the username? If you are, you may type the user as Administrator / or [your-pc-name]\Administrator to make sure you are logging in as local account, and with empty password.

If we're out of luck with this method, I can help with the Linux thing. But simpler, you only need to boot on Linux and delete "ProtonVPN" things instead of backup your data then reinstall Windows.

I will cooperate till we solve the problem, so please keep me informed.

Answer 2

Hi Nihil,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A. I'm happy to help.

However, even though the commands seemed to be successful, after I removed the USB and chose to boot from Sandisk, the newly created user didn't appear, only the user which I cannot access.

Newly created user does not appear right after, you need to choose to sign in with other user then manually enter its credentials.

Another solution is rebooting your PC into Safe Mode with Networking. In this mode, ProtonVPN does not run but you still have networking to sign in with your online account. Then you are free to disable Kill Switch or uninstall ProtonVPN.

I hope that above information is helpful, and you are able to use your laptop as before.

If you have further questions or my guide is not clear at some point, please feel free to let me know. I'm here and ready to help.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. Accepting an answer helps us track the effectiveness of our support efforts.

Nihil-1557 5 Reputation points

2025-09-24T15:05:17.5+00:00

Newly created user does not appear right after, you need to choose to sign in with other user then manually enter its credentials.

I asked ChatGPT how to do that and was told to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, which did nothing, nor did I find "Other User" or "Sign-in Options". Only my first and only account appears on the login screen.

I've tried to reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, but when I enter my PIN, it says "Your credentials could not be verified."

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"Your device is offline, try a different sign-in method"

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