Can't Add Microsoft Account to Windows 10 (22H2) PC

Question

Can't Add Microsoft Account to Windows 10 (22H2) PC

JcW32 190

Trying to follow instructions I found online from a local administrator account,

I went to Settings/Accounts/Family & Other Users/Add a new user, and tried to enter the email address associated with an existing MS Account. The first problem was that it would not accept the last letter of the address. I clicked Next anyhow. This resulting in the error pictured here: Clearly I have the wrong instructions for this procedure. Can somebody please advise?
I also tried tried the "Sign In With a Microsoft Account Instead" route and was given the unhelpful response, "Something went wrong..." Again, what is preventing (2) from working Can somebody please tell me the correct procedure for doing this? -- JcW32

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Answer accepted by question author

EmilyS726 241.6K Independent Advisor

Hello

hold down windows and R keys, type in netplwiz and press enter. Then click add and see if it lets you create that way.

JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T17:26:37.7066667+00:00

Thanks, Emily -- Will try today after a "cooling-off period..." -- JcW32
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T19:25:18.2366667+00:00

Dear Emily -- All is not good, however: The account now shows as a second administrator in my Settings/Accounts; but when I try to log in with it, it tells me incorrect username or password. Could that happen because the account is still locked out for well over 24 hours?

A couple of days ago I had gone to account.live.com, changed the password on this email address from a trivial one to a complex one, added an alternate email, and set two-factor via an open-source authorization app. I'm practically certain that I recorded the new password correctly and that I successfully logged in with it more than once before it locked me out with "too many logins" (although I am getting extremely confused after several attempts with different Microsoft Accounts over the last few weeks).

The urgency now is that I'm rapidly approaching the Oct. 13 deadline to sign this Windows 10 PC up for the ESU program, and I still don't have a working Microsoft Account on the machine with which to do it!

None of my existing Microsoft Accounts are important to keep. What's the fastest way to solve this problem in order to get an ESU offer? -- JcW32
EmilyS726 241.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-06T19:36:50.6133333+00:00

Thanks for the context.

If this account is struggling with password issue, would you be open to creating a new Microsoft account and then link it up? That will buy you some time to eventually sort out the password and lock issue with this old account?

To create a new account, I suggest that you go to browser incognito mode (so old cache will not affect the process), go to https://account.live.com sign up for one.

Once it is all set up, you can use the same method I gave you to add it. Let me know how that goes.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T20:51:53.19+00:00

Yes, but I'm running low on working email addresses. Would an account lockout of the usual kind cause the "incorrect username or password" on attempted login to the PC? -- JcW32
EmilyS726 241.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-06T21:01:30.0233333+00:00

Yes, too many attempts like that can lock your account.

You can sign up a new account using outlook.com address, not your own email address.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T23:51:16.63+00:00
Emily -- This is new to me but sounds promising. I don't have Office 365 and don't want it! I do have Office 2019 Home and Business on this Win 2000 machine, in case that helps, though I don't have a clue how to set up a free Outlook.com email account there.

Can I create a free outlook.com email account and access it through a browser alone?

Do I have to have a working Microsoft Account to do any of this? (I do have such an account with which I access this forum, but I wouldn't want to use it if I don't absolutely have to because I don't want it too to get locked out.)

Thanks again for your trusted assistance! -- JcW32
EmilyS726 241.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-07T00:22:57.29+00:00
Yes, you can absolutely have a free outlook.com address. You simply go to https://www.outlook.com and click on sign up, it will walk you through the process.

To get the ESU, you do need to create a Windows user with the above outlook.com address. You can use the netplwiz method I gave you initially, but finish step 1 first.

No, you don't need to have a working Microsoft account to do step 1 and 2 above.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T19:11:39.5366667+00:00
Dear Emily -- You were right that it was easy to create a free outlook.com (apparently "Microsoft") account, to test it with outlook.live.com/mail/0 (which came up automatically), and to add it to Windows 10 as an Administrator account.

Then the problems began:

I logged out of the local Administrator account where I had done the above and tried to log in with the new outlook.com account. (Of course I was connected to the Internet.) It told me "Incorrect username or password," exactly as had happened with the previous Microsoft Account I had set up more completely. I had not done any other logins with the new account. Of course I had to type in the gibberish password by hand, but with only 9 characters and a hardcopy to compare to it's hard to see how I could have made a typo.

I reset Window and logged in with my local standard user account (where I am now) to see if I could still log into outlook.live.com/mail/0 with the new account. I immediately got the hated "too many logins" message. This time I could not have made any typos, as I copied the account name and password directly from a text file I had made on original account setup.

What could have possibly gone wrong, and what can I do about it?

Best Regards -- JcW32
EmilyS_726 20,565 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-08T20:07:44.1566667+00:00

That is the oddest thing.

are you using VPN by chance?
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T20:58:39.88+00:00

No VPN. I do usually run browsers inside a sandbox (Sandboxie Plus), but I did not use that when I signed up or confirmed operation of the new outlook.com email in my local Administrator account (using Chrome by the way). I probably did use the sandbox back in the local standard user account when trying to sign into the new account on outlook.live.com (also with Chrome).

For completeness, I also use a third-party controller for Windows Firewall (Windows 11 Firewall Control) that gives me easier and more granular control over what Internet communications are block. (For example, I block a lot of non-TCP and/or incoming communications, even from Microsoft). I can open all of these constraints and restore them easily if necessary, though I've never explored how to open them before logging in, as with the new password. I can also remove specific constraints that it tells me are causing trouble.
EmilyS_726 20,565 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-08T21:11:29.7233333+00:00

It’s possible that your Microsoft account login attempts were flagged as “too many” because of the way your system is configured. You normally run browsers inside Sandboxie Plus, which can make each login appear as if it’s coming from a new device or session since cookies and device identifiers aren’t retained. In addition, you use a third-party Windows Firewall controller that blocks many types of network traffic, including some Microsoft background or telemetry connections. These factors combined may have interrupted normal authentication or caused repeated retries, leading Microsoft’s system to interpret the activity as excessive or unusual login attempts.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T21:40:45.4433333+00:00

Thanks, Emily -- I will avoid the use of the sandbox when using a Microsoft Account in future. (Fortunately, I'm not currently currently in one, although I logged in with the same old "temporary" Microsoft account I've been using lately for this forum (usually inside the sandbox). So at least this Microsoft Account is working at the moment. Maybe I should try it to login to the PC?!

I'll also explore disabling the Windows 11 Firewall Control restrictions for a new login and see if that works. If so, I will try logging in again with this account (and setting up a PIN right away!).

Sound good? Best Regards -- JcW32
EmilyS_726 20,565 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-08T22:33:28.18+00:00

Sounds good. Worth trying.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T23:37:47.91+00:00

Emily -- Stuck again!

Just one (more) problem that I forgot about: This Microsoft Account I'm using here was created at this site (create instead of login). I log in here by receiving an emailed verification code and never using a password, which I guess means the account is set up for no password required. Further, this email-address-only "account" is not accepted for login at myaccount.microsoft.com/security-info. It says I typed the email address wrong.

I don't remember if I ever set a password on it when created -- I suppose you would know that?

If I did set a password, I think I know what it was, though I've never used it. Otherwise I don't know how to set one now! -- JcW32
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-09T23:04:11.6833333+00:00

Update -- Stumbling around I think I managed to set a password for the account under discussion and even managed to get a recovery code for it, but Windows still won't let me login with it. Oddly, this site also still wants to email me a code to login. -- JcW32

1 additional answer

Your answer

JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T17:26:37.7066667+00:00

Thanks, Emily -- Will try today after a "cooling-off period..." -- JcW32
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T19:25:18.2366667+00:00

Dear Emily -- All is not good, however: The account now shows as a second administrator in my Settings/Accounts; but when I try to log in with it, it tells me incorrect username or password. Could that happen because the account is still locked out for well over 24 hours?

A couple of days ago I had gone to account.live.com, changed the password on this email address from a trivial one to a complex one, added an alternate email, and set two-factor via an open-source authorization app. I'm practically certain that I recorded the new password correctly and that I successfully logged in with it more than once before it locked me out with "too many logins" (although I am getting extremely confused after several attempts with different Microsoft Accounts over the last few weeks).

The urgency now is that I'm rapidly approaching the Oct. 13 deadline to sign this Windows 10 PC up for the ESU program, and I still don't have a working Microsoft Account on the machine with which to do it!

None of my existing Microsoft Accounts are important to keep. What's the fastest way to solve this problem in order to get an ESU offer? -- JcW32
EmilyS726 241.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-06T19:36:50.6133333+00:00

Thanks for the context.

If this account is struggling with password issue, would you be open to creating a new Microsoft account and then link it up? That will buy you some time to eventually sort out the password and lock issue with this old account?

To create a new account, I suggest that you go to browser incognito mode (so old cache will not affect the process), go to https://account.live.com sign up for one.

Once it is all set up, you can use the same method I gave you to add it. Let me know how that goes.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T20:51:53.19+00:00

Yes, but I'm running low on working email addresses. Would an account lockout of the usual kind cause the "incorrect username or password" on attempted login to the PC? -- JcW32
EmilyS726 241.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-06T21:01:30.0233333+00:00

Yes, too many attempts like that can lock your account.

You can sign up a new account using outlook.com address, not your own email address.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-06T23:51:16.63+00:00

Emily -- This is new to me but sounds promising. I don't have Office 365 and don't want it! I do have Office 2019 Home and Business on this Win 2000 machine, in case that helps, though I don't have a clue how to set up a free Outlook.com email account there.

Can I create a free outlook.com email account and access it through a browser alone?

Do I have to have a working Microsoft Account to do any of this? (I do have such an account with which I access this forum, but I wouldn't want to use it if I don't absolutely have to because I don't want it too to get locked out.)

Thanks again for your trusted assistance! -- JcW32
EmilyS726 241.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-07T00:22:57.29+00:00

Yes, you can absolutely have a free outlook.com address. You simply go to https://www.outlook.com and click on sign up, it will walk you through the process.

To get the ESU, you do need to create a Windows user with the above outlook.com address. You can use the netplwiz method I gave you initially, but finish step 1 first.

No, you don't need to have a working Microsoft account to do step 1 and 2 above.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T19:11:39.5366667+00:00

Dear Emily -- You were right that it was easy to create a free outlook.com (apparently "Microsoft") account, to test it with outlook.live.com/mail/0 (which came up automatically), and to add it to Windows 10 as an Administrator account.

Then the problems began:

I logged out of the local Administrator account where I had done the above and tried to log in with the new outlook.com account. (Of course I was connected to the Internet.) It told me "Incorrect username or password," exactly as had happened with the previous Microsoft Account I had set up more completely. I had not done any other logins with the new account. Of course I had to type in the gibberish password by hand, but with only 9 characters and a hardcopy to compare to it's hard to see how I could have made a typo.

I reset Window and logged in with my local standard user account (where I am now) to see if I could still log into outlook.live.com/mail/0 with the new account. I immediately got the hated "too many logins" message. This time I could not have made any typos, as I copied the account name and password directly from a text file I had made on original account setup.

What could have possibly gone wrong, and what can I do about it?

Best Regards -- JcW32
EmilyS_726 20,565 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-08T20:07:44.1566667+00:00

That is the oddest thing.

are you using VPN by chance?
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T20:58:39.88+00:00

No VPN. I do usually run browsers inside a sandbox (Sandboxie Plus), but I did not use that when I signed up or confirmed operation of the new outlook.com email in my local Administrator account (using Chrome by the way). I probably did use the sandbox back in the local standard user account when trying to sign into the new account on outlook.live.com (also with Chrome).

For completeness, I also use a third-party controller for Windows Firewall (Windows 11 Firewall Control) that gives me easier and more granular control over what Internet communications are block. (For example, I block a lot of non-TCP and/or incoming communications, even from Microsoft). I can open all of these constraints and restore them easily if necessary, though I've never explored how to open them before logging in, as with the new password. I can also remove specific constraints that it tells me are causing trouble.
EmilyS_726 20,565 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-08T21:11:29.7233333+00:00

It’s possible that your Microsoft account login attempts were flagged as “too many” because of the way your system is configured. You normally run browsers inside Sandboxie Plus, which can make each login appear as if it’s coming from a new device or session since cookies and device identifiers aren’t retained. In addition, you use a third-party Windows Firewall controller that blocks many types of network traffic, including some Microsoft background or telemetry connections. These factors combined may have interrupted normal authentication or caused repeated retries, leading Microsoft’s system to interpret the activity as excessive or unusual login attempts.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T21:40:45.4433333+00:00

Thanks, Emily -- I will avoid the use of the sandbox when using a Microsoft Account in future. (Fortunately, I'm not currently currently in one, although I logged in with the same old "temporary" Microsoft account I've been using lately for this forum (usually inside the sandbox). So at least this Microsoft Account is working at the moment. Maybe I should try it to login to the PC?!

I'll also explore disabling the Windows 11 Firewall Control restrictions for a new login and see if that works. If so, I will try logging in again with this account (and setting up a PIN right away!).

Sound good? Best Regards -- JcW32
EmilyS_726 20,565 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-08T22:33:28.18+00:00

Sounds good. Worth trying.
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-08T23:37:47.91+00:00

Emily -- Stuck again!

Just one (more) problem that I forgot about: This Microsoft Account I'm using here was created at this site (create instead of login). I log in here by receiving an emailed verification code and never using a password, which I guess means the account is set up for no password required. Further, this email-address-only "account" is not accepted for login at myaccount.microsoft.com/security-info. It says I typed the email address wrong.

I don't remember if I ever set a password on it when created -- I suppose you would know that?

If I did set a password, I think I know what it was, though I've never used it. Otherwise I don't know how to set one now! -- JcW32
JcW32 190 Reputation points

2025-10-09T23:04:11.6833333+00:00

Update -- Stumbling around I think I managed to set a password for the account under discussion and even managed to get a recovery code for it, but Windows still won't let me login with it. Oddly, this site also still wants to email me a code to login. -- JcW32

Answer 1

Dear Emily-- I finally solved this problem with much credit to you. The full solution can be found at

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5582863/desperate-to-join-windows-10-esu-program

Capsule version: I first created a new free Outlook account from here, outside my sandbox.

Then I disconnected Windows 11 Firewall Control and logged out of this standard user account.
I logged into my PC with my existing administrator account, added the new Outlook account as an administrator and then logged out.
Finally I logged into the PC with the new Outlook account, did a Windows Update, and voi la was offered and signed up for the ESU Program!

Very Best Regards! -- JcW32

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Can't Add Microsoft Account to Windows 10 (22H2) PC

1 additional answer

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