password no longer working. Cannot update with email/phone option

Hi, I'm John!

To help narrow down the issue:

1. Are you signing in with a Microsoft account (email address) or a local account?
2. On your working laptop, are you still signed in normally?
3. When you say the code is not working, is this a verification code (email/SMS) or your PIN/password?

You won’t lose access on the working laptop just by trying to recover the account.

Try this on your working device:

• Go to: https://account.live.com/security
• Check if your security info (email/phone) is still correct
• Try: "I forgot my password" and see if any verification option works

If issue persists, I suggest resetting the password, choosing the "I don't have any of these" option, and continuing with the form.

To reset your password, please follow these steps:

• Go to the Microsoft account recovery page: https://account.live.com/password/reset
• Select "I forgot my password", then click Next.
• Enter the email address or phone number linked to your Microsoft account and follow the on-screen instructions.
• If you don’t have access to any of the recovery options listed, click on “I don’t have any of these” and fill out the form as accurately as possible. Microsoft uses that information to verify your identity.

Click "Add comment" to let me know.

Regards,

John J.D.

Follow these steps to regain access when the password no longer works and verification by email/phone is failing:

1. Reset the Microsoft account password
   • On the sign-in screen of the Dell laptop, when prompted for the password, select Forgot password?.
   • If that window is not available, use this link from another device: Reset password.
   • Enter the Microsoft account username (email, phone, or Skype name) used to sign in and select Next.
2. Verify identity
   • Choose how to receive a verification code (email, phone, etc.).
   • If the options shown are wrong or not accessible, select I don't have any of these (if available) and follow the prompts to update or replace security info.
   • If the email/phone shown is unfamiliar but the address is correct, use the account recovery flow as indicated in the documentation.
3. Complete password reset
   • After receiving the code, enter it on the Verify your identity page and select Next.
   • Enter a New password, then re-enter it in Re-enter password and finish the process.
   • Wait a short time for the change to sync, then try signing in again on the Dell laptop using the new password.
4. If the account or username is not recognized
   • Confirm the correct email domain is being used (for example, .com vs .co.uk) and that the name is typed correctly.
   • If still seeing a message such as “We couldn't find an account with that username,” use another alias or phone number on the account, or contact support using the provided Contact support link in the documentation.
5. If verification codes or backup security info are the problem
   • When codes are not arriving or backup methods need to be changed, choose I don't have any of these at the verification step and follow the prompts to update backup security info.
   • If prompted to “make sure you can receive a security code,” verify or add new security info within seven days; otherwise, sign-in may be blocked until this is completed.

These steps reset the Microsoft account password and update security info so sign-in on the Windows 11 Dell laptop works again.

References:

• Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password
• My username and password have stopped working
• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account