Something Went Wrong message displayed when trying to backup credentials on windows

Question

I've been trying to backup my computer but it's not letting me sign in for the credentials part. It keeps displaying the "Something went wrong" message. I can verify the credentials because this message keeps popping up. Any advice?

Answer 1

Hi Charlie, I’m Pau, an Independent Advisor. Let me help you fully solve this.

Please follow to these steps:

> Restart your computer again and try the backup again.

> Get Windows updated:

Click on Update & Security > Windows Update in the Settings menu. Check for new content > Update everything > If you need to, restart.

> Make sure you are an administrator:

Select Accounts from the list of settings. Check that your name says "Administrator" under it.

> Type services.msc, press Enter, find Credential Manager, right-click it, and choose "Restart." This will start the Credential Manager service again.

> Fix credentials that aren't working:

To get rid of old or suspicious entries, go to Control Panel > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials.

> Use the Command Prompt to reset the stored credentials:

Click Start and then click Command Prompt (Admin). Hit the "/list" key. Find entries that aren't working right > Press the "/delete" key and type "for each >" Try backup again.

> Fix files in the system:

Click on Open Command Prompt (Admin) > Click on sfc /scannow > Wait until it's done, then type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. Wait until it's done.

> Try it out with a fresh user account:

Going to Settings > Accounts > Family and other users Add someone else to this computer > Make a local account, log in, and try the backup again.

If you follow these steps, this problem will always be fixed. If the problem keeps happening, please let me know so I can help you more.

Thanks for your time. I'm sure this will make your backup work perfectly.

Have a great day!

Warm regards,

Pau

Answer 2

Dear user,

Thanks for using Microsoft products and posting in the community.

Encountering "Something went wrong" error during credential manager backup on Windows can be caused by corrupted system files, permissions issues or credential manager service anomaly.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Backing up credentials manually (alternative method)

If the graphical interface fails, try backing up from the command line:

Press Win + R, type cmd, and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

Execute the following command to back up the credentials (replace the path):

rundll32.exe keymgr.dll,KRShowKeyMgr

Select the credentials in the pop-up window and export to a .crd file.

2. Check the status of the Credentials Manager service

Make sure the relevant service is running:

Press Win + R, type services.msc and enter.

Locate the following services and make sure the status is Running:

Credential Manager

Windows Backup

Cryptographic Services

Right-click on the service and select Restart.

3. Repairing System Files

Corrupted system files may cause this issue:

Open a command prompt as an administrator.

Execute the following commands in order:

sfc /scannow

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Restart the computer and try again.

4. Check user profile permissions

Ensure that the current account has sufficient permissions:

Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.

Try to do this via the Backup Credentials link (not directly via the Settings application).

5. Creating a new user account Test

Temporarily create a new local administrator account and check if you can back up credentials in the new account:

Open Settings > Accounts > Family & Other Users > Add Another User.

Log in to the new account and try to back up the credentials.

If you need further assistance or have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.

Best Regards,

Vy-Ng - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist