My pin no longer works for laptop, QR code doesn’t work either

Question

Can no longer log into laptop with pin, neither private code from Microsoft or QR code will work. Can log into Microsoft account with iPad, have tried starting in safe mode but still can’t sort it. Help Moved from: Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For home | Window

Answer 1

Hi Kim,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. Being locked out of your laptop, especially when you can sign in to your Microsoft account on another device, can be incredibly frustrating and I understand how disruptive that is.

Just to confirm, may I know if you are able to sign in with your password instead of PIN or QR?

If you don’t see the password option, or the screen keeps looping back to PIN/QR, please try enter Windows Recovery:

1. Turn the laptop on.
2. As soon as Windows starts loading, press and hold the Power button to force it off.
3. Repeat this power‑on / force‑off process three times.
4. When you see Preparing Automatic Repair, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. I saw Q&A Assist mentioned this step but didn’t explain what to expect, so here are the details:

      net user administrator /active:yes
   

This will activate the built‑in Administrator account, which can help you sign in and repair the local sign‑in issue. If it works, you should see “The command completed successfully.”. Next:

-Type exit, then restart the laptop.

-On the sign‑in screen, you should now see an Administrator account available to select.

If it doesn't work, the next option is: Reset this PC > Keep my files. This removes damaged Windows sign‑in components while keeping your personal data intact.

Please keep me posted on how it goes and feel free to reach out if you need any further assistance. I'm here to help.

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Answer 2

If you're unable to log into your laptop using your PIN or QR code, here are a few steps you can try:

1. Safe Mode: Since you've mentioned trying to start in Safe Mode, ensure that you are using the correct method to access it. You can access Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key while clicking on Restart from the login screen, then navigating to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. After the restart, select Safe Mode.
2. Resetting PIN: If you can log into your Microsoft account on your iPad, consider resetting your PIN through the Microsoft account settings. Make sure to verify your identity if prompted.
3. Built-in Administrator Account: If you still can't access your account, you might want to enable the built-in Administrator account by using the Command Prompt in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This can allow you to log in and reset your PIN.
4. Recovery Options: If none of the above works, you may need to consider recovery options such as resetting your PC while keeping your files, which can be done via a USB installation media.

If you continue to experience issues, it might be necessary to consult with Microsoft support for further assistance.

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References:

• Unable to log in to Dell Rugged Laptop - Microsoft Q&A
• What was new for business in Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds