I am locked out of my PC and need access urgently as I use it for work at home, I am a designer.

Question

I recently had an issue with my SSD drive and had to reinstall window 10 pro, this all went well, once I installed I put in my Microsoft details and a pin to my PC.

i noticed that I hadn’t updated my phone number for a good while on this account, and so I proceeded to do so, once I changed my mobile phone number I was locked out of my account and PC.

I tried to sign in using my password but was met with this message:

You can't access this site right now

This site requires a security code to sign in. When your security info updates on 01/05/2026 you will be able to access this site. You can still access sites such as Outlook and Skype that don't require a security code.

On 01/04/2026 you requested that your security info be replaced.

Current security info

Phone number ending in 02

New security info

Phone number ending in 00

If you didn't request this, let us know.

If you'd like to keep your current security info, you can cancel this request

When I try to sign in via the “Face,fingerprint,PIN or security key” option, I am met with this message:-

Your PIN is no longer available due to a change to the security settings on this device. Click to set up your PIN again.

I then select the option “set up my PIN”

I am met with another message -

Windows Security

Making sure it's you

Please sign in to login.microsoft.com.

This request comes from App. published by Microsoft

Corporation.

Insert your security key into the USB port.

I have no security key on a USB stick, and so I choose to sign in another way and enter my password but I’m met with a message stating

”Your security info change is still pending”

I choose forgot password and the only option I have is a text to my old number which ends in 02

if I try to sign in on a different device I also get the same message.

i urgently need to use my PC in the next 3 days which is why I stayed up all night reinstalling windows. I’m very disappointed that this has happened. Why can I not just use my password to sign in? Or even my PIN? All from a simple request to change my mobile phone number. I can’t even get into my other drives on my PC either.

Regards,

Claude

Answer 1

Hi! Windows Hello requires a higher level of security. That's why you were blocked when you changed your account security information. Since you don't have access to your old number and can't wait 30 days, the only official alternative is to reinstall Windows.

1. Hold down the SHIFT key and restart your computer in the Lock Screen or Start Menu.

• Hold SHIFT until you access the Recovery Screen

2. In Recovery Mode, select Troubleshooting >Restore the PC
3. Select "Keep my files" to completely restore your computer and keep your files.

• Choose the reinstallation method "Download from Cloud". If error occurs, choose "Local Reinstallation".

Answer 2

The message “Your security info change is still pending” means all existing security info on the Microsoft account (old phone/email) was removed and replaced with new info. For security, the account is put into a restricted state for 30 days before the new info becomes usable.

During this 30‑day period:

• Access to actions or sites that require security verification codes is blocked.
• Only limited services that do not require a security code (such as Outlook or Skype, as stated in the message) remain accessible.
• The old security info continues to receive alerts in case the change was unauthorized.

Because the Windows sign‑in on the PC is tied to the Microsoft account and uses Windows Hello/PIN backed by that account, the security‑info change has effectively invalidated the existing PIN and requires re‑verification. However, re‑verification currently only offers the old phone number, which is no longer available, so the sign‑in flow cannot complete until the 30‑day period ends.

What can be done based on the documented behavior:

1. The 30‑day restriction cannot be shortened. The change must complete before the new phone number can be used for verification.
2. If the security‑info change was not intended, there may be an option to cancel the request using the “If you didn’t request this”/“cancel this request” links while the 30‑day period is active. If successfully canceled, the original security info is restored and can be used again.
3. If all security info was removed and replaced and the change is not canceled, the account remains in restricted state for the full 30 days. During this time, sign‑in operations that require a security code (including resetting the PIN or password via that account) are blocked.

Because of this design, if the Windows account on the PC is a Microsoft account and there is no other local administrator account available, there is no documented way in this context to bypass the 30‑day restriction or to use the new phone number earlier. Access that depends on that Microsoft account’s strong authentication will only be fully restored after the pending security‑info change completes.

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References:

• What does “Security info change is still pending” mean?
• Microsoft account has been locked
• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows