My Windows 11 computer suddenly stopped letting me sign in with my usual PIN—the PIN option has disappeared completely. When I enter my Microsoft account password instead, the screen briefly goes black, returns to the wallpaper, and then sends me back to the sign-in prompt. I already tried uninstalling the latest quality update and starting in Safe Mode, but neither fixed the problem. What else can I try to regain access?
2 Answers
From the sign-in screen, open the Power menu, hold Shift, and choose Restart. In the recovery options, look for System Restore and roll the system back to a restore point from before the problem started.
Double-check whether Windows is now showing only the password option. If the computer uses a Microsoft account, use that account's current password—not a different password that may belong to a local Windows account. If that still fails, enter Windows Recovery by interrupting the boot process several times or using a Windows installation drive, then check whether System Restore is available.
I tried Safe Mode already, but it still sent me back to the sign-in screen. I'll check the recovery environment and make sure I'm using the Microsoft account password rather than an older local one.