I'm experiencing an issue with logging into Windows 11 Pro using my YubiKey 5 NFC. It seems like when I try to log in, the system only lets me access the Microsoft account that my YubiKey was last added to. I can't switch to a different account or use the same key for multiple accounts. If I want to log into another account, I have to use another hardware key specifically set up for that account. Interestingly, logging in through browsers like Edge works fine, allowing me to choose my account from the key. I'm in a hybrid Active Directory and Azure Active Directory setup. Is it just me, or are others facing this issue too?
3 Answers
Yeah, it would appear that you can't have multiple accounts associated with one key during a bare metal login. It might be worth checking if there’s a way to enable an option for account selection during that process.
This sounds like a known limitation. When using a security key with multiple Microsoft accounts, Windows usually defaults to the last one added. It seems more like a feature than a bug. I found a reference that mentioned authentication works differently depending on the environment—like web browsers allow more flexibility than direct logins.
What you're experiencing is actually normal behavior for hardware keys. Each key is tied to a specific user account, so you typically can only use one key per account.
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