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10 guides

Passwords & Accounts

Reset, expire, unlock, MFA, Windows Hello, and shared-account requests.

How to reset my work password

Set a new password when you forgot the current one or it no longer works.

EasyAbout 5 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Sign-in says password is incorrect
  • You cannot remember the current password
  • IT asked you to reset after an incident
  1. 01

    Use the self-service reset page

    From the company sign-in screen, choose Forgot password. On a signed-in PC you can also use Ctrl+Alt+Del → Change a password if you still know the current one.

  2. 02

    Prove it is you

    Complete MFA with your authenticator app, phone, or security key. If you have no methods left, you cannot finish self-service reset.

  3. 03

    Create a password that meets policy

    Follow the length and complexity rules on the page. Do not reuse a recent password or a personal password.

  4. 04

    Update every device that still has the old password

    Reconnect Wi-Fi, VPN, Outlook, and your phone. Old saved passwords will lock the account if they keep retrying.

My account is locked

Windows or a website says the account is locked after too many failed sign-ins.

ModerateAbout 8 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Message says account is locked
  • You just changed your password
  • The phone or an old PC keeps asking for a password
  1. 01

    Stop the retries

    A lockout continues until every device stops using the old password. Update or sign out of your phone email app, home PC, tablet, and any mapped drives.

  2. 02

    Wait for the automatic unlock

    Many companies unlock after 15–30 minutes if the bad attempts stop. Do not keep guessing while you wait.

  3. 03

    Clear saved Windows passwords

    Open Credential Manager and remove old work entries. Forget the office Wi-Fi network if it was using the previous password.

  4. 04

    Sign in once on a known-good device

    Use Outlook on the web from a browser after the lockout window. Then update the laptop and VPN.

My password expired

Windows or a website will not let you in until you choose a new password.

EasyAbout 5 minutes3 steps

You might notice

  • Message says password expired
  • You can reach the sign-in page but not the desktop
  • VPN rejects a password that worked yesterday
  1. 01

    Change it at the prompt

    If Windows shows the expiry screen, set a new password there. If you only see it on a website, use the company password-change page.

  2. 02

    Unlock the laptop if you are already logged off

    On a domain laptop, connect to office network or VPN with another device if needed, then change the password. Some laptops cannot change an expired password while fully offline.

  3. 03

    Update saved passwords immediately

    Refresh Outlook, VPN, Wi-Fi, and your phone. Stale passwords will lock the new one.

How to change my password before it expires

Change a still-working password so you are not surprised on a deadline or travel day.

EasyAbout 4 minutes3 steps

You might notice

  • You received an expiry warning
  • You want a new password on your schedule
  • A manager asked the team to rotate passwords
  1. 01

    Change it from a signed-in Windows session

    Press Ctrl+Alt+Del → Change a password. Enter the current password and a new one that meets policy.

  2. 02

    Or use the web security page

    Open the company account portal → Password. This also works from a Mac or personal computer.

  3. 03

    Sign out of other sessions on purpose

    After changing, reopen VPN and mail so they store the new password. Restart the laptop once if Windows still uses the old cached logon.

I cannot sign in after changing my password

The new password works on the web but the laptop, VPN, or Outlook still fails.

ModerateAbout 10 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Web mail works, Windows does not
  • VPN keeps the old password
  • The account locks again after a successful reset
  1. 01

    Restart the laptop once

    Windows caches the last successful logon. A restart after a password change lets the new password take over, especially off-network.

  2. 02

    Connect to the company network

    If you changed the password from home, connect VPN from your phone hotspot if needed, then sign in to the laptop so it can refresh the cached logon.

  3. 03

    Update or delete saved passwords

    Clear old Outlook, Wi-Fi, and Credential Manager entries. Sign into the VPN client fresh instead of letting it auto-fill.

  4. 04

    Update the phone last

    Phone mail apps are the most common source of post-change lockouts. Remove the work account and add it again with the new password.

My authenticator app is not working

The MFA prompt never arrives, the code is rejected, or the app shows the wrong account.

ModerateAbout 8 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Sign-in waits on Approve sign-in
  • Codes are marked invalid
  • You got a new phone and the app is empty
  1. 01

    Check time and notifications

    Turn on automatic date and time. Enable notifications for the authenticator. Open the app and wait for the prompt instead of relying only on a banner.

  2. 02

    Use a code if the push fails

    On the sign-in page choose Use a verification code and type the number shown for your work account. Codes change every 30 seconds; type the current one.

  3. 03

    Confirm you are approving the right request

    If you did not just try to sign in, deny the prompt. Unexpected MFA prompts can mean someone has your password.

  4. 04

    Use a backup method

    Try SMS, a phone call, or a security key if those are enrolled. If the phone was replaced, you need IT to add a new method.

How to set up MFA on a new phone

Move Microsoft Authenticator or the company MFA app to a replacement phone without locking yourself out.

ModerateAbout 10 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • You are upgrading phones
  • The old phone is broken or wiped
  • IT required a stronger sign-in method
  1. 01

    Add the new method before you retire the old phone

    While you can still approve MFA, open your security-info page and add the new phone. Scan the QR code in the authenticator app.

  2. 02

    Complete a test sign-in

    Sign out of a browser session and sign in again using the new phone. Keep the old method until that works.

  3. 03

    If the old phone is already gone

    Do not keep guessing. Contact IT for a temporary access pass or MFA reset. You cannot complete this alone if no backup method exists.

  4. 04

    Remove the old device

    After the new phone works, delete the old authenticator entry so prompts stop going to a device you no longer have.

I forgot my Windows Hello PIN

The laptop PIN no longer works and you need to get back to the desktop.

EasyAbout 6 minutes3 steps

You might notice

  • PIN is incorrect
  • Windows Hello face or fingerprint fails
  • You see I forgot my PIN
  1. 01

    Sign in with your password once

    Choose Sign-in options on the lock screen and pick the password icon. Use your work password, not the PIN.

  2. 02

    Reset the PIN from the lock screen

    Select I forgot my PIN and complete MFA. This replaces the PIN without changing your work password.

  3. 03

    Set Hello up again after you are in

    Go to Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options and re-enroll face or fingerprint if those also failed.

The screen locked and I cannot get back in

The workstation locked after idle time and the usual PIN or password is not unlocking it.

EasyAbout 3 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Lock screen rejects the PIN
  • The screen is black after the lid opened
  • A kiosk or conference-room PC is locked
  1. 01

    Wake the display first

    Press a key, tap the trackpad, or press the power button once. A dark screen is not always a lockout.

  2. 02

    Use the correct sign-in method

    Switch between PIN and password. After a password change, the PIN may need a reset. Caps Lock and a wrong keyboard layout are common.

  3. 03

    Do not keep retrying a guessed PIN

    Too many attempts can delay unlock. Use the password option or reset the PIN.

  4. 04

    Conference-room and shared PCs

    Sign out the previous user if you see their name. Do not reboot a room PC mid-meeting unless the organizer agrees.

How to request access to a shared or service account

Get into a team mailbox, app login, or shared account without borrowing someone else’s password.

EasyAbout 5 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • A vendor portal is shared by the team
  • You need a service account for an integration
  • A coworker offered to send you a password
  1. 01

    Do not share personal passwords

    Never send or receive a coworker’s password. Shared work should use a shared mailbox, security group, or a named service account.

  2. 02

    Ask the owner to request access the official way

    Use the access-request catalog or a ticket that names the system, the environment, and your manager. Most approvals are role-based.

  3. 03

    Prefer groups over individual exceptions

    Ask to be added to the existing AD or Entra group that already has access. That survives staff changes.

  4. 04

    For true service accounts, let IT create them

    Service accounts should have a recorded owner, MFA or a vaulted password, and no interactive daily use on a laptop.