My wife is the other user on our Laptop,but is now locked out

steve m clubley 0 Reputation points
2026-11-09T18:33:48.6633333+00:00

The Windows Microsoft account , for my Wife on our Laptop has locked her out.

Her "Pin is not availabe"

We try follwing the recovery process.

Sending an email with a code to my account, which never arrives.

Also no password seems to work.

She can do all her functions on her Android Phone, like access her Email account and FB and other Apps.

How do I get to be able to log in again

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows Hello, lock screen and sign-in
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  1. AI answer

    2026-11-09T18:34:40.9966667+00:00

    Recover your wife’s Microsoft account using the official recovery form, then sign in with the recovered password and create a new Windows Hello PIN.

    A Windows PIN belongs to that particular laptop and is different from the Microsoft account password. Access to apps on her Android phone does not reset or reveal the laptop PIN.^1^

    1. Recover the Microsoft account

    Since the passwords tried so far do not work and the email code is not arriving, do not keep requesting the same code repeatedly.

    1. On another device, open the official recovery form:
      https://account.live.com/acsr
    2. Enter your wife’s Microsoft account address—the address shown for her account on the laptop.
    3. Supply a different working contact email address, such as yours. Microsoft will send the recovery result there.
    4. Have your wife provide as much account-specific information as possible, including:
      • Previous passwords
      • Recent email subject lines
      • Contacts
      • Microsoft purchases or billing details, if applicable
    5. Microsoft normally sends the result to the contact address within 24 hours. If verification fails, the form can be submitted up to twice per day.^2^

    If two-step verification was enabled and she has lost access to all configured verification methods, the recovery form cannot bypass that protection, and Microsoft support cannot manually change the account or send a reset link.^2^

    2. Address the missing verification message

    Before making another code request:

    • Check the correct mailbox and its Junk/Spam folder.
    • Search for mail from @accountprotection.microsoft.com.
    • Add that domain as a trusted sender.
    • If both addresses are Outlook, Hotmail, Live, or MSN accounts, open the account receiving the code in a separate InPrivate browser window.
    • Avoid repeated code requests; excessive requests can temporarily prevent delivery. If that has happened, wait at least 24 hours before trying again.^3^

    3. Sign in and replace the PIN

    After the account has been recovered and a new password established:

    1. At the Windows 10 sign-in screen, select your wife’s account.
    2. Select Sign-in options.
    3. Choose the Password icon rather than the PIN icon.
    4. Enter the newly established Microsoft account password.
    5. Once at the desktop, open: Start → Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options
    6. Select Windows Hello PIN → I forgot my PIN, verify the account, and create a new PIN.^1^

    Do not reset or reinstall Windows at this stage; account recovery and PIN recreation do not require deleting her files.

    References

    1. Change or reset your PIN in Windows | Microsoft Support
    2. Help with the Microsoft account recovery form | Microsoft Support
    3. Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues | Microsoft Support
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  2. Vikki-T 14,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-10T08:18:00.1133333+00:00

    Hi steve m clubley,

    The fact that the account still works on the Android phone does not necessarily mean the Windows sign-in credentials are still valid, as the apps may be using an existing signed-in session. However, the “PIN isn’t available” message can also be a Windows Hello issue rather than a complete Microsoft account lockout.

    As a first check, have your wife try signing in to her Microsoft account from a private or Incognito browser window on another device.

    • If she can sign in there, return to the laptop’s sign-in screen, select Sign-in options, and choose the password icon instead of the PIN. Make sure the laptop is connected to the Internet. Once she is signed in, the PIN can be reset from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
    • If she cannot sign in online or the account is specifically reported as locked, use the official Microsoft Account Sign-in Helper. This tool can identify whether the issue involves the password, verification method, or an account lock and provide the appropriate recovery path.

    When the verification prompt appears, please also check the partially displayed destination carefully. A security code will only be sent to a recovery email address or phone number already associated with your wife’s account. If the destination is unfamiliar or inaccessible, avoid repeatedly requesting codes and follow the recovery option shown by the Sign-in Helper instead.

    I would not recommend resetting or reinstalling Windows at this stage, since this may introduce additional recovery requirements without resolving the account issue. Thank you so much for your understanding.     

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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