How to use my computer while security change is pending

Nancy O'Neil 0 Reputation points
2026-06-19T17:27:49.6033333+00:00

I went to sign in and it said my pin wasn’t available and to reset. The security info was my old work email and old landline. I changed the email but now it says I have to wait 30 days. Can I not use my computer for 30 days?

Windows for home | Other | Security and privacy

2 answers

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  1. Hendrix-V 19,745 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-06-20T03:14:06.3666667+00:00

    Hi Nancy O'Neil,

    Based on what you've described, the 30-day security information wait period does not automatically prevent you from using your computer. The security hold mainly affects account recovery and certain Microsoft account security actions.

    However, if Windows is asking you to reset your PIN and requires verification through the old recovery information that is no longer available, you may be unable to sign in with that Microsoft account until the security update completes.

    If the device has another local administrator account, you can sign in with that account and access your files from there. If you recently used the PC offline, disconnecting from the internet and restarting may allow Windows to use previously cached credentials.

    I hope this helps clarify the situation. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

    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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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-19T17:28:03.7666667+00:00

    The 30‑day wait applies to changing your Microsoft account security info, not to using the Windows PC itself. In most cases the device can still be used, but some actions that require extra verification will be blocked until the pending period ends.

    Key points from the 30‑day “security info change pending” state:

    • When all previous security info is removed and replaced, the account is put into a restricted state for 30 days.
    • During this time, most Microsoft services can still be accessed (for example, signing in to Outlook.com, OneDrive, Xbox, Skype), but certain sensitive actions are blocked.
    • If two‑factor verification was turned on, access can be more restricted.

    From the documented behavior:

    • "When all security info is removed from a Microsoft account, the account is put into a restricted state for 30-days."
    • "You can: Access most Microsoft services such as signing in to Xbox, Skype, Outlook.com, OneDrive, etc."
    • "You won't: Have the ability to update your password, access parental controls, update your account aliases, or access some sensitive areas like OneDrive vault."

    What this means for using the computer:

    • The Windows sign‑in itself uses the credentials already set on the device (password, PIN, Windows Hello). If the PIN is unavailable, sign‑in can still be done with the account password if that option is shown on the sign‑in screen.
    • The 30‑day restriction mainly affects changing security info and some account‑level actions, not basic local use of the PC.

    If sign‑in to Windows is failing only because the PIN is not available:

    • On the sign‑in screen, select Sign‑in options and choose the password option to sign in with the account password instead of the PIN.
    • Once signed in, the PIN can be reset from Settings → Accounts → Sign‑in options using the normal PIN reset flow, as long as the account can still be verified with the existing security info or allowed methods.

    If the account is fully locked out because all security info was changed and two‑factor verification is required, then it may be necessary to wait for the 30‑day period to complete or use any still‑available security method to cancel the pending change.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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