Reset the Microsoft account password online or through I forgot my password on the Windows 10 sign-in screen; connecting an ordinary USB drive will not satisfy the prompt because that option requires a local-account password reset disk created beforehand.
Reset the Microsoft account password
- On the lock screen, select the Network icon and connect the PC to the internet. Microsoft notes that an internet connection can be required for sign-in. ^1^
- Select your account, then choose Sign-in options.
- Select the Password icon rather than the PIN option.
- Select I forgot my password and complete identity verification.
Alternatively, use another phone or computer to open the Microsoft account password-reset page:
https://account.live.com/ResetPassword.aspx
Enter the Microsoft account email shown on the Windows sign-in screen, receive the verification code, and create a new password. ^2^
Return to the PC, ensure it remains online, and sign in with that new password.
If Windows is asking for a PIN
A Windows Hello PIN is device-specific and is different from the Microsoft account password.
- Select I forgot my PIN below the PIN box and complete the prompts.
- If that option is unavailable, select Sign-in options → Enter your password, then use the newly reset Microsoft account password. Microsoft documents I forgot my PIN as available at the sign-in screen for Microsoft accounts. ^3^
Why the USB message appears
The message refers to a password reset disk, not an empty USB flash drive. Such a disk:
- Works only for a local Windows account, not a Microsoft account.
- Must have been created while signed in before the password was forgotten. ^4^
Therefore, do not create Windows installation media or connect a blank USB solely for this message.
If the account is actually local, select OK → Reset password and answer the security questions created with that account. A previously configured administrator account on the PC can also reset the local account through Computer Management → Local Users and Groups → Users → Set Password. ^5^
If Microsoft account verification cannot be completed and no other administrator account is available, Windows cannot bypass the password. The remaining recovery option is resetting Windows, which can remove applications and potentially personal data depending on the reset choice; preserve recoverable files and any BitLocker recovery key before proceeding.
References
- Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows | Microsoft Support
- Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password
- Change or reset your PIN in Windows | Microsoft Support
- Create a password reset disk for a local account in Windows | Microsoft Support
- Change or reset your local account password in Windows | Microsoft Support