Hi everyone,
I accidentally locked my personal Windows 11 PC using Find My Device from my Microsoft account. Since then, I haven't been able to sign in.
The error message is:
“An administrator has restricted sign in. To sign in, make sure your device is connected to the internet and have your administrator sign in first.”
Here is what I've tried so far:
Checked my Microsoft account: I signed in at https://account.microsoft.com/devices, but there is no Unlock option for my device.
Tried modifying the Windows registry: I made changes under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE following a troubleshooting guide. After that, the sign-in screen showed an option to sign in with my password instead of my PIN, but the password didn't work.
Tried System Restore: There were no available restore points.
Tried repairing Windows: I ran an offline SFC scan, which reported that it found corrupted files and successfully repaired them.
Reset Windows: I tried “Reset this PC” → “Keep my files,” but the same administrator restriction message still appears.
Tried Safe Mode: The restriction remains, and I still cannot sign in.
Checked network connectivity in the recovery environment: ipconfig only displays “Windows IP Configuration” without listing any network adapters.
I can access Command Prompt from the Windows Recovery Environment, and my D: drive is accessible. It contains important family photos that I must not lose.
My questions:
Is there a way to remove the Find My Device lock and regain access to Windows without reinstalling everything?
Why does the same restriction remain after resetting Windows with “Keep my files”?
Is there a way to restore normal sign-in or recover my administrator access without losing the files on my D: drive?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!