Unlocking Windows 11: Steps to Access Locked Accounts

This post shows students and new users the steps to unlock a locked-out account in Windows 11.

Windows 11 has a new account lockout policy to protect users against brute-force password attacks.

Windows lockout account policy setting determines the number of failed sign-in attempts that will cause a user account to be locked.

A locked account will not be used until an administrator explicitly unlocks it or until the number of minutes specified by the Account lockout duration policy setting expires.

The available lockout duration range is from 1 to 99,999 minutes. A value of 0 specifies that the Account will be locked out until an administrator explicitly unlocks it.

If you can’t wait for the lockout duration policy to expire and want to unlock a locked-out account manually, the steps below show you how to do so.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22528 and higher, a new default policy is as follows:

• The account lockout threshold is now set to 10 failed sign-in attempts by default
• Account lockout duration is now set to 10 minutes by default.
• Allow Administrator account lockout is now enabled by default.
• Reset account lockout counter after is now set to 10 minutes by default.

Below is how to manually unlock an account locked out in Windows 11.

How to unlock a locked-out account in Windows 11

As mentioned, Windows 11 now has a new account lockout policy to protect users against brute-force password attacks. You can set an account lockout policy so that an account with multiple failed login attempts remains locked until a certain time before it unlocks or until an administrator explicitly unlocks it.

If you want to unlock an account manually, use the steps below in Windows 11.

First, open the Local Users and Groups Manager app or type the command (lusrmgr.msc) in Windows Search.

Under Best match, select lusrmgr.msc to launch the Local Users and Groups manager.

Local Users and Groups is only available in the Windows 10 or 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

Click on the Users folder in the left pane of Local Users and Groups. Next, select the Account you want to unlock in the list.

You can right-click the Account and select Properties or double-click to open an account Properties window.

On the account properties windows, uncheck the box (if the box is checked) next to Account is locked out to unlock the Account.

Select OK.

Close Local Users and Group manager.

Alternatively, users can use Windows Terminal to unlock a locked-out account in Windows 11.

First, open Windows Terminal as administrator and select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Once opened, run the command below to change the account lockout threshold in Windows 11.

net user "<username>" /active:yes

Replace the <username> with the account name you want to unlock in Windows.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Windows 11 introduces a new account lockout policy to protect against brute-force attacks.
• Users can manually unlock a locked-out account by using the “Local Users and Groups” Manager or Windows Terminal.
• The lockout duration range is from 1 to 99,999 minutes, with the option for an administrator to unlock the account immediately.
• A new default policy in Windows 11 includes a lockout threshold of 10 failed sign-in attempts, a lockout duration of 10 minutes, and the option to allow Administrator account lockout.