Learn how to troubleshoot Windows sign in issues, including problems signing in to your Windows device after upgrading.

When you initially setup your Windows device, you might have opted to use a local account instead of a Microsoft account. The main difference between a local account and a Microsoft account is that a local account is specific to one device, while a Microsoft account can be used across multiple devices and Microsoft services.

You might have to update your Windows device. To check that your device is up to date, open the Settings app > Update & Security > Windows Update and check the update status and available updates. If your device is registered or managed by your organization (work or school), some passkeys options are unavailable.

Sign in to Windows Sign in to Office Sign in to Xbox Live How to check if your email address is a Microsoft account Accessing Outlook.com, OneDrive and other Microsoft services when someone has died Need more help? Can't sign in? If you can't sign into your Microsoft account, most issues can be identified by our sign-in helper tool.

Windows 11 Windows 10 If you're having trouble signing in to your Surface with Facial recognition (Windows Hello) or Fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello), here are some things to check before you start the troubleshooting steps. Before you begin Make sure you configure Windows Hello on your device. For more info on how to do this, go to Configure Windows Hello. Get the latest updates You ...

If you continue to experience issues signing in with your original profile, disable Windows Defender services: Open the Services app by typing services in the search box on the taskbar and selecting it from the list of results.

Support for Windows 10 has ended on October 14, 2025 After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10.

Learn how to sign into your PC with Windows Hello using a PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint.

Learn how to create and save a passkey to sign in to your Microsoft personal or work/school account and many other websites, apps and services.

Installing Windows 10 on your current PC - Windows 10 is still available and will be supported until October 14, 2025. You can check if your current PC meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 10. If it does, you can check with retailers to see if they still offer Windows 10 for sale.