Quick Links
Encountered the “Your password has expired and must be changed” message on your Windows login screen? That’s because passwords for local accounts expire every 42 days if accidentally enabled. Fortunately, you can get past this screen quickly and turn off this setting.
How to Sign In Using an Expired Password
Once your local account password expires and you see the “Your password has expired” message, you’ll need to create a new password to sign in. To create a new password, you must remember your current one. That’s the only prerequisite here. Now, let’s look at the steps:
When you see the message that the passwordhas been changed, clickOKto continue. Now, simply sign in using your new password.
Turn Off Password Expiry for Local Accounts
After logging in, you can turn off the Windows password expiration feature using the Local Users and Groups snap-in. This is an advanced feature not available in the Windows 11 Home edition. If you own the Home edition, you’ll need toenable Local User and Groups Management on Windows Homefirst. Once done, follow these steps:
Turn Off Password Expiry for Microsoft Accounts
Turning off password expiry for your Microsoft account is pretty easy and doesn’t require any special tools. Here’s how to do it:
Now, you’re able to log into your Microsoft account using the new password.
Using aMicrosoft account as your primary sign-in method has some advantages, like automatic backup and synchronization. However, a local user account is still a better choice for privacy and security reasons. It’s also much easier toreset the password for a local account.
The password expiration feature in Windows aims to keep your user account safe through password rotation. However, having to change your password every few weeks isn’t worth the hassle, especially when it’s still less effective than two-factor authentication.
