10 reasons why Local account doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

La plupart du temps, la raison pour laquelle une Local account doesn’t work in Windows 10 est simple : soit le compte est désactivé ou mal configuré, soit le système a un problème (mot de passe, profil corrompu, stratégie, ou fichiers système). Dans cet article vous apprendrez ce qui peut empêcher un compte local de fonctionner et comment corriger chaque cas étape par étape.

Vous verrez dix causes courantes — du mot de passe incorrect aux problèmes de stratégie de groupe, en passant par fichiers système corrompus — et des solutions pratiques et testées pour restaurer l’accès ou recréer proprement un compte local.

Key Takeaway

La solution la plus courante et rapide est de vérifier si le compte est activé et que le mot de passe est correct ; si le profil est corrompu, créez un nouvel utilisateur local et transférez les fichiers, et exécutez sfc /scannow et DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth pour réparer les fichiers système avant de tenter des réparations plus avancées.

Quick Fix Guide

Quick Fix Guide

Reason for the Problem	Quick Solution
1. Wrong username or password	Reset the local account password or enable the built-in Administrator to sign in.
2. Account is disabled	Re-enable the account via Computer Management or net user.
3. Corrupt user profile	Create a new local account and copy files from the old profile.
4. Group Policy or local security denying logon	Check Local Security Policy / gpedit.msc and remove restrictions.
5. Credential Provider or PIN conflicts	Remove saved credentials and PIN via Sign-in options and Credential Manager.
6. Windows update or buggy update	Uninstall the problematic update or use System Restore / Safe Mode.
7. Corrupted system files	Run sfc /scannow and DISM to repair system files.
8. User Profile Service not starting	Check Services, restart User Profile Service, or repair registry profile entries.
9. Account locked by domain/work policies	Disconnect from domain/Work account or use local Administrator to fix membership.
10. File/NTFS permission problems	Reset permissions on C:\Users\ or take ownership.

Detailed Fixes for “tu mets ici le problème du 10 reasons why Local account doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)”

1. Wrong username or password

Why this causes the problem

• If you type the wrong username or password, Windows rejects the logon. Caps Lock, keyboard layout, or expired passwords can cause confusion.

Step-by-step solution

1. Verify Caps Lock and Num Lock state.
2. Try another keyboard layout from the lock screen (bottom-right language icon).
3. If you have another administrator account:
   • Sign in with that admin account.
   • Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Manage another account, select the user and click Change the password.
4. If no admin exists, enable the built-in Administrator from recovery or installation media:
   • Boot into Advanced options > Command Prompt.
   • Run: net user Administrator /active:yes and then set a password: net user Administrator P@ssw0rd.
   • Restart and sign in as Administrator, then reset your local account password via Computer Management or net user username newpassword.

Notes

• Avoid guessing too many times to prevent lockouts; use a known admin account where possible.

2. Account is disabled

Why this causes the problem

• Disabled accounts cannot sign in even with the right password.

Step-by-step solution

1. If you can sign in with another admin account:
   • Open Computer Management (Right-click Start > Computer Management).
   • Expand System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users.
   • Right-click the affected user, open Properties, and uncheck Account is disabled.
2. On Windows 10 Home (no GUI tool), use an elevated Command Prompt:
   • Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run: net user username /active:yes.
3. Verify account not expired: net user username and check Account expires.

Tips

• If you cannot access an admin account, enable the built-in Administrator (see step in reason 1).

3. Corrupt user profile

Why this causes the problem

• If the profile folder or profile registry entry is corrupted, Windows may sign in but load a temporary profile or fail logon.

Step-by-step solution

1. Sign in with another admin account (or enable Administrator).
2. Open File Explorer and browse to C:\Users; confirm the broken profile folder exists.
3. Open Registry Editor: regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
4. Find the SID with ProfileImagePath pointing to the problematic user; if it ends with .bak, rename entries (remove .bak from the correct SID and add .bak to the incorrect one) — follow Microsoft guidance carefully.
5. If repair is complex, create a new local account:
   • Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC > I don’t have this person’s sign-in information > Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   • Make it an admin: Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Change account type.
6. Copy important data from C:\Users\OldProfile to C:\Users\NewProfile (do not copy NTUSER.DAT).
7. After verifying data, delete the corrupted profile from System Properties > Advanced > User Profiles Settings.

Notes

• Back up data before manipulating registry or profile folders.

4. Group Policy or local security denying logon

Why this causes the problem

• Local or domain Group Policy might add the user to Deny log on locally or remove from Allow log on locally, preventing interactive sign-in.

Step-by-step solution

1. Open Local Security Policy: press Win+R, type secpol.msc, Enter (or gpedit.msc on Pro/Enterprise).
2. Go to Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment.
3. Check Deny log on locally and Allow log on locally:
   • If the user or a group containing the user is listed under Deny log on locally, remove it.
   • Ensure the user is in a group listed under Allow log on locally (e.g., Users or Administrators).
4. If the PC is domain-joined, check domain Group Policy or contact your domain admin; run gpresult /h gp.html from an elevated command prompt to view applied policies.

Notes

• Changes may require a reboot or gpupdate /force.

5. Credential Provider or PIN conflicts

Why this causes the problem

• PINs and Windows Hello use different credential providers; a misconfigured provider or cache can block sign-in.

Step-by-step solution

1. From the lock screen, click Sign-in options and choose Password instead of PIN.
2. If you can sign in:
   • Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
   • Remove PIN under Windows Hello PIN (click Remove) and re-create it.
3. Clear Credential Manager:
   • Open Control Panel > Credential Manager, remove relevant credentials under Windows Credentials.
   • Reboot and attempt sign-in again.
4. If Credential Provider DLLs are damaged (advanced), consider System Restore or SFC/DISM (see reason 7).

Tips

• Removing the PIN forces a password sign-in, which can recover access.

6. Windows update or buggy update

Why this causes the problem

• A recent update may have introduced a bug that affects sign-in or user profiles.

Step-by-step solution

1. Boot into Safe Mode:
   • Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then choose Safe Mode.
2. Uninstall recent updates:
   • Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates and remove the latest updates installed before the problem.
3. Use System Restore if a restore point exists:
   • Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore and select a point before the issue.
4. After restoring, pause updates temporarily: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options > Pause updates.

Notes

• Keep drivers updated as well; driver conflicts can mimic sign-in issues.

7. Corrupted system files

Why this causes the problem

• Missing or corrupted system files can break authentication and profile loading.

Step-by-step solution

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Run: sfc /scannow and wait until it completes.
3. If SFC finds errors it can’t fix, run:
   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
   • Then run sfc /scannow again.
4. Reboot and test sign-in.

Tips

• If DISM fails due to source files, use installation media or specify a source with /Source.

8. User Profile Service not starting

Why this causes the problem

• The Windows User Profile Service is responsible for loading user profiles; if it fails, the user cannot sign in normally.

Step-by-step solution

1. Sign in as admin.
2. Open Services (services.msc) and locate User Profile Service.
3. Ensure its Startup Type is Automatic and start the service if stopped.
4. Check Event Viewer (Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application/System) for specific errors about User Profile Service and google the Event ID for targeted fixes.
5. If registry profile entries are corrupted, follow the profile repair steps in reason 3.

Notes

• Do not disable this service; it’s critical for profile management.

9. Account locked by domain/work policies or joined to work account

Why this causes the problem

• If the device is joined to a domain or associated with a work/school account, policies may override local account settings or require domain credentials.

Step-by-step solution

1. Check if the PC is domain-joined:
   • Settings > System > About and look at Domain or Workgroup.
2. If domain-joined, contact your IT admin to verify local logon policies or to unlock the account.
3. To remove a work account:
   • Settings > Accounts > Access work or school, select the account and choose Disconnect.
4. If necessary and you have admin rights, create or use a local Administrator to reconfigure the machine.

Notes

• Removing domain join will impact domain resources (files, printers). Proceed with caution.

10. File or NTFS permissions problems

Why this causes the problem

• If the user’s profile folder permissions are wrong, Windows cannot read the profile leading to sign-in failures.

Step-by-step solution

1. Sign in with an admin account.
2. Right-click the user folder C:\Users\, choose Properties > Security.
3. If permissions look wrong, click Advanced and:
   • Take Ownership: Change owner to the user or Administrators, check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects, click OK.
   • Click Change Permissions, ensure the user has Full control for their profile folder and SYSTEM and Administrators also have full control.
4. If necessary, run from elevated command prompt:
   • takeown /F “C:\Users\” /R /D Y
   • icacls “C:\Users\” /grant :(OI)(CI)F /T
5. Reboot and test sign-in.

Notes

• Be careful with icacls; mistyped commands can change system permissions. Back up first.

Prevention and Best Practices

• Keep at least one separate Administrator account for recovery purposes.
• Use strong, memorable passwords and a password manager; avoid relying only on PINs.
• Create regular system restore points before major updates.
• Backup user data regularly (File History or third-party backup).
• Document local accounts and permissions if you manage multiple machines.

FAQ

Can I convert a Microsoft account to a local account without losing files?

Yes — go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and choose Sign in with a local account instead; your files stay intact, but settings tied to the Microsoft account (OneDrive sync, store purchases) will be affected.

What if I can’t enable the built-in Administrator from recovery?

Boot using Windows installation media, choose Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Command Prompt, then run net user Administrator /active:yes; if that fails, check disk integrity with chkdsk /f C:.

How do I recover files if I can’t sign in at all?

Boot from Windows installation media or a Linux live USB, mount the system drive, and copy files from C:\Users\ to an external drive.

Will creating a new local account solve all profile problems?

Creating a new account will bypass a corrupted profile and let you access Windows; you’ll still need to copy essential files and reconfigure application settings.

How can I prevent future account lockouts?

Enable account recovery options, keep at least one admin account, use group membership carefully, and implement account lockout/threshold policies that balance security and usability.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting a Local account doesn’t work in Windows 10 usually starts with simple checks (password, account enabled) and progresses to profile repair, policy inspection, and system file repairs when needed. Follow the step-by-step fixes above, back up your data before major changes, and keep an administrator account available to recover access if something goes wrong.