How to Fix 'The Reference Account is Currently Locked Out' Error Message

Windows can prevent you from logging in to an account for a certain period of time if you repeatedly enter the wrong password.
The login screen will then display the message “The referenced account is currently locked” This can be frustrating, especially if you have an urgent task to complete.
Sometimes a threshold is set that limits the number of incorrect password attempts by the user.
The problem may seem serious, but it’s not hard to fix.

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The error message “The referenced account is currently locked” will appear on the login screen if you repeatedly enter the wrong password. If you have an urgent task to complete, this can be frustrating, especially if the error message indicates that you cannot log in.

Often users are restricted from incorrectly trying to enter their passwords by setting a threshold, which can help prevent unauthorized access. However, it can be problematic if your Windows 10 account is locked. Unfortunately, it’s not difficult to fix this issue.

Users that have entered their password incorrectly multiple times and have become locked out of the domain usually receive the error message “The referenced account is currently locked out”.

Table of Contents

What causes the “Reference account is currently blocked” problem

An error such as “Referred account is locked” can only be explained by one main reason, unlike many other errors. Windows 10 ensures that if a user sets a password to secure his or her profile, others cannot access the laptop without the user’s permission.

It is therefore possible for a person to enter a password only a limited number of times. Usually, the profile administrator sets the exact limit. When someone repeatedly enters the wrong password and forgets it, the computer locks the account. The error message “The link account is currently locked” will appear in this case. Users cannot enter their password again after seeing this error message, even if they remember it.

In terms of the reasons behind this error, there are very few. In addition, it can occur if your user account details have recently changed. This error occurs if the referenced account is currently locked out and cannot be logged on to Windows. Several services may still use the older credentials. If your system domain controller has set up any account lockout threshold policy, then this error will also occur.

How to solve the “Link account is currently blocked” problem.

Remove the account lock threshold

In the immediate aftermath of an error, this method cannot help users fix it. The users must change the account lockout threshold policy configuration to prevent this problem from happening again after they figure out how to log in. In order to implement this method, follow these steps:

In Windows 10, press Windows + R at the same time to open the Windows Startup dialog box.
Then press the Enter key on the keyboard.
In this step, you will be taken to the window where you can view your device’s local security policies.
A policy for account settings can be found in the security settings menu under the “Security” heading.
Ensure that “Account Lockout Policy” is selected from the “Account Policy” section.
You will then be directed to the Configuration Settings window when you click the “Account lockout threshold policy” tab.
Make sure that the value for invalid login attempts is set to “0” in the Settings Configuration window. Click Ok to save the changes.

Even if you fail to login several times, you are guaranteed not to get the error again if you follow all the steps.

Updated: May 2023

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Make sure that the password never expires

Although this is a rare case, a user can also encounter an error when entering the correct password. Therefore, there are another ways to resolve the “Referral account is currently blocked” error. After a user has entered the correct password, the error occurs, and the following steps must be followed to resolve the problem:

Run can be launched by pressing Windows + R.
You will see a window that says Local Users and Groups after typing “lusrmgr.msc” and clicking the OK button.
Double-click the “Users” icon in this window.
The problem user account should be right-clicked.
Properties will appear when you click it
Select the Password Never Expires check box under the General tab of the Properties window and click OK.

Use the local administrator account to unlock

Set up an offline administrator account.
Log on to the workstation with the administrator account.
The local security policy editor can be found via secpol.msc.
In the Security Settings section of the Account Settings section, you will find the Account Lockout Policy.
The account lockout threshold policy can now be set to zero (zero) by clicking OK.
The locked account can be accessed after your computer has restarted.

Remove cached credentials from your computer

You can find Credential Manager by typing the term into the Start menu.
Select Windows Credentials from the drop-down list.
The cached credentials should appear under General Credentials. Click the arrow beside it to access them.
Click Delete to remove it.
Try logging into a restricted account after restarting your computer.

Perform a system restore

You can use System Restore to roll back changes you’ve made to your computer, including software and driver installations, and Windows system files. The following steps will explain how to do a System Restore on Windows 10 without affecting your personal files if you’re experiencing problems with your PC.

Locked Out Of Windows Account

It is strongly recommended to sign in with your Microsoft account rather than with a local account, so if you change your Microsoft account password, you will also need to change your account password.

Windows 10 Account Locked Out

It’s possible to reset the password on a locked out PC using a Microsoft account.

ADUC allows administrators to unlock accounts that are currently locked out of Active Directory Domain Controllers by checking the box next to Unlock account.

The Restore option can be found in the Start menu.
The Restoration Wizard window will open when you click the first result.
Click “Next” after selecting your restoration point.
Confirm your restoration by clicking “Finish”.
In the event your computer prompts you to restart after the restoration has been completed, do so.

Using System Restore, you can fix any issues you are having with your Windows 10 computer by following these steps.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fix a blocked referral account?

Update your local group policy editor.
Set the account password so that it never expires.
Change the local security settings.
Change the time and date settings in the BIOS.
Check DNS settings.
Change your account lockout policy.

How long has the computer been blocking you?

The Account lockout duration parameter defines the number of minutes that a locked account remains locked before it is automatically unlocked. The available range is from 1 to 99,999 minutes. A value of 0 means that the account remains locked until the administrator explicitly unlocks it.

What should I do if my Windows account is locked?

Reset your Microsoft account password.
Click on the Reset Password option below the password field.
Ask your Windows administrator to reset your password.
Reinstall Windows 10.

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Mark Ginter

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Mark Ginter is a tech blogger with a passion for all things gadgets and gizmos. A self-proclaimed "geek", Mark has been blogging about technology for over 15 years. His blog, techquack.com, covers a wide range of topics including new product releases, industry news, and tips and tricks for getting the most out of your devices. If you're looking for someone who can keep you up-to-date with all the latest tech news and developments, then be sure to follow him over at Microsoft.