Enter the wrong local account password too many times and Windows could lock you out. The system also counts how many failed attempts you make when attempting to sign on to the machine.

Exceed this threshold and you will need this counter to be reset, which you may do by waiting a set amount of time. Here’s how to change the time you must wait in order for the counter to be automatically reset.

Opening security policy via Run option

Reset the Windows Account Lockout Counter in Windows via Local Security Policy

This method should be your preferred choice if the system is running the Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition of Windows 10 or 11.

How to Change Account Lockout Counter Reset Time via Command Prompt

If the system you’re working with isn’t running the Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition of Windows 10 or 11, you’ll have to change how long before the account lockout counter is reset via the command prompt.

A related setting, theaccount lock-out duration, must equal or exceed the time for the system to automatically reset the number of failed login attempts. If you want, you canchange the account lock-out duration on Windowsto something that suits you best.

Change Windows account lockout in Security Policy

You can alsolimit the number of failed logon attempts on Windowswith a similar setting change.

Control How Long Before the Incorrect Logon Counter Is Reset

With this setting, you control how long before the counter that keeps track of incorrect logon attempts is reset. Use it in conjunction with the lockout duration option account policy to make things more convenient for local users.

Windows account logon counter setting

Set Windows account logon reset timer

Using the command prompt to list Windows account policies