A restricted account is an account that has limitations on its use or access to the network. In this article, I will show you how to “Resolve Account restrictions that are preventing this user from signing in: User Account Password has expired”. Please see Configure logon hours for users in Active Directory, How to configure user resource limits and restrictions in Linux, and How to resolve Windows 10 and Windows 11 updates will now expire for better performance. Also, see RDP Users are unable to change Passwords.
Why was the error prompted “Resolve Account restrictions are preventing this user from signing in”
The error message ‘Account restrictions are preventing this user from signing-in’ is revealed when a user is not able to establish a Remote Desktop connection to a target system. There are numerous reasons for this error and in my case, it was due to password expiration.
This error could also be caused by your Windows Group Policy preventing it from passing credentials to the remote system. But not limited to these only. Please see how to download Microsoft Office 365 Family Invoice for tax reasons, and how to Integrate Grammarly in Microsoft Word on Mac
Recommended Approach ” Password Reset” to fix User Account Password has expired
As I said earlier. It is evident that the following error was caused due to password expiration. Please see how to reset your lost or forgotten Windows 10 Password.
The image details reveal more information such as the error code and time stamp as shown below. Hit the Ok or hide details buttons and proceed with the resolution below.
Here are some exciting guides: DriveLock Error: The server could not be reached or validated: Timeout expired. The Time out expired prior to obtaining a connection from the pool, and learn about the Pre-requisites for setting up a Single and Multi App Kiosk.
The solution to User Account Password has expired
Head over to Active Directory User and Computer in order to initiate the password reset for the user account in question. Learn more on Service Principal Name: How to add, reset and delete SPNs.
We will need to launch Active Directory Users and Computers as shown below via the Server Manager or alternatively from the “Windows Search” or “Run” command and type dsa.msc, or from the Control Panel\System and Security\Administrative Tools and click on Active Directory Users and Computers
Locate the OU that has the user and right-click on the User Account. In order to resolve this issue for this specific RDP user issue, we will have to locate the user.
Enter the new password and click on Ok. If you wish the user to change the password at the next logon, please check the button below.
Here are some related guides: How to reset your built-in Local Administrator password in Windows 10, How to reset MSSQL Server SA Password on Ubuntu via the command line and SQL Server Management Studio.
Bonus Tips: Change Password Locally
Here are the steps to reset an Administrator password locally. Launch the Computer Management console as shown below. Please see Fix Error 1069: Windows could not start the Veeam backup service on the local computer.
I actually added the below steps just to show you how this can be done in a non-domain environment.
Locate the local users and groups and select Users as shown below. Right-click on the Administrator Account to have it reset.
On the “Set Password for Administrator” button, click on Proceed.
Please enter the New Password and confirm the password by entering it again in the second field. When you are done, click on OK.
After entering the password correctly. You will be prompted with the prompt below. Click on OK to complete the password reset. At this time, you can also close the Computer Management console if you wish. Learn how to reset the Mysql Root password.
Here is an interesting article by Microsoft on Active Directory accounts. Also, see Prerequisites for setting up a Single and Multi App Kiosk, and Log Off: How to sign out of Windows Server 2012.
FAQs relating to Account restrictions are preventing this user from signing in
Depending on security policies, administrators may have the ability to extend the password expiration period temporarily. However, it’s essential to balance security requirements.
If the problem persists even after the user resets their password, it may indicate a deeper issue. Check for any other account restrictions, such as login time restrictions, or verify if the account is locked due to multiple unsuccessful login attempts.
Check the user account settings, either in the Active Directory or the authentication system in use. Look for password expiration information associated with the user.
Implement policies to notify users in advance of password expiration. Encourage them to update passwords regularly. Ensure there’s a straightforward password recovery mechanism in place.
Administrators with the appropriate privileges can reset passwords for users. This is often done in response to requests for assistance or as part of routine security measures.
I hope you found this blog post helpful on how to “Resolve Account restrictions preventing this user from signing in: User Account Password has expired”. Please let me know in the comment section if you have any questions.
