How do I unlock my Windows computer if I forgot my password?

Install Avatier Login Reset on the workstation — pre-login password reset software that adds an Unlock & Reset option to the Windows or Mac login screen itself. The user taps Unlock & Reset, completes MFA through their enterprise identity provider, sets a new password, and the computer is unlocked in under a minute. Cached credentials are auto-updated so a second offline lockout never occurs. The same flow handles a locked-out Microsoft account or a Microsoft Authenticator prompt at Windows login.

How do users reset a forgotten password before logging in to Windows?

Install the Avatier Login Reset credential provider on Windows or Mac via MSI, GPO, or Intune. It adds an MFA-verified "Unlock & Reset" option to the login screen itself — users tap it, complete MFA via the enterprise provider, set a new password, and are back to work in under a minute. Cached credentials are auto-updated to prevent secondary lockouts. Works on AD-joined, Entra-joined, hybrid, Citrix, and Azure Virtual Desktop.

Does it work with Mac?

Yes. Login Reset ships a native credential provider for macOS alongside the Windows agent. Customers managing mixed Windows + Mac fleets get the same Unlock & Reset UX, the same MFA enforcement, and the same audit log on both platforms.

Does it work with Entra-joined computers?

Yes. Active Directory-joined, Entra-joined, and hybrid-joined workstations are all supported. The credential provider detects the join state at runtime and routes the reset through the correct directory automatically.

What about cached credentials?

Login Reset automatically updates cached credentials after a successful reset, eliminating the secondary-lockout pattern (where a user resets via web SSPR, then can't unlock their offline laptop). This is the single biggest reason customers move from a portal-only SSPR to Login Reset — it eliminates the second support call.

Can new hires log in without IT setting up a password first?

Yes. Passwordless provisioning verifies the new hire against protected HR-linked data (hire date, manager name, employee ID) and lets them set their first password self-service from the login screen. No pre-staged credentials, no IT helpdesk involvement, no day-one delay.

How long does Login Reset take to deploy?

Endpoint rollout via MSI, GPO, or Intune completes in hours, not weeks. The lightweight credential provider adds no measurable boot-time impact and integrates with your existing MFA provider out of the box. Most customers deploy across 10,000+ endpoints in a single change-window.

Is the login-screen browser secure?

Yes. Login Reset uses a secure, locked-down browser process that connects exclusively to the Avatier portal — users cannot navigate to other websites or use keyboard shortcuts to escape the workflow. The session is terminated on completion, MFA failure, or timeout. No persistent state remains on the endpoint.

ZERO-TRUST IDENTITY GATEWAY

Credential Governance — Pillar 4

Login Reset

Resets before you log in.

Lockouts strike before network login — and before IT can help.
Login Reset puts recovery right at the screen, MFA-verified.
Cached credentials update automatically.
No second call, no downtime.

Eliminates the #1 source of help desk calls
Zero secondary lockouts from cached credentials
24×7 recovery — Windows, Mac, and virtual desktops

Try It Trust It

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ISO/IEC 27001 — Avatier compliance attestation

PCI DSS v4.0.1 — Avatier compliance attestation

NIST 800 Series — Avatier compliance attestation

NIST Cybersecurity Framework — Avatier compliance attestation

CISA Secure-by-Design — Avatier compliance attestation

CSA STAR AI Level 1 — Avatier compliance attestation

CSA AI Trustworthy Pledge — Avatier compliance attestation

WCAG 2.2 AA — Avatier compliance attestation

U.S. Air Force relies on Avatier for credential governance

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Bayer relies on Avatier for credential governance

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ESPN relies on Avatier for credential governance

Fox News relies on Avatier for credential governance

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Protecting the world’s workforce since 1997 • Over 15 Million Licenses Sold

The Pre-Login Recovery Gap

Why Users Still Get Stranded Before the Workday Starts

Most identity recovery assumes the user can already reach a browser, portal, app, VPN, or help desk workflow. But many lockouts happen before that. A user is sitting at the Windows or Mac login screen. Their password is forgotten, expired, locked, or out of sync. Cached credentials may not match. They may be remote, off-network, traveling, or disconnected from the corporate VPN. At that moment, normal self-service is out of reach. That is the pre-login recovery gap.

What Buyers Think Is Covered

Teams often assume self-service password reset is enough because users have a portal, MFA, and identity recovery tools. But those tools usually depend on the user already having access to a device session, browser, network path, or support channel. When the user cannot get past the login screen, the recovery experience breaks down. The most basic access issue becomes a help desk ticket, a productivity delay, or a manual exception.

What Is Not Covered

Traditional login recovery does not solve the full pre-login problem. Users may be locked out before they can open the password portal. Remote employees may not be connected to VPN. Password changes may fail to update locally cached credentials. Expired passwords can block access before the user can complete normal recovery. New hires and contractors may need first-time access before they have ever signed in. That leaves IT and service desk teams handling issues that should have been resolved at the first access point.

Why It Matters Now

Work does not always start inside the network anymore. Employees travel. Contractors onboard remotely. Hybrid teams move between offices, homes, hotels, airports, and customer sites. Devices may be Windows, Mac, AD-joined, Entra-joined, hybrid, Citrix, VDI, or off-network. For CISOs, the login screen is the first security checkpoint. For CIOs, it is a workforce productivity problem. For CFOs, every lockout creates support cost and lost time. For CEOs, stalled access creates business friction before work even begins. Pre-login recovery is no longer just a convenience. It is where secure workforce access starts.

The Login-Screen Layer Credential Governance Runs On

Login Reset is Pillar 4 of Credential Governance. It embeds secure, MFA-verified recovery directly into the Windows and Mac login screen, giving users a way to unlock accounts, reset forgotten or expired passwords, update cached credentials, complete enrollment, and return to work without calling IT. Across the Credential Governance pillars, Avatier helps organizations govern credential enforcement, user self-service, human-assisted recovery, login recovery, and passwordless access. Login Reset owns the pre-login moment. It turns the login screen into a verified recovery gateway.

What it is

Recover Access Before Login

Avatier Login Reset embeds secure, MFA-verified recovery directly into the Windows and Mac login screen, so users can unlock accounts, reset expired or forgotten passwords, update cached credentials, and return to work before they ever sign in.

Book a Meeting

Turn the Windows and Mac login screen into a zero-trust gateway — MFA-verified reset, unlock, enrollment, and passwordless provisioning, before the network.

Login-Screen Unlock & Reset

A secure Windows and Mac credential provider adds a self-service Unlock & Reset option right at the login screen.

Ctrl+Alt+Del InterceptPatent Pending

Intercepts the Ctrl+Alt+Del password sequence and redirects users to Avatier's branded, policy-consistent portal.

MFA-Verified Recovery

Require MFA before any reset — supports all leading MFA and FIDO2, plus adaptive authentication by geo, user, group, or OU.

Automatic Enrollment DetectionPatent Pending

Detects users not enrolled in Password Management or MFA at login and guides them through enrollment automatically.

Passwordless New-Hire ProvisioningPatent Pending

New hires set their first password via secure HR-data identity lookup (hire date, manager) — before their first login, no IT.

Automatic Cached-Credential Sync

Updates locally cached credentials after a reset to prevent secondary lockouts when working off the corporate network.

Secure Controlled Browser

A locked-down browser connects only to Avatier's verified portal — no other sites, no keyboard-shortcut bypass.

Windows, Mac, Entra & VDI

Works on Active Directory–joined, Entra ID–joined, and hybrid workstations, plus Citrix and VDI environments.

Forced Enrollment

Guarantees universal adoption of recovery and MFA controls — full coverage without manual oversight.

Branded, 34-Language Experience

One branded reset experience across every user, region, and device — localized in 34 languages.

24×7 Account Recovery

Around-the-clock Windows and Mac recovery that eliminates the #1 source of help desk calls.

Outcomes by Role

The Business Value of Login Reset Mapped to Who's Buying

Login Reset gives every stakeholder a different win: stronger access control for security, fewer lockout disruptions for IT leadership, lower help-desk cost for finance, better workforce continuity for executives, practical recovery tools for IAM teams, and clearer category positioning for analysts and investors.

Bring password recovery, enrollment, and access restoration into a controlled workflow before users reach the desktop, VPN, portal, or apps.

MFA-Verified Recovery

Require users to verify identity before account unlocks or password resets happen at the Windows or Mac login screen.

MFAVerified Recovery

Pre-Login Policy Control

Bring password recovery, enrollment, and access restoration into a controlled workflow before users reach the desktop, VPN, portal, or apps.

Policy ControlPre-Login

Reduced Exception Risk

Close the gap where locked-out users bypass self-service and move straight to help desk exceptions.

Exception ReductionGovernance

Deliver the same branded recovery experience across users, locations, and workstation environments so pre-login recovery is consistent and predictable.

Login-Screen Recovery

Give users a secure recovery path directly from the Windows or Mac login screen.

WindowsMac

Remote Workforce Support

Help remote, traveling, hybrid, and off-network users recover access without waiting for VPN access or IT intervention.

RemoteHybrid

Consistent User Experience

Deliver the same branded recovery experience across users, locations, and workstation environments.

BrandedConsistent

Cut one of the most common sources of IT tickets and reduce repeat lockouts caused by cached-credential mismatches.

Fewer Help Desk Calls

Reduce one of the most common sources of IT tickets: forgotten passwords, expired passwords, and account lockouts.

Ticket ReductionCost Control

Less Productivity Loss

Help employees, contractors, and remote workers return to work faster when access fails before login.

ProductivityContinuity

Lower Repeat-Issue Cost

Update credentials across the network and local workstation cache to reduce secondary lockouts and repeat support calls.

Cache SyncRepeat Reduction

Make the first access moment verified, governed, and recoverable instead of fragile and dependent on manual support.

Protect Workforce Continuity

Keep users moving when the workday starts with a lockout, expired password, or cached credential mismatch.

ContinuityResilience

Support Distributed Teams

Give remote and hybrid workers a secure recovery path before access issues slow down the business.

DistributedHybrid

Turn Login Into a Trust Point

Make the first access moment verified, governed, and recoverable instead of fragile and dependent on manual support.

TrustGovernance

Embed Unlock & Reset directly into the Windows and Mac login experience so users can recover before signing in.

Credential Provider Recovery

Embed Unlock & Reset directly into the Windows and Mac login experience so users can recover before signing in.

Credential ProviderLogin Screen

Cached Credential Updates

Update locally cached workstation credentials after a successful reset to prevent secondary lockouts.

Cache SyncSecondary Lockouts

Enrollment and Provisioning Support

Support forced enrollment, MFA activation, and secure first-password setup for new users without manual IT intervention.

EnrollmentFirst-Time Login

Category Expansion

Category StrategyPillar 4

Differentiated Recovery Control

The product does not just reset passwords. It brings verified recovery to the login screen where lockouts actually happen.

DifferentiationPre-Login

Platform Story

Login Reset shows how Avatier governs credential access across enforcement, self-service, assisted recovery, pre-login recovery, and passwordless access.

Platform StoryIdentity Security

Enterprise Trust

Pre-Login Recovery Built for Security Review

Login Reset gives enterprises a controlled way to verify users, enforce recovery policy, and restore access directly from the Windows and Mac login screen. It supports security reviews and compliance workflows by helping teams show that pre-login recovery, account unlocks, password resets, enrollment, and cached credential updates follow approved verification and policy controls.

Verified Recovery Before Login

MFA at the login screen where the problem begins

Helps ensure users verify identity before access is restored
Brings MFA-verified recovery directly to the login screen
Reduces reliance on help desk exceptions for locked-out users
Extends identity proofing to the first access point
Supports enterprise MFA methods and adaptive policy

Controlled Login-Screen Workflow

Pre-login recovery without a new security gap

Pre-login recovery should not open a new security gap
Uses a controlled recovery experience so users cannot bypass verification
Supports unlock, reset, expired-password, and credential update workflows
Prevents unrestricted access before verification is complete
Session terminates on completion, MFA failure, or timeout

Policy-Aligned Access Restoration

Recovery that follows enterprise security policy

Every recovery path should follow enterprise security policy
Supports password policy validation on the new credential
Supports enrollment enforcement and MFA activation at login
Updates cached workstation credentials after successful reset
Supports SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST 800-63-3, HIPAA audit workflows

Open Avatier Security Trust Center View Compliance Resources

Built for Workstation Recovery

Fits the Systems Your Users Log Into First

Login Reset brings secure recovery to the Windows and Mac login screen across Active Directory, Entra ID, hybrid workstations, MFA methods, and virtual desktop environments — without forcing IT to rebuild the identity stack.

Windows & Mac Login Screens

Embed Unlock & Reset directly into the workstation login experience so users can recover access before they reach the desktop, browser, VPN, portal, or apps.

Active Directory, Entra ID & Hybrid Workstations

Support recovery across Active Directory joined, Entra ID joined, and hybrid workstations so users can reset passwords, unlock accounts, and return to work from the first access point.

MFA & FIDO2 Providers

Verify users before access is restored by connecting login-screen recovery to approved MFA and FIDO2 authentication methods (Microsoft Authenticator, Duo, FIDO2).

Citrix, VDI & Remote Workforces

Extend secure pre-login recovery to remote, hybrid, virtual desktop, and off-network users who cannot rely on a normal portal or VPN path when locked out.

Full Comparison

Capability	Avatier	Others / Industry-Wide
Reset & unlock at the Windows / Mac login screen	Full	Partial
Ctrl+Alt+Del intercept & redirect	Full	Not offered
MFA-verified recovery (all MFA / FIDO2)	Full	Partial
Adaptive authentication (geo / user / group / OU)	Full	Partial
Automatic enrollment detection at login	Full	Not offered
Passwordless new-hire provisioning (HR lookup)	Full	Not offered
Automatic cached-credential update	Full	Partial
Secure controlled (locked-down) browser	Full	Partial
Windows, Mac, Entra ID, hybrid + VDI	Full	Partial
Forced enrollment	Full	Partial
Branded reset in 34 languages	Full	Partial

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Native / full capabilityPartial or add-onNot offered

Side By Side

Native Login Recovery Stops at the Lockout. Login Reset Starts There.

Traditional workstation login recovery often leaves users stuck before they can reach the portal, VPN, browser, or help desk workflow. Login Reset brings verified recovery directly to the Windows and Mac login screen, so users can restore access where the problem begins.

Traditional Login Recovery

Status quo

Reach
Users get locked out before they can reach self-service.
Forgotten / expired passwords
Become help desk tickets.
Remote users
May need VPN before recovery can work.
Cached credentials
Can stay out of sync after reset.
Enrollment & first-time access
Gaps discovered too late; new users need IT help before first login.
Recovery model
Depends on manual support when access fails early.

Avatier Login Reset

Avatier

Reach
Unlock & Reset is available from the login screen; users recover access before reaching the desktop or portal.
Forgotten / expired passwords
MFA verifies identity before access is restored.
Remote users
Secure pre-login recovery extends to remote, hybrid, virtual desktop, and off-network users.
Cached credentials
Network and cached credentials update together.
Enrollment & first-time access
Enrollment and MFA activation guided at login; new users complete secure first-password setup.
Recovery model
Pre-login recovery becomes verified, governed, and reviewable.

Traditional login recovery waits until users are already stranded. Login Reset gives them a secure path back before the workday stops.

Rollout

How Login Reset Deploys

Login Reset is designed for IT and IAM teams to deploy secure pre-login recovery without replacing the identity stack, disrupting workstation access, or forcing locked-out users back to the help desk.

Phase 01
Install the Credential Provider
Add the Avatier credential provider to Windows and Mac login screens so users can access Unlock & Reset before signing in.
Phase 02
Connect Identity and Recovery Systems
Connect Login Reset to Active Directory, Entra ID, hybrid workstations, and connected identity systems so users can reset passwords, unlock accounts, and restore access from the first access point.
Phase 03
Configure MFA, Policy, and Enrollment
Apply MFA verification, password policy, enrollment rules, and adaptive authentication so pre-login recovery follows the same security standards as the rest of the identity environment.
Phase 04
Enable Cached Credential Updates
Update network credentials and locally cached workstation credentials after a successful reset so users can sign in immediately and avoid repeat lockouts.

IT and IAM teams can give users secure recovery at the login screen without rebuilding the environment or making the help desk the default recovery path.

Global Workstation Coverage

Login Reset Available in 34 Languages

Login Reset delivers a governed pre-login recovery experience in the user's native language across Windows and Mac login screens — covering 34 languages so remote, hybrid, and global workforces can recover access from the first moment without waiting on help-desk translation support.

EnglishCurrent Site

SpanishSupported

FrenchSupported

GermanSupported

JapaneseSupported

Portuguese (Brazil)Supported

Simplified ChineseSupported

KoreanSupported

ItalianSupported

DutchSupported

HindiSupported

ArabicSupported

SwedishSupported

EnglishCurrent Site

SpanishSupported

FrenchSupported

GermanSupported

JapaneseSupported

Portuguese (Brazil)Supported

Simplified ChineseSupported

KoreanSupported

ItalianSupported

DutchSupported

HindiSupported

ArabicSupported

SwedishSupported

Frequently Asked Questions

Login Reset answers a different question for every stakeholder. CISOs want verified recovery before access is restored. CIOs want consistent workstation recovery across Windows, Mac, remote, hybrid, and virtual environments. CFOs want fewer lockout tickets and less lost time. CEOs want workforce continuity. IT and IAM teams want cached credential updates, MFA enforcement, enrollment support, and deployment control. Compliance teams want recovery that is controlled and reviewable. Analysts want to understand how Login Reset extends Credential Governance to the first moment of access.

Verify Recovery Before Access Is Restored

Why is the login screen a security control point?

The login screen is where access begins. If users are locked out, expired, or out of sync before they can reach the portal, VPN, or apps, recovery must still be verified before access is restored. Login Reset brings MFA-verified recovery directly to the Windows and Mac login screen so recovery happens under control instead of becoming a help desk exception.

How does Login Reset reduce pre-login recovery risk?

Login Reset gives users a secure Unlock & Reset workflow before sign-in. Users verify identity, complete the approved recovery process, and return to work without bypassing normal security controls.

Does Login Reset enforce MFA?

Yes. Login Reset supports MFA verification before account unlocks or password resets are completed from the login screen.

How does Login Reset support password policy?

When users reset passwords through Login Reset, the new credential can be checked against enterprise password policy before access is restored.

How does Login Reset fit into Credential Governance?

Login Reset is the pre-login recovery layer of Credential Governance. It extends governed recovery to the moment before users can reach the desktop, VPN, portal, or applications.

Recognized on Gartner Peer Insights

4.4

Based on 14 verified customer reviewsIdentity Governance and Administration

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Resource Library

Explore the Credential Governance Pillars

Login Reset is Pillar 4 — the pre-login recovery layer of Credential Governance inside Avatier Identity Anywhere. Explore the supporting pillar briefs to see how Avatier extends Credential Governance across password enforcement, self-service recovery, help-desk-assisted resets, login-screen recovery, and hybrid passwordless access.

Download Credential Governance Resources

Related from the Credential Governance library

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Temporary password best practices 2026 — the NIST 800-63B Rev. 4 requirements that changed in 2025, the threat model that explains why temporary passwords are the most exploited recovery credential class in enterprise environments, the six operational best practices for the temporary-password segment that remains, the workflow-verified recovery patterns that are replacing temporary passwords in 2026 deployments, and the legitimate edge cases where temporary passwords still operate.

Temporary Password Best Practices 2026: NIST 800-63B Rev. 4 and Beyond

Temporary passwords are the recovery credential class that most enterprises still issue, share insecurely, and persist beyond their intended scope. NIST 800-63B Rev. 4 raised the bar in 2025, and the 2026 architectural pattern moves further — away from temporary passwords toward workflow-verified recovery. The enterprise reference on what's required, what's recommended, and where temporary passwords genuinely still belong.

A breached cloud identity control plane — Entra ID authenticator registration, Azure RBAC, Key Vault, and SQL surfaces reached through a single missing governance moment in the joiner/mover/leaver lifecycle.

What Storm-2949 Actually Broke: Identity Governance, Not Self-Service Password Reset

Microsoft's Storm-2949 disclosure exposed an identity governance gap, not a password gap. What service-principal hygiene, JIT RBAC, and lifecycle attestation would have caught.

What 2026 got right about password complexity versus password strength — complexity rules don't measure what attackers exploit, strength does. The 2026 architecture for breach-corpus checking, length-over-composition policy, event-triggered rotation, and the integrated control system that produces strong workforce passwords without 'Spring2026!' theater.

Password Complexity vs Password Strength: What 2026 Got Right

Complexity rules don't measure what attackers actually exploit. Strength does. The architecture that produces strong workforce passwords without the 'Spring2026!' rotation theater that wastes everyone's time.

View all articles

See It In Your Environment

See Login Reset in Your Environment

Give users a secure way to recover access from the Windows or Mac login screen — before lockouts become help desk tickets, lost time, or another stalled workday.

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Compliance-Certified

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