Locked Windows Account

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Registering for Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
• Phone Registration
• Email Registration
• Unlocking your Account

Passwords must be changed every 6 months and this is an automatic process. However, you might find yourself unable to login due to incorrect password or 'The Referenced Account Is Currently Locked Out'. 

To mitigate this issue, we have enabled Self-Service Password Reset (and Account Unlock). 

Registering for Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)

Firstly, you must register two authentication methods to use this service while you have access to the system. This is mandatory and it will come up automatically every 180 days when you try to sign into anything with SSO (single sign-on), like Salesforce, or Salt.

If this is the first time you're setting it up, please:

1- Follow this link: https://aka.ms/ssprsetup

2- Click on Add Sign-in Method

3- Click on "I want to use a different authenticator method" at the bottom

4- Click on Next

5- Open VIP Access on your phone

6- Click on the + sign at the bottom

7- Click on Scan QR Code > Scan the QR code on the computer screen

8- Confirmation Step: please input the code from the phone on the computer > click Next

You have just registered the first authentication method! Now we must register a second one.

Phone Registration

You will automatically be moved to the next authentication method, which is an SMS on your phone.

a. Choose the country

b. Type in your phone number (with a 0 or not)

c. Choose if you prefer to receive an SMS code, or a phone call

d. Confirm the code sent to your phone

Email Registration

If you chose to use your email address, you cannot use your work email, as you might not have access to it if you get locked out of the computer. Please use a personal address.

Again, you will need to confirm a code sent to the email address you chose.

Unlocking your Account

Firstly, please check your keyboard to make sure CAPS and NUM lock are in the desired states.

You may also wait 15 minutes and your account will automatically unlock itself.

If you continue to experience difficulty, you can unlock your account (from your phone or any other device) as follows:

1- Open this link: http://aka.ms/sspr (or https://passwordreset.microsoftonline.com/)

(Mnemonic device: "aka.ms/sspr" stands for Also Known As . MicroSoft / Self-Service Password Reset, or simply email this address to your personal account)

2- Enter your email address and captcha code

3- On the next screen you can choose if you would prefer to reset your password, or unlock your account

ATTENTION: DO NOT CHANGE YOUR PASSSWORD IF YOU'RE WORKING FROM HOME - you'll need to call IT to resolve it if you do.

4- Choose one of the identification methods offered on the left to confirm your identity

5- Follow the next prompts with your information and you will have unlocked your account