The paralysis - your device is offline please sign in with the last password used on this device on windows 11

2025 November 5th

I tried to log on my laptop, I entered my password, Windows shows the following message :

Your device is offline. Please sign in with the last password used on this device

So I tried again, and check if the password is correct or not. And also checked that my laptop is connected to my home's Wifi. However, the same message appeared.

So i search for tutorials online. below are some of the methods that I tried and didn't work.

(1) Starting in SafeMode with Regedit

On Youtube, there is a bunch of tutorials showing that in the login screen, while holding down the shift key and pressing the power icon and then choose Restart, the machine will be restrated and go into SafeMode (where the screen is blue when starting up).

Then go to Trouble shooting > Advanced settings > Command Prompt. Here we get to access the Cmd and get to type commands. In this case, the tutorial says the command is "regedit", this is where all the variables are saved and hidden. In the tutorials, the thing that i should look for is something like HKey_USERS > .DEFAULT > Software > Microsoft > IdentityCRL, then inside that folder, I have to delete my account. However, on my end, the IdentityCRL folder is hidden and unaccessible, in other words, those tutorials on YouTube are scams and clickbaits.

(2) Calling help from Microsoft Support

One of the support agent, Soumay, helped me to partialy diagnosed my machine. One thing he/she tried on cmd is a command which look something a bit like

netsh wlan [something goes here, can't remember]

and it says that no network things are running, and so Soumay ends up with the conclusion : my network adapter is not working. However this contradicts with the situation I have (refer to next method)

One solution that Soumay provided is making a bootable media, and he/she says that my files won't be affected, which is ... not correct

(3) Changing password

On Windows Login, there is a button saying "I forgot my password", and so I tried it. And funny enough, I have successfully changed my password. But still showing the device is offline message.

---

2025 November 6th

I went to a computer shop / a repair store, and showed the symptoms to a technician (WenChong). He also tried the typical methods, including changing the password through his hotspot (and now my current password is the 3rd password WTH XD + QAQ). He said if I have done bootable media, that is equivalent to a disk format, data wipe, it is detrimental and irreversible.

The solution he provided : Windows is f**ked, in this case, we MIGHT able to retried tha data from the Harddrive/SSD if the data is not encrypted.

That day the company (the repair store I am at) is technically having a long line / queue of hardwares to deal with, and so he asked if the next day is fine. And so the Surgery appointment is then set on 2025 November 7th 11:30am GMT+8:00

---

2025 November 7th (Today)

This day WenChong is out of office today, so is co-worker Soon will start the procedure instead. Just as I tried to show him the symptoms, the moment the laptop connected to the Company's Wifi, everything turns back normal. This is extremely confusing to me. Below are the things that I learned today :

(1) Why does it works now?

When trying to enter a password too many times, Microsoft will lock your account, and tell you that your device is offline although it is connected to a Wifi network. Microsoft blocks the IP address temporarily.

(2) Then how come WenChong's Mobile data didn't work?

Not every mobile service can be accepted by Microsoft Login Servers , not all DNS. In this case, Microsoft blocked my home's Wifi IP address, and does not accept WenChong's Hotspot, however accepts the repair-store's wifi and therefore unlocks my Home wifi IP Address

(3) How about a Local User Account

the Local user account will always stays on the machine, so when the device is offline, the local account can be used instead.

However, the password can be changed by using cmd while logging in. And also, I am using Windows 11 Home, not Windows 11 Pro, this means that I cannot easily switch users upon login, switching accounts must be done in settings for me. In Universities or Companies, most of them uses Windows 11 Pro so they can switch between accounts pretty easily.

(4) Check your account if it needs verification

in settings, My Account, make sure to check if anything needs verification, or otherwise, Microsoft might lock the machine, again. Make sure to check it from time to time.

(5) There is something call restore point, what is that ?

It is like taking a snapshot of the Cdrive for system files, if something got messed up, the restore point can be used as a check point and roll back to that snap shot. However, not every software can be revived that way.

(6) Why the Youtube tutorials didn't work ?

Probably microsoft will think that if what the tutorials are a valid way to bypass the login process, it is a dangerous feature, and therefore they have to hide what is in the regedit. And just in case, after loging in, regedit shows everything, inclucing the hidden folders in the tutorials, Identity CRL is there as well.

(7) Periodic Backup is important

Make sure to backup your files to an external hard drive or Google Drive or any Cloud Storage or whatever. Weekly if ideal and needed.

(8) What is the Harddrive Encryption thing?

There is something call the bit Locker, and has something to do with Encryption (which i will make another video about it). If the hard drive is encrypted, this means that extracting the data from the drive is impossible. Well "luckily" i dont have that thing.

---

If this annoying thing happens to you one day, try not to spam the correct password or Microsoft might just turn you into their toy. Try switching to a different network in this case.