What can cause account lockouts?
Robert Miller
Updated on April 24, 2026
Service accounts. Bad Password Threshold is set too low. User logging on to multiple computers. Stored user names and passwords retain redundant credentials.
How do I fix account lockout issues?
How to Resolve Account Lockouts
- Run the installer file to install the tool.
- Go to the installation directory and run the 'LockoutStatus.exe' to launch the tool.
- Go to 'File > Select Target…' ...
- Go through the details presented on screen. ...
- Go to the concerned DC and review the Windows security event log.
What is account lockout?
The account lockout policy “locks” the user's account after a defined number of failed password attempts. The account lockout prevents the user from logging onto the network for a period of time even if the correct password is entered.How many unsuccessful attempts does an user account get locked?
Note: PCI DSS certification requires that logs should include failed access attempts, that a user gets locked out after no more than 6 failed login attempts, and the lockout lasts for at least 30 minutes.How do you find what computer is locking out an account?
Find Locking Computer Using Event LogsExpand “Windows Logs” then choose “Security“. Select “Filter Current Log…” on the right pane. Replace the field that says “<All Event IDs>” with “4740“, then select “OK“. Select “Find” on the right pane, type the username of the locked account, then select “OK“.
How to resolve frequent account lockout issue
What is account lockout duration?
Account lockout duration—This is the amount of time the account will remain locked out. This is commonly set to 20 or 30 min. An administrator can manually unlock the account at any time after it has been locked.How long do lockouts last?
There is no determined time for how long a lockout lasts. The league and players union already missed one deadline to reach an agreement, so there is no exact checkpoint for when one or both sides make concessions to strike a deal.How long does a computer lockout last?
The account lockout duration value will be set to 30 minutes by default once you set the value of Account lockout duration. You can change the value of Account Lockout Duration between 0~99999 minutes. If the value is 0, the account will remain locked out until an administrator unlocks it manually.What is lockout threshold?
Account lockout threshold - How many failed logons it will take until the account becomes locked-out (range is 1 to 999 logon attempts). The MsDS-LockoutThreshold.How do I change my account lockout duration?
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Account Lockout Policy >> "Account lockout duration" to "0" minutes, "Account is locked out until administrator unlocks it".How do I create a account lockout policy?
Run the Group Policy Management console (gpmc. msc), expand your domain, and find the GPO called Default Domain Policy. Right-click on an object and select Edit. In the Group Policy Editor, go to the section Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Account Policy > Account Lockout Policy.How do I use account lockout tool?
Using the account lockout and management tool:Run the LockoutStatus.exe tool, and go to File → Select target. Type the user's login name or sAMAccountName. Enter the domain name. Click OK to see the lockout status of the user you selected.