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My Windows account is associated with my Microsoft account (it is not a local account).

If I change my Microsoft password, does my Windows password automatically sync up? My understanding is that it does, but the follow-up is: when does this happen?

Obviously, the laptop requires an active internet connection to fetch the new password, but in which circumstances does this occur? Can I turn on my laptop and wait a minute at the login screen for the new password to be obtained before logging in? If not, can I log into another account on the laptop, ensure the internet connection is active, wait a minute (or more?), log off and then log in with the new password?

Or does the password only update once the account is logged in (using the old password)?

I unfortunately can't test this myself since my laptop isn't in my possession at the moment.

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Does changing my Microsoft account password change my Windows password? When?

If your laptop uses a Microsoft Account as your main login account,then YES, changing the account password live changes your Windows Account login.

I have done this and the change at Windows is essentially immediate. In fact, it you have no Internet when you log in, you can log in, but there will be a notification about your Microsoft Account needing to be fixed.

If you have a Local Windows account, then that has nothing to do with your Microsoft Account.

I have done this both ways with different computers at the same time.

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  • Yes; You log into Windows with whatever your current password is/was the last time you are online, once logged you simply resolve the conflict. If you are not online then Windows is more or less ignorant of the password change.
    – Ramhound
    Feb 8, 2022 at 16:05
  • So, just to be clear: if the laptop is off when the password change occurs, does it already fetch the password prior to the user logging in with the old password (assuming there's an internet connection, of course)?
    – Wasabi
    Feb 8, 2022 at 18:41
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    If the laptop is off, nothing is fetched. When turned on (a) and connected, the password change is immediate or (b) if not connected, it will change when it is connected and give an Account Notification to fix the Account login.
    – John
    Feb 8, 2022 at 18:46

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