Why does Windows 10 say password is incorrect when it wakes up from Sleep?

In some cases, the password problem arises because the computer’s power settings are not configured correctly. I faced this issue earlier, and tweaking the power settings resolved it for me. Follow these steps:
1. Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
2. Click on Change plan settings next to your selected power plan.
3. Click on Change advanced power settings.
4. Expand Sleep > Allow hybrid sleep and ensure it is enabled.
5. Expand Sleep > Hibernate after and set it to never.
6. Apply the changes and see if the problem persists.

From my experience, a corrupted user profile can also lead to this problem. Windows 10 may fail to authenticate your password correctly due to issues within your user profile. This can be particularly troublesome if multiple profiles conflict with each other.
1. Create a new user account through Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
2. Sign in with the new account and check if the issue persists when the computer wakes up from Sleep mode.
3. If the new account works fine, migrate your data to the new account.

The issue could also be related to Fast Startup, a feature that can sometimes cause login problems. Disabling Fast Startup can address the password correctness issue when Windows 10 wakes from Sleep. Follow these steps to disable Fast Startup:
1. Right-click on the Start button and select Power Options.
2. Click on Additional power settings under the Related settings section.
3. Choose What the power buttons do.
4. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
5. Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).
6. Save your changes and restart your computer.

Interestingly, the problem might lie with biometric login data such as Windows Hello or fingerprint readers. These authentications can malfunction or conflict with the password verification process when the device wakes up. Here’s how you can reset them:
1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Remove any Windows Hello and fingerprint sign-in data.
3. Re-add the biometric data and ensure the settings are saved properly.
4. Test if the incorrect password issue is resolved when waking the computer from Sleep.

A more technical cause could be related to system updates or driver issues. After Microsoft releases new updates, various bugs can arise, including those affecting sleep mode and password recognition. If you recently installed updates, they might be at fault. Consider these steps:
1. Log in after a restart.
2. Check for recent updates through Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
3. If there were recent updates, you might want to roll them back from Settings > Update & Security > View update history > Uninstall updates.
4. Additionally, update your device drivers, especially for your keyboard and touchpad.

One common reason Windows 10 says your password is incorrect when it wakes up from Sleep is a keyboard layout change. Sometimes, Windows 10 might switch keyboard layouts unintentionally, which can make the password you’re typing appear incorrect. Here’s what you can do:
1. On the login screen, check the keyboard layout icon in the lower-right corner.
2. Switch to the correct keyboard layout if necessary.
3. Try entering your password again.

I once encountered this problem, and it was due to third-party software interfering with sleep and wake processes. Apps that run in the background can sometimes cause such problems. Here’s what I did:
1. Boot your computer in Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key while selecting Restart.
2. Check if the issue persists in Safe Mode.
3. If not, then a non-Microsoft service or startup item is likely causing the problem.
4. Use the System Configuration tool to perform a clean boot and identify the offending software.
5. Type “msconfig” in the Run dialog box, disable all non-Microsoft services under the Services tab, and restart the computer.