Logging into your everyday Chromebook usually requires close to zero focus, as your password becomes muscle memory. This smooth login utopia can be cut short when a Chromebook decides to act up and users become unable to log in to their Chromebook, even with the correct password.
I’ve used a Chromebook throughout my university studies. I relied on my Google account password to unlock the Chromebook, much like how many of us sign in to our Hotmail Outlook login accounts without a second thought, until something changes unexpectedly.
Fast forward a few years, and my university allowed us to keep our emails but implemented a stricter password policy. This caused me to change my password, and I was still under the impression that my Chromebook would unlock with the new password.
Another couple of years passed, and my Chromebook had been collecting dust at this point until I decided to launch it again for old times’ sake. I was rather surprised to see that I couldn’t unlock my device — for a moment, I even thought my Chromebook won’t turn on before realizing it was a login issue.
However, I cut myself some slack since how passwords became more advanced, considering we use sensitive platforms like for finances, email, and even betting apps.
What should you do when Chromebook won’t unlock with the correct password?
If your Chromebook doesn’t unlock with the correct password, it might be asking for your previous password. This error usually happens when users change their Google account passwords, so here’s everything you can do based on my experiences and also the valuable inputs of ChromeOs community members on Reddit.
- Enter your old password.
- It sounds counterintuitive, but your Chromebook may just need that old password one more time so it can update its data with new information.
- Click on Forgot Password.
- Alternatively, you can reset your password on the Chromebook itself, which will also update the unlocking password.
- Reset your device.
- This option may sound scary, especially with the “Local data will be deleted” warning. However, this is the only option left if you don’t remember your old password and resetting the password on the device doesn’t work. Sometimes, resetting the password may also cause users to perform a fresh install. If you’ve already enabled cloud backup, you can keep your essentials. We recommend checking your Google Drive before proceeding with this option.
If you’re using a school or a business Chromebook, you can also ask your IT department to perform a reset on your device. This route may take a day or two, depending on how busy these professionals tend to be.
There have also been instances when users got locked out of their Chromebooks due to reasons beyond their control. For example, in 2021, Google pushed a fix to Chromebooks that prevented users from accessing their devices after a software update.
In that case, users weren’t at fault, and they could unlock their Chromebooks again after the hotfix rolled out. These occurrences are relatively rare, but it’s often a good idea to check community hubs and forums to rule out the possibility.”
