Can’t change user’s password in Computer Management—Why?

I am logged into a PC running Windows 11 Pro with a user ID that has admin privileges. I am connected to it via RDP. I launch Computer Management. In Computer Management (local) → System Tools → Local Users and Groups → Users. I right-click on a user listed and select Set Password…. I see this



I click on Proceed and enter the new password twice and click on OK. I then get this:



What exactly does this mean? How do I work around this? This computer is not actually joined to any domain.

I have since learned of the netplwiz utility. However, that gives me this:



It is beginning to dawn on me that the reason for this may be that the user is logged into her Microsoft account and that therefore Microsoft has taken over the management of the password and other aspects of the user ID. Wow!

Now trying the command net user on the command line:



No cigar!

"The system is not authoritative ...." ? Weird/strange phraseology ?

That aside, I'd be looking into the RDP connection as a clue/the cause ..... perhaps ?

idgat said:

That aside, I'd be looking into the RDP connection as a clue/the cause ..... perhaps ?

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Good point, although, should that be the underlying cause, the error alert is hardly hinting at that.

Unfortunately, this is at a client’s business's and I am not on site all the time. I’ll see, whether I can pay them a visit tomorrow.

Baeolophus said:

the error alert is hardly hinting at that.

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Oh yeh, Microsoft excel at that. My terminology is "error message of last resort", when the system can't quite identify the problem so dives into the error message database grab-bag and pops up what it thinks is the next best thing.

EDIT : I just noticed your OS : macOS Sonoma, could be a factor also. Microsoft and Apple frequently don't play well together and have often been known not to be on speaking terms for some processes.

idgat said:

EDIT : I just noticed your OS : macOS Sonoma, could be a factor also. Microsoft and Apple frequently don't play well together and have often been known not to be on speaking terms for some processes.

Click to expand...

My RDP client is Microsoft Remote Desktop for macOS. Shouldn’t make a difference, should it?

Baeolophus said:

Shouldn’t make a difference, should it?

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Couldn't say for sure, don't use it. But from what I know and seen, these above could be a couple of possibilities

Interesting the absence of responses from what is usually an extremely helpful and knowledgeable group of users in this forum.

So, I found that even when sitting in front of the PC, I cannot change the password with the Computer Management utility. I do remember now that I can remote into that user’s session using her Microsoft 365 password. The conclusion is that basically Microsoft has taken over the management of that user. She also cannot change her password by doing a CTRL-ALT-DELETE.

Baeolophus said:

The conclusion is that basically Microsoft has taken over the management of that user.

Click to expand...

Doubt it. Something else at play here .....

If it is an online, not local Microsoft User password, it will not let you change it the way you are trying. Those tools are for local accounts only. She would have to go to Change your Microsoft account password - Microsoft Support
Or you could login as that account on the pc and change it to a local account and then those tools would work for that account.