Why You Must Install Windows 10 Updates After a Fresh Reinstallation—Especially If You Forgot Your Password

Reinstalling Windows 10 is often the quickest solution when you’re locked out of your PC due to a forgotten password. Once the installation is complete, it feels like a clean slate — new system, new login, and a fresh start. But there’s one critical step many users overlook: installing Windows Updates as soon as possible.

If you skip this step, or delay it for too long, Windows may end up asking for your old Microsoft password again… even though you just reinstalled the system.

Why This Happens

When you sign in to Windows 10 using a Microsoft account, the system connects to Microsoft’s secure servers to verify your identity and sync your settings. After a reinstallation, Windows still needs to pull down the latest updates to fully reset its authentication and security components.

If those updates aren’t installed:

• Windows continues using outdated or incomplete security files.
• The system may attempt to sync old account credentials.
• You could get logged out unexpectedly.
• Windows may ask you to enter the old Microsoft password — the very one you forgot.

This usually occurs within 30 days if the system remains unpatched, as Windows gradually tightens its security checks.

Install Updates Immediately

To avoid this frustrating loop, make sure you:

1. Install all Windows Updates right after reinstalling.
2. Keep the PC connected to the internet during the first setup.
3. Allow Windows to download and apply critical security patches.
4. Ensure your Microsoft account password is updated on the Microsoft website.

Why Updates Matter So Much

Critical updates repair gaps in the system’s login and authentication components. Without them, Windows might not correctly sync the new password you set after reinstalling. This is why users sometimes find themselves locked out again — Windows simply hasn’t fully refreshed its identity files yet.

Don’t Skip This Step

If you’ve reinstalled Windows 10 because of a forgotten password, consider updates your first line of defense. Install them immediately or within 30 days at the latest. Keeping your system fully updated ensures Windows recognizes your new credentials and prevents it from asking for the old password ever again.

A simple update now can save you from another round of lockouts later.