How to Fix the User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In Error in Windows 

When you encounter the “User profile service failed the sign-in” error message can be frustrating and prevent users from accessing their logon username on Windows. This error is usually due to issues in the user profile and can affect both domain and local accounts. In this post, I’ll offer detailed troubleshooting instructions to help you fix the ” User Profile Service Failed the Sign-In ” error and get access to your account.

What Causes the User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In Error?

There are myriad reasons Windows could disrupt your routine and show the “User Profile Service Failed the Sign-In” error message when signing in. The main reason likely isn’t to annoy us. It’s not a nice thing to do.

But this mistake can create significant anxiety and reduce the productivity of a user. If they can’t access their account, they will not be able to gain (easy) access to desktop icons, documents, etc. This is another good reason to remind users not to save any documents or images in your Desktop and My Documents folders… If they’re saved in OneDrive, the files are always accessible.

Let’s review the most common reasons for the “The User Profile Service Failed to Sign-In ” Error message. In the future, I’ll provide some solutions to resolve the Windows profile loading issue.

Local Permission Issues

If the permission entries ( ACLs) in your local profile folders are misconfigured, you’ll likely experience these errors. You can use this “Get-Acl” PowerShell option to confirm that the default folder is in order.

(Get-Acl “C:\Users\Default”).Access | Format-Table

It is a good sign if you can see the ‘Everyone’ and “BUILTINUsers groups that have permissions to read and execute. When a user logs in to a PC for the first time, Windows uses its SYSTEM account to copy the content of the default profile folder to serve as the base for the new user profile folder.

Low Disk Space

Insufficient disk space could cause user profile-related errors. Make sure you have sufficient storage space on the drive where Windows has been installed.

To check your disk space, open File Explorer, click your drive (usually C:), select Properties, and then check the space available. If the drive is full, you should consider freeing up space by removing unnecessary apps or files.

Issues with Profile Mapping in the Registry

While not very widespread, problems with profile mapping can happen in some instances in the Windows Registry. Let’s take a look at one of my Windows 10 22H2 computers to show you.

• Open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
• The initial screen displays the locations of the folders that generate new user profile folder trees. “Default”, “ProgramData”, and so on. Subkeys in the ProfileList provide the SIDs (Security Identifiers) of local user profiles.
• Go to my profile to view the information. I can confirm the ProfileImagePath entry is set correctly, pointing to c:\Users\MichaelReinders.
• I am aware that this is correct. Sometimes, the directory isn’t accurate or is corrupt, which is displaying fake characters. In such a situation, the best solution is to modify the key.

Corrupted User Profile Files on Disk

Another possibility for the issue is corrupted profile files. NTUSER.DAT is a hidden system file located at the root of a profile folder tree and could be missing or damaged.

The file functions as the mini Registry for the user. The ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER’ profile information is retrieved from the profile when logging in and referred to whenever Windows requires access to that cluster, which is the Registry. I’ll go over how to solve this issue in the following section.

Also read: 7 Solutions to Fix I/O Device Error on External Hard Drive

How to Fix User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In Error

After I’ve provided you with some information about the most common reasons for this “User profile service failed the sign-in” error message, I’ll provide the best and easiest solutions to fix it. Let’s look at these in order.

1. Restart Your Windows PC

The most basic procedure is to restart your system. Sometimes the “User profile service failed the sign-in” error may be temporary and can be resolved with a system restart. Restarting your PC will disable Fast Startup, which is employed when you disable it instead.

2. Verify and Repair User Profile Registry Entries

Incorrect registry entries for the user profile may cause the “User profile service failed the sign-in” error. To fix this issue, you should use the Registry Editor tool. But be careful when making changes to the registry, as mistakes can lead to instability in your system. It is suggested to create an archive of your registry or create an initial system restore point before making any changes.

• In Safe Mode, press Windows key + R and type regedit, then press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
• Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
• Expand the profile list folder, then search for a subkey having the .bak extension. This means that you have backed up your profile.
• Select the subkey with no .bak extension. Double-click the ProfileImagePath entry in the left pane.
• Verify that the value corresponds to the correct profile path. If not, change it to match the proper path.
• Shut down your Registry Editor and restart your PC to see if the issue has been resolved.
  Easy and nice!

3. Remove Corrupted SID Registry Entries

Sometimes, missing Security Identifier (SID) entries in the registry could trigger the “User Profile Service failed the sign-in” error. To delete such entries, perform the steps below using the editor in your registry:

• In safe mode, open the Registry Editor (Windows keys + R, then type “regedit” and hit Enter).
• Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
• Search for subkeys beginning with “S-1-5” followed by a long string of numbers, and ending in “.bak.”
• Right-click each subkey and choose Delete to erase the subkeys. Be careful and make sure you delete only the subkeys ending with “.bak.”
• Close your Registry Editor and restart your PC.

4. Run an SFC Scan to Repair User Profile Files

Another useful tool that can help our needs is System File Checker (SFC). It is possible to fix a user profile cannot be loaded with the included Windows tool. Here’s how:

• In Safe Mode, launch Command Prompt as an administrator by pressing the Windows key, then typing “cmd,” right-clicking on Command Prompt, and selecting Run as Administrator.
• Enter ” sfc /scannow” in the Command Prompt window, then hit Enter.
• You must wait for the scanning process or repair to be completed. This could take some time.
• When the process is complete, restart your computer and sign in to your account.

Also read: Why Does System Service Exception Error Occur? 12 Proven Fixes

5. Rename the NTUSER.DAT File

As I mentioned previously, the NTUSER.DAT file may get corrupted within the directory that is the root of the profile folder. This stops Windows from reading all specific information about the user after logging in.

Let’s say Megan cannot log in using her local account. I’m logged into the account I use, and it is an administrator local to me. To fix the issue of log-in start with the following PowerShell commands:

• First, use the Rename-Item cmdlet to rename the existing NTUSER.DAT file and create a backup copy:
• Rename-Item c:\users\meganbowen\NTUSER.DAT NTUSER.DAT.BAK
• Next, I’ll use the Copy-Item cmdlet to copy a default NTUSER.DAT file from the default folder to the user’s directory.
• Copy-Item c:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT -destination c:\Users\MeganBowen\NTUSER.DAT -Force
• Replace Username with the name of the affected user account.

6. Reset User Profile Permissions in Windows

Windows frequently auto-corrects problems regarding missing profile files for users by copying them into the default profile folder. If permissions aren’t correct, this process will need to be manually completed.

• Log in to your computer using an administrator account. Go to the Start Menu and search for File Explorer and navigate to the C: Users’ folder.
• The first step is to create an image backup of the profile you are looking at. Right-click on it. Select Copy, then copy it into your Temp folder or another folder.
• Start your preferred terminal prompt with administrator rights. Execute the following command to gain control of the folder containing your profiles (this may take a considerable amount of time):
  takeown /f C:\Users\Username /r /d y
• You can now use the ICACLS command to reset the permissions to the original state.
  icacls C:\Users\Username /reset /t /c /l /q

It could also take a considerable amount of time. It is possible to be shocked by the number of failed files. But this is normal. There are likely to be lots of system files, and files for which Windows will not allow permissions to be altered. This shouldn’t create any problems for the end user. I’m sure they’ll be delighted to log in once more and have all their data back!

7. Create a New User Profile and Transfer Your Data

If none of the previous solutions work, creating a new user profile is often the most effective way to fix the User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In error.

While this approach is typically considered a last resort, it could save a lot of time compared to repairing a severely corrupted user profile.

If you are being logged in as the local administrator, create a new account for the user. Copy all subfolders of the old profile onto the new account (after you have signed in at least once). It’s not always easy to copy everything over. You’ll likely see mistakes when copying certain files. This is not unusual. There are’system’ and Windows files that don’t behave in the way you expect them to.

Be assured, the most important elements are all there – Desktop, My Documents, Pictures, etc. should be able to work well!

Also read: Top 15 Websites to Transfer Large Files

How to Prevent User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In Errors

To reduce the chances of Windows user profile errors in the future:

• Install Windows updates regularly.
• Shut down your PC properly.
• Avoid force shutdowns.
• Scan your system for malware.
• Create regular backups of important files.
• Maintain sufficient free disk space.

Final Thoughts

If you are confronted with a “User Profile Service failed the sign-in” error could be frustrating. However, by following these troubleshooting steps, you can usually solve the issue and gain access to your account.

Start with the simplest options like restarting your computer and checking disk space. If the issue persists, continue to more advanced options like creating a new user account and fixing the user profile registry entries, eliminating orphaned SID-related entries, or repairing the user profile by using an application like the System File Checker tool. User Profile Service Failed the sign-in error can be resolved, and you can get back control of your Windows user account with patience and attentive troubleshooting.

FAQs: User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In Error