Microsoft is warning Windows 11 users that recent updates released since August may cause the password sign-in option to disappear from the lock screen, even though the feature still works.
Normally, Windows 11 only shows the password icon if more than one sign-in method is set up, such as a PIN, security key, fingerprint, or password. If you only use a password, the icon doesn’t appear, and the system simply shows the password field.
However, Microsoft says a new issue affects people who do use multiple sign-in options. After installing the August 2025 KB5064081 preview update or later updates on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, the password icon may no longer be visible. The space where the icon should appear is still active, and users can hover their cursor to reveal the hidden button.
Microsoft explained that selecting this invisible placeholder opens the password entry box normally. Once the password is entered, users can sign in as usual. The company has not released a full workaround yet and says it is working on a fix, but there is no timeline for when it will be available.
This update has caused other problems as well. In late September, Microsoft fixed an issue from the same KB5064081 update that led to video playback freezing, black screens, or interruptions when playing DRM-protected content in Blu-ray, DVD, or Digital TV apps. That same month, it also resolved bugs that caused app installation failures for non-admin users due to unexpected UAC prompts, as well as heavy lag and stuttering problems in NDI streaming tools on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Back in August, after Patch Tuesday updates were released, Microsoft also had to deal with another issue where security updates delivered through Windows Server Update Services failed with error code 0x80240069. It later issued emergency updates to fix problems that broke Windows reset and recovery on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Enterprise devices.
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