How to Fix Windows 10/11 Stuck on Welcome Screen

Theo Lucia

Jan 24, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions

In this article, you will learn how to fix the Windows 10/11 error that hangs the system at the "Welcome" screen. The computer can also hang at the message window, "Please wait for the User Profile Service" when the user logs on.

The Windows Error "Windows 10/11 Stuck on Welcome Screen"- Why Does it Happen?

Below is major reasons why this "Windows 10/11 stuck on welcome screen" error occurs:

• The Windows 10/11 stuck on welcome/login screen error can occur because your computer is trying to connect to the available wireless connection.
• Another cause of this error is faulty hardware. An example of faulty hardware that can cause this error is the internal drive or SD card of your computer.
• Externally connected devices or peripherals can interrupt the smooth booting of your computer, thereby causing it to get stuck on the welcome screen after you may have logged on. Such external devices include Wi-Fi adapters, keyboards, Bluetooth, mouse, and so on.

Solution 1: Disable Credentials Manager

Disabling credentials manager can be done when you log on to Windows through Safe Mode. You need to log on through Safe Mode since you can't access your Windows using the normal steps. With Safe Mode, you can log on to Windows using its default applications and drivers. This makes it the ideal mode to troubleshoot any errors that arise when using the computer.

The steps to achieve this are outlined below:

• Reboot your computer several times and when it gets to the point where a message pops up saying, "Preparing Automatic Repair", then you should select "Advanced options"

• Click "Troubleshoot"

• Choose the "Advanced options" tab
• Click to "Startup Settings"

• Now hit the "Restart" tab again

• Choose the type of Safe Mode you wish to boot with when your computer restarts

• In the Safe Mode, press the shortcut keys to access "Run": Windows + R
• Here, you are required to type "services.msc" and hit "Enter"

• On the "Services" window list, double-click the "Credentials Manager" button. You will be able to view the properties.

• Next, click "Disabled" to set the type of Startup you wish for. Choose the "Apply" button and then select "OK". Your changes will be saved

• Restart your computer. Now, check if the problem has gone or if it is still occurring on the welcome screen when you log on.

Solution 2: Uninstall Windows Update Causing the Error

The Windows Update KB4074588 may be having issues with your USB ports, thereby causing the error. Since you can't get into Windows, follow the steps below to uninstall the update and fix the error:

• Boot your Windows and when it begins to load, do a hard shutdown by pressing the power button for five seconds. Repeat this process twice.
• On the third attempt, Windows will naturally go into "Recovery Environment".
• Choose "Advanced Options"
• Go to "Command Prompt".
• Note that you may be asked to input a username and password. If this happens, ensure you type in the details of a local administrator account. Also, you may be required to input a BitLocker Recovery Key
• Type these commands for a 32-bit Windows version, press "Enter" after each command has been inputted:

dism.exe /image:c: \ /remove –
package
/packagename : Package_for_Rollup
Fix~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~16
299.248.1.17

• Input these commands for a 64-bit Windows version, just as above:

dism.exe /image:c:\ /remove-
package
/packagename:Package_for_Rollup
Fix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~
16299.248.1.17

The "C:" in the commands above represents the drive letter where Windows is stored. If your Windows is stored in a different drive, ensure you replace "C:" with the appropriate drive letter.

• Close the page, then exit the Recovery Environment by choosing "Continue"
• Launch Windows by restarting the computer.

Solution 3: Run System Checks and Perform Automatic Repair

To perform automatic repair, follow the steps below:

• Insert your installation media into the computer and boot from there
• Select your preferences and move to "Next"

• Follow the steps to "Advanced Options" as stated in the solutions above. Click "Startup Repair". Note that it can also be represented as "Automatic Repair", depending on the Windows version.

• Follow the on-screen guide to complete the repair. Now restart your computer.

You can also run system checks to fix any corrupt files in your system that could be causing the error. This is how you can perform system checks:

• Boot from Windows installation media as shown above to the point of system preferences
• Open Command Prompt using the short keys "Shift" and "F10"
• In this window, type these commands and press "Enter" to move to the next line:

sfc / scannow
chkdsk c: /f /r

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
C:
cd boot
attrib bcd -s -h -r
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /RebuildBcd
Y

• Input "exit" and restart the computer to check if the issue has been fixed.

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Bonus Tip

If your hard drive has bad sectors, you need to do a disk surface test and fix the issue by shielding those bad sectors. This is essential as the error can arise from bad sectors in your hard drive. Get a bootable media from a reliable professional tool and boot your computer from it. Once this is done, you can perform the surface test.

How to Recover Data from the Computer When All Solutions Fail to Fix the Issue

In this section, you will learn how to recover data from your unbootable computer after you have tried all solutions and they have failed to fix the Windows 10/11 stuck on welcome screen error. Recoverit Data Recovery is a reliable tool for safe data recovery which you can get online, install, and use to recover data from the computer experiencing this error. This tool specializes in retrieving lost audio files, photos, documents, videos, and so on. With Recoverit, you can recover data that have been lost due to virus infestation, corruption, or damage of your hard drive, deletion or formatting, system crash, etc.

Therefore, if you are facing this Windows error and the only choice is to give up, just use Recoverit and retrieve your important data from the unbootable computer.

Step 1: Create a Bootable Drive

You need to first create a bootable drive through which you can boot your computer. Open Recoverit and select the "Recover from Crash Computer" mode.

Choose the drive you want to create the installation media with; this could be a USB or a disk. Now, click "Format now" after you have chosen to "Create" the media

In the pop-up window you see, a message will indicate that you back up all your important files before carrying on with the formatting. Confirm your decision by clicking "Format now"

Be patient, relax, and let Recoverit start creating your bootable drive.

Once the creation is done, you will get a message showing you the three-step guide on how to recover data using Recoverit.

To use Recoverit properly, ensure you change the boot order in your unbootable computer to boot from the installation media you created. You can access the BIOS setup screen using the hotkey suggested by your computer such as F12. For more details, check out how to set the computer to boot from a USB drive.

Step 2: Recover Data from Unbootable Windows 10/11

Once Reboot the PC from the bootable media. The app will launch automatically. Then choose to either recover the missing data from Windows 10/11 or copy the data directly from your hard disk.

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Why do so many people experience this issue for different reasons?

Below are some of the main reasons users experience the Windows 10/11 stuck on welcome screen error when they try to log on to their Windows:

• The password currently used to log in may be different from the one that is cached in the Windows Credential Manager. This most likely arises just after a password change by an administrator or a user. On rare occasions, the error occurs even long after the password has been changed.
• If the user has enabled Fast Startup on their Windows, then it could be a major factor causing the Windows to get stuck on the welcome screen