Windows remote lock only goes to login screen — can Hexnode reset the password remotely?Solved

For Windows devices, the Lock Device action in Hexnode locks the device and takes it to the standard Windows login screen. The user can unlock the device by signing in with their existing Windows account credentials.

Hexnode does not currently set a separate temporary unlock PIN for Windows remote lock, and the Windows login password cannot be reset directly through Hexnode using the standard remote lock action.

For macOS, the behavior is different:

1. On Intel-based Macs, remote lock traditionally uses a system lock PIN.
2. On Apple silicon Macs, Apple changed the lock flow. Unlocking is handled through Recovery Assistant and requires user authorization, such as a known username/password or a FileVault recovery key.

So, if your goal is to prevent access temporarily, Windows remote lock can send the device to the lock screen. If your goal is to replace or reset the Windows account password remotely, that is not supported as a built-in Hexnode remote action.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

So on Windows there’s no one-time PIN or code that I can give the user over the phone? It just depends on their normal Windows password?

Correct. For Windows, the lock action does not create a new temporary unlock code. It simply locks the active session and returns the device to the Windows sign-in screen. The user must know the existing Windows login credentials to get back in.

If you need password recovery or account control, you may need to rely on your Windows account management setup, such as domain, local admin, Microsoft Entra ID, or another identity management workflow, depending on how the device accounts are configured.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

That explains the behavior I was seeing. I was expecting it to work more like a separate MDM lock PIN, but for Windows it’s basically the same as locking the session.

Yes, that is the right way to think about it. Hexnode can trigger the Windows device lock remotely, but it does not replace the Windows authentication flow or reset the user’s password through that action.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM