Microsoft has resolved a recent issue in its Windows 10 apps that caused them to forget user passwords after upgrading to Windows 10 version 2004.
The recently released Windows 10 KB4598291 cumulative update contains a fix for the issue, among several other bug fixes issued at the same time. The update went live on February 3, 2021 and should be available via Windows Update on your Windows 10 machine.
Microsoft Resolves Windows 10 Password Issue
The issue facing users was that after upgrading Windows 10 to certain builds of Windows 10 version 2004, several apps would forget user passwords. The result? Users would suddenly be ejected from an app, forced to sign out, even if they were able to sign into the app to begin with.
The issue was first discovered by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy after updating to Windows 10 version 2004. Ormandy was so annoyed by the bug at the time, he spent his time debugging the error and posting his results to Twitter (and Microsoft).
So, what is the issue? Basically, a bug in the Process Manger leads to your saved credentials being removed, after which a user is signed out of an app. The result is frustrating, not least if you're working on something and lose your progress or cannot login to start work to begin with.
The Windows 10 KB4598291 cumulative update is an optional update. That means it won't install automatically. To install the KB4598291 cumulative update, you must head to Settings > Update & Security, and Check for Updates.
The update will appear in the Optional quality update available section, where you should select Download and install. After installation, restart your computer, and the Windows 10 password bug should resolve.
What Else Is in the Windows 10 KB4598291 Cumulative Update?
As above, this is an optional update, but it does contain a heap of bug fixes. You can read the full list of fixes on the official Microsoft Support page, but the highlights include:
- Updates an issue that causes a device to stop responding when you play a game in full-screen or tablet mode.
- Updates an issue that prevents you from opening a document that is on the Windows desktop.
- Updates an issue that creates duplicate cloud provider folders in the File Explorer navigation pane.
- Updates an issue that displays a blank lock screen after a device wakes up from Hibernate.
- Updates an issue that incorrectly deactivates some Windows 10 Education devices after upgrading to Windows 10, version 2004.
- Updates an issue that might cause the Alt+Tab order to change unexpectedly and cause you to switch to the wrong window.
- Updates an issue that fails to show Extract all on the shortcut menu when you right-click an online-only ZIP file.
The full list of bug fixes is extensive but could contain something that fixes that irritating issue on your Windows 10 machine. In that, it's worth scanning through.