My windows log in has the @ in the middle not in the end anymore what to do?

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the details, and I’m really sorry you’re having trouble signing in. I took a close look at the image you sent, and I noticed the login screen is showing your account as ******@2009live.fr. That’s definitely unusual because Microsoft accounts normally use domains like @live.fr, @outlook.com, or @hotmail.com. The extra “2009” before live.fr suggests that Windows is pulling an alias or a corrupted cached credential rather than your actual Microsoft account.

This usually happens when Windows stores old or incorrect usernames after a system reset, a domain join, or when something goes wrong in the Credential Manager. To figure out what’s going on, it helps to know a few things: do you normally sign in with your Microsoft account (******@live.fr) or a local account? Have you changed your password or added any aliases recently? And did you do a Windows update, a reset, or join a domain before this started?

Your answers will help me determine if this is just a cached alias issue, a corrupted profile, or a sync problem with your Microsoft account.

Here’s what you can try:

First, check the sign-in options on the login screen. If you see Microsoft account or PIN, select that and try logging in with your PIN if you have one. Even if the screen shows @2009live.fr, enter the password for your real account (******@live.fr). Windows often accepts the correct credentials even when the display name looks wrong.

If that doesn’t work, restart your PC and boot into Safe Mode with Networking. You can do this by pressing Shift - Restart, then going to Troubleshoot - Advanced Options - Startup Settings -Restart, and choosing Safe Mode with Networking. Once you’re in, log in with your local account if you have one.

After you’re back in Windows, go to Settings -Accounts - Email & accounts and remove the incorrect account. Then re-add your real Microsoft account. It’s also a good idea to clear any cached credentials by opening Control Panel - Credential Manager - Windows Credentials and deleting entries that show 2009live.fr.

Hopefully this gets you back in. Let me know how it goes, I’m here to help if you need more guidance.

Sincerely,

Edward

Hi,

Thanks for getting back to me. It sounds like your Windows login is now showing the wrong Microsoft account , the username has an “@” in the middle instead of at the end, which isn’t normal. And since it’s the only account showing up, you’re stuck in a loop where you can’t get back to your actual account.

One possibility is that this might be a local account or a corrupted Microsoft profile. If the name looks something like ex. “edward@wrongname” instead of “******@outlook.com,” that’s usually a sign something went wrong with how the account is set up.

If your real account isn’t listed and you’re locked out, the best way forward is to boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt. You can do that by holding Shift while clicking Restart from the login screen. Then go through Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings and restart. When the options appear, press F6 to open Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

Once you’re in, you can create a new administrator account using a few commands. After logging into that new account, go to Settings, then Accounts, and add your correct Microsoft account. From there, you can switch the account type back to Microsoft if needed.

Let me know if you’d prefer a simpler recovery method.

Regards,

Edward

Hi,

Thanks for the update,

Before going for the last resort, I can help you explore a few alternatives:

Do you have access to another admin account on the device, even if it's hidden?

Have you tried booting from a recovery USB or installation media to access Command Prompt externally?

Is BitLocker enabled on the device? That can complicate recovery steps if the key isn’t available.

Let me know what you've already tried and what kind of device you're working with (Surface, HP Spectre, etc.),

If Microsoft technical support is recommending a hard reset, it's likely because the system is stuck in a state where recovery tools can't be accessed due to account restrictions

Looking forward to your response.

Regards,

Edward

Hi sebastien,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. I'm happy to help.

Your user profile might have problem while setting up.

To resolve this easily, you can create a new account instead of troubleshooting the existing one.

Please follow this instruction:

1. Sign out of your Microsoft account from the old user profile.
2. Create a new local account.
3. Sign in to the new account and then sign in to your Microsoft account.
4. Copy your data from the old account to the new one.

If the issue continues after signing in to your Microsoft account on the new profile, please keep me informed.

If you face any difficulty during these steps, feel free to let me know by "Comment".

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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