How to fix Error 1312 on Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: Error 1312 – “A Specified Logon Session Does Not Exist”

Why This Error Happens

Error 1312 typically occurs when the Local Security Authority (LSA) cannot locate or validate the logon session token associated with a user credential, often due to a corrupted user profile, an expired security token, or a stale credential cached in the Windows Credential Manager. This is common after password changes, domain trust issues, or when using tools like runas, scheduled tasks, or third-party password managers that rely on cached session data. It can also surface when Windows Group Policy attempts to apply a logon script using invalid or outdated cached credentials.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Clear Cached Credentials in Credential Manager

  • Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
  • Review entries under Windows Credentials and Generic Credentials.
  • Remove any credentials tied to the account throwing Error 1312 (look for stale domain or RDP entries).
  • Restart the machine to force Windows to rebuild the logon session cache.

Step 2: Reset the User Profile’s Security Token

  • Press Win + R, type cmd, and run Command Prompt as Administrator.
  • Execute the following to restart the Security Accounts Manager and LSA-related services:
  net stop netlogon
  net start netlogon
  • If the issue involves a scheduled task or runas, re-enter the password manually instead of relying on saved credentials:
  runas /user:DOMAIN\username /savecred cmd

(Then remove /savecred and re-authenticate fresh.)

Step 3: Repair the Local User Profile

  • Navigate to Settings > Accounts > Other Users and check if the profile shows as corrupted.
  • Alternatively, check the registry for orphaned profile entries:
  • Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
  • Look for keys ending in .bak and compare SID mappings.
  • If a duplicate or .bak profile exists, back up user data, then rename or delete the corrupted key (only after exporting the registry first).

Step 4: Check Group Policy and Scheduled Tasks

  • Open Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc) and locate tasks tied to the failing account.
  • Under the General tab, re-enter the “Run as user” credentials.
  • Run gpupdate /force in an elevated Command Prompt to refresh policy-based logon scripts that may be referencing an invalid session.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Verify the fix by logging out completely and logging back in, then re-running the task or command that originally triggered Error 1312.
  • If the error persists, create a new local user profile via Settings > Accounts > Family & Other Users > Add Account, migrate essential files, and test authentication under the new profile to isolate whether the issue is profile-specific or system-wide.