+31
Under Review

Ability to unlock user accounts

terryb8s 6 years ago updated by Tobias Sörensson 2 months ago 17

Currently there is no way to unlock a user account other than changing their password or deleting and recreating their account.


This is a known defect with a workaround, yet I have been told by support to log a feature request.


https://docs.connectwise.com/ConnectWise_Control_Documentation/Technical_support_bulletins/Unable_to_unlock_a_locked_internal_Internal_User_account


To me this seems like a basic feature that is clearly missing.

Considering for Future Release

How is this a 3 year old feature request?  With the increase in bots attempting to auto-login and logging people out... in 2021 we still need to delete the user account and recreate it?  --  Joke kind of writes itself here.

I normally edit the user.xml file and modify the keys to unlock the user, restart screenconnect and it works.

It's a joke that the app can lock a user (nice) but you can't unlock it (unbelievable).

Should I even ask if there is any update?

Our users get locked out all time. I would like to see unlock feature added. Any update on this?

Come ON! Get this fixed! I have a password that is set in my Bit Warden. I don't type in wrong ones. I got multiple incorrect passwords error when logging in. There is something wrong with this software. Don't just ignore this. At least comment and be professional!

I'm having this same issue. I use Lastpass and very long passwords that get autofilled and somehow I just got locked out and I'm trying to figure out how to get back in...

I was having this issue, after talking to support, here are the solutions:

If the only admin is locked out, there is no other choice than the following:
1)Log in to the Control Server
2)Stop the ScreenConnect Session Manager service (This will stop the Web Server and Relay service as well)
3)Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect\App_Data
4)Edit User.xml
5)Edit line to 'false'
6)Edit line to '0'
7)Start ScreenConnect Services
8)Attempt to login again

If multiple admins are available, Login as another admin and reset the password of the user that is locked out, which will reset the flag IsLockedOut to 'False' automatically. (administrator > security > show user table > edit user)

I hope this help.

+1

@Rommel J. Jimenez I used your idea to make a batch file to stop the screenconnect services, change "true" to "false" in the User.xml file and run the services again. worked perfect every time.

I had to install an application to be able to search the xml file and replace text in it as windows doesn't have such a feature in cmd, perhaps can be done in vbs but that's beyond me and I wasn't willing to do that. Linux servers can easily use "sed".


1- download this simple tool called FART (Find And Replace Text) lol. no joke..., it's just a simple exe file, no libraries, or installation required. I placed the fart.exe file in the screenconnect App_Data folder for ease, you could also place it in your windows PATH or in system32 folder if you want to run it from anywhere by typing the fart.exe file.

2- create a batch file with the following content and save it in the App_Data folder (or anywhere you like)


net stop "ScreenConnect Web Server"

net stop "ScreenConnect Relay"

net stop "ScreenConnect Session Manager"

"C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect\App_Data\fart.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect\App_Data\User.xml" "<IsLockedOut>true" "<IsLockedOut>false"

net start "ScreenConnect Session Manager"

net start "ScreenConnect Relay"

net start "ScreenConnect Web Server"

3- optional: to run the batch file as admin, create a desktop shortcut for the batch file, then right click on the shortcut > properties > advanced > put a checkmark on "Run as administrator".

note: this batch file will unlock all locked accounts, if you're looking only to unlock specific user, this is better done manually and not in a batch file.

yes it's sad to see this as a current issue now in 2023, it's been years with no progress.

+1

wow just wow that this feature and the associate workaround are in their current state

+1

I took DonMega IceCube's batch script above and wrote a PowerShell script that accepts a username or email address and resets only that user account and only if it's actually locked out, by editing the XML intelligently, and only restarts services if a reset is completed. We deploy this through an RMM tool on our ScreenConnect server, but it could be run locally as well. If there's an interest in the script I can find a place to post it and provide a link.

I would very much like to see the script, and I thank you for it.

please post the script :)

I will not be renewing ScreenConnect maintenance. Customers pay renewals for features to be delivered but even the most demanding basic features like the ability to tell if a user is locked out and option to unlock or reset within the admin security portal is still not available or delivered 6+ years later. We ask for specific features and provide logics to back those request but it never gets delivered. What was developed originally for remote access simplicity with a great support team has turned into corporate inflated greedy crap since ConnectWise took over

No option to unlock your account. Never have I seen remote software that doesn't allow you to unlock your account through other options. This is beyond me. I think I will convince the company to use Bomgar instead. There should always be an option to unlock your account through other ways.