Fix “Trust Relationship Between Workstation and Domain Failed” Error

The “trust relationship between workstation and domain failed” error happens when your computer can’t verify its connection to the domain server anymore. Think of it like a broken handshake between your device and the network.

This error stops you from logging in, accessing network resources, or using domain services. It’s frustrating but fixable.

Your computer stores a password on the domain controller. When you try to log in, the computer proves its identity using that password. If the passwords don’t match or sync, you get this error. It usually happens after domain controller updates, network problems, or when a computer sits unused for months.

The good news: most fixes take 15 to 30 minutes.

Why Your Computer Loses Trust With The Domain

Several things trigger this error. Understanding the cause helps you fix it faster and prevent it later.

Network connectivity issues
Your computer can’t reach the domain controller. This breaks the verification process. Check if you can ping the domain controller or access other network resources first.

Computer account password expiration
Computers change their account passwords automatically every 30 days. If your computer can’t contact the domain to update this, the old password expires and trust breaks.

Domain controller changes
Updates or reboots on the domain controller sometimes cause temporary trust issues. Your computer might have stale credentials cached.

Computer offline for extended periods
Computers that sleep or stay offline for 30+ days without domain contact often lose trust. Their password becomes outdated.

Network time sync problems
Kerberos authentication requires accurate time. If your computer time drifts too far from the domain controller, authentication fails.

Corrupted Active Directory data
Rarely, the computer account in Active Directory gets corrupted. This makes the domain reject your computer entirely.

Check These Things First Before Trying Fixes

Do these quick checks to confirm the error and rule out simple problems.

Test network connectivity

Open Command Prompt and type:

ping domaincontroller.name

If it times out, you have a network issue, not a trust issue. Contact your network team.

Verify domain controller availability

Try accessing a shared network resource. If other computers access it fine but yours can’t, trust is likely broken.

Check your computer time and date

Press Windows key, search for “date and time”. Verify the time matches your domain controller. If it’s off by more than 5 minutes, fix it first.

Test with a local admin account

If you have local admin access, log in as a local user. This confirms whether the problem is domain-specific.

Look for error codes

The exact error code helps. Check Event Viewer:

1. Press Windows key, search “Event Viewer”
2. Go to Windows Logs > System
3. Look for errors mentioning “trust relationship” or “authentication”

Common codes include error 1355, 1825, and 53. Write these down when contacting IT support.

Method 1: Rejoin The Domain (Most Reliable Fix)

This is the most common solution and works about 80 percent of the time. Rejoining breaks and rebuilds the trust relationship from scratch.

Step 1: Prepare your credentials

You need a domain admin account that works. Ask your IT person if you don’t have one. Never use a regular user account here.

Step 2: Remove the computer from the domain

1. Press Windows key, search “Control Panel”
2. Click “System and Security”
3. Click “System”
4. On the left side, click “Advanced system settings”
5. Click the “Computer Name” tab
6. Click the “Change” button
7. Select “Workgroup” instead of “Domain”
8. Type a workgroup name (any name works, try “WORKGROUP”)
9. Click OK
10. When prompted, enter your domain admin credentials
11. Click OK and restart your computer when asked

Step 3: Rejoin the domain

After restart:

1. Go back to System settings
2. Click “Change” again
3. Select “Domain”
4. Type your domain name exactly as it appears (like “company.local” or “contoso.com”)
5. Click OK
6. Enter your domain admin credentials
7. Wait for “Welcome to the domain” message
8. Restart again

After the restart, try logging in with your regular domain account. The trust relationship should work now.

Method 2: Reset Computer Account In Active Directory

If rejoining doesn’t work, your computer account might be broken in Active Directory. An admin must reset it.

Who does this:
A domain administrator with Active Directory Users and Computers access.

The steps:

1. On an admin computer, open Active Directory Users and Computers
2. Navigate to the Computers container
3. Find your computer name in the list
4. Right-click and select “Reset Account”
5. Click Yes to confirm
6. Then on your broken computer, rejoin the domain (use Method 1)

The computer account is now fresh. This works when the account got corrupted.

Method 3: Clear Kerberos Tickets

Sometimes cached authentication tickets get corrupted. Clearing them helps.

For Windows:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Type: klist purge
3. Press Enter
4. Type: klist
5. Press Enter
6. You should see an empty ticket list
7. Try logging in again

Why this helps:
Old, broken tickets might be clogging your authentication. Clearing them forces a fresh authentication attempt.

Method 4: Fix Time Synchronization Issues

Kerberos is strict about time. If your computer time is wrong, it rejects authentication.

Check and fix your time:

1. Right-click the clock in your system tray
2. Click “Adjust date and time”
3. Turn on “Set time automatically” if it’s off
4. Check that your time zone is correct
5. Wait a minute for the system to sync

Manual sync using Command Prompt:

If automatic sync doesn’t work:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Type: net stop w32time
3. Type: net start w32time
4. Type: w32tm /resync
5. Wait for the sync to complete

Your computer time should now match the domain. Try logging in.

Method 5: Run System File Checker

Corrupted system files sometimes cause trust issues. The System File Checker repairs them.

Run the scan:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Type: sfc /scannow
3. Press Enter
4. Let the scan run completely (takes 10-15 minutes)
5. Restart your computer
6. Try logging in

This won’t always fix the trust relationship, but it’s worth running if other methods fail.

When To Call Your IT Department

Some situations need professional help. Contact IT if:

Your computer won’t let you use any admin account to rejoin the domain. This usually means the computer account is severely corrupted.

The domain controller is down. You can’t reach any domain services.

Multiple computers have the same error. This suggests a network or domain controller problem, not individual computer issues.

You tried Method 1 (rejoin the domain) twice and still get the error.

Your computer is critical to your work and you’re unsure about trying these fixes.

Prevent This Error From Happening Again

Once you fix it, keep it working.

Keep your computer updated

Windows updates patch security issues that sometimes affect domain trust. Install them regularly.

Connect to the network regularly

Don’t leave your computer offline for months. Every 30 days, let it connect to the domain so it can refresh its password.

Maintain accurate time

Enable automatic time sync and verify it works. Bad time causes authentication problems constantly.

Restart occasionally

Regular restarts help your computer refresh its domain connection. Restart at least once a week.

Backup before major changes

If you plan network changes or updates, back up your files first. This protects you if something breaks.

Troubleshooting Table: Which Method To Try First

Situation	Try First	Then Try
Computer offline for months	Method 4 (time sync)	Method 1 (rejoin)
Recent domain controller update	Method 3 (clear tickets)	Method 1 (rejoin)
Computer account corrupted in AD	Method 2 (reset account)	Method 1 (rejoin)
Time is visibly wrong	Method 4 (time sync)	Method 1 (rejoin)
Unknown cause	Method 1 (rejoin)	Method 2 (reset account)
Nothing works	Call IT	N/A

Summary

The “trust relationship between workstation and domain failed” error breaks your ability to authenticate with the domain. It’s usually caused by password sync problems, network issues, or time differences.

Start with these steps in order:

1. Check your network connection and computer time
2. Try Method 1: Rejoin the domain
3. If that fails, use Method 2 and 3
4. Call IT if you still can’t log in

Most people fix this with Method 1 alone. Rejoining the domain rebuilds the trust relationship from scratch and takes about 10 minutes. The process is safe and won’t damage your files or programs.

After fixing it, enable automatic time sync and connect to the network regularly. This prevents the error from coming back.

If you’re uncomfortable with these steps, your IT department can help. They fix this problem dozens of times yearly and can do it quickly.

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FAQ

Can I fix this on a computer that won’t let me log in at all?

Yes, but it’s harder. You need local admin access or safe mode with command prompt. If you don’t have either, your IT department needs to help. They can reset your account or clear your credentials remotely.

Will rejoining the domain delete my files?

No. Your files, programs, and settings stay on your computer. You only change the security relationship between your computer and the domain network. All your personal data is safe.

How long does it take to rejoin the domain?

Usually 5-10 minutes. The restart takes another 2-3 minutes. Total time is about 15 minutes if everything works smoothly.

What if my computer name has spaces or special characters?

Domain computer names shouldn’t have spaces. If yours does, rename your computer first. Go to Settings > System > About > Rename this PC. Then try rejoining the domain with a clean name.

Why does this error happen so often to some people?

Usually because their computer sits offline for long periods between use. If you use your computer regularly and stay connected to the network, this error rarely happens. If it keeps happening, contact IT. Something else might be wrong with your network connection or that specific computer.