Windows 11 PIN vs Password: Set, Change or Reset Your PIN

Windows 11 nudges you to sign in with a PIN rather than your account password, and many people wonder whether a four-digit code is really safer. The short answer is that a Windows Hello PIN works very differently from a password. This guide explains the Windows 11 PIN vs password difference, how to set up, change and reset a PIN, how to make it stronger, and what to do when the PIN option is missing or you forget it.

The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2.

PIN vs password: the real difference

	Windows Hello PIN	Account password
Works on	Only the PC where you set it	Any device and online services
Stored	Protected on the PC by the TPM	Checked by Microsoft (Microsoft account) or on the PC (local account)
If someone learns it	They need your physical PC too	They can try it anywhere
Guessing	Limited by TPM anti-hammering	Depends on the service

Microsoft’s Windows Hello documentation explains that the PIN is tied to the specific device it was set up on, and the TPM protects it against repeated guessing. A stolen PIN is therefore much less useful to an attacker than a stolen password, which can unlock email, cloud files and other devices. Our TPM 2.0 guide explains the chip involved.

Set up a PIN

1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Select PIN (Windows Hello) and choose Set up.
3. Verify your account password if asked.
4. Enter the new PIN twice. Tick Include letters and symbols for a stronger one.
5. Select OK.

Microsoft’s Configure Windows Hello page describes the same steps and the fingerprint and face options on the same page; see Windows Hello.

Change your PIN

1. Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Select PIN (Windows Hello) and then Change PIN.
3. Enter your current PIN, then the new PIN twice.
4. Select OK.

Reset a forgotten PIN

Microsoft’s change-or-reset page covers this:

1. On the sign-in screen, select I forgot my PIN under the PIN box.
2. Verify your identity. With a Microsoft account, this usually means entering the account password and a code sent to your email or phone.
3. Set a new PIN.

If you are already signed in, you can also select I forgot my PIN in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello).

If you also cannot remember the account password, that is a separate recovery process; see Windows 11 forgot password.

Make the PIN stronger

• Use six or more digits rather than four.
• Avoid birthdays, repeated digits (1111) and sequences (1234).
• Tick Include letters and symbols to make it more like a passphrase that only works on this PC.

On work or school PCs, the organization may set PIN length and complexity rules.

Remove the PIN or sign in with a password instead

To use the password instead:

1. In Sign-in options, check For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device. If it is on, turn it off; while on, the Remove button may be greyed out.
2. Select PIN (Windows Hello) > Remove and confirm with your password.

You can then sign in with the account password. For most people, keeping the PIN is the more secure choice.

PIN option missing or not working

• “Something went wrong” or PIN unavailable: restart, then remove and set up the PIN again. Windows stores PIN data in a protected folder; resetting through Settings rebuilds it. Do not delete system folders by hand.
• TPM problems: if the TPM is off or has errors, Windows Hello may not work. Check Windows Security > Device security > Security processor.
• Local account: PIN works with local accounts too; see switch to a local account.
• Work or school PC: policies may control Windows Hello; ask IT.

Windows Hello face and fingerprint

The PIN is the foundation of Windows Hello; face and fingerprint sign-in are added on top of it. You need a PIN before you can set them up, and the PIN remains the fallback when the camera or sensor cannot read you, for example with gloves or poor lighting.

• Facial recognition needs a Windows Hello compatible infrared camera, not just an ordinary webcam.
• Fingerprint needs a fingerprint reader, built in or USB.
• Both are set up from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

Microsoft’s Configure Windows Hello page notes that the biometric data stays on the device. If face or fingerprint sign-in stops working after an update, remove and set it up again, and update the camera or sensor driver; see update drivers in Windows 11.

On a PC shared by several people, each person sets up their own PIN and biometrics in their own account. Nobody needs to know anyone else’s PIN, and resetting one person’s PIN does not affect the others. If a family member forgets theirs, they use I forgot my PIN in their own account; an administrator cannot see or recover another person’s PIN.

Lock when you leave

A PIN only protects a locked PC. Press Windows logo key + L when you step away, set Windows to ask for sign-in after sleep, and consider Dynamic lock. The lock screen guide covers what shows while locked, and our Windows 11 security hub lists the other protections worth turning on.