How to reset Yubikey Security Key now that I have a Windows Home User Account

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How to reset Yubikey Security Key now that I have a Windows Home User Account

Jim Hopkins 20

I have been using a Yubikey 4 Security Key for three years in conjunction with a 'local user' account on my HP Windows 11 laptop.

I recently purchased a Yubikey 5 NFC to work with both my laptop and my Pixel mobile phone.

In attempting to follow the Windows installation instructions I now have a Windows Home User Account which is supporting fingerprint, face and pin logins but I can no longer use my Yubikeys, which is my preferred log-in method.

Yubikey help has suggested that I may need to revert to a local user account to use my Yubikey to login.

I will be travelling overseas with my wife in 3 weeks' time, and I want to be able to login with my Yubikey and for my wife to login with my Yubikey if necessary.

Please advise.

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Answer 1

Hello Jim Hopkins,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A and informed us about the issue. After reviewing your issue, here's what you can do to reset your yubikey:

Option 1: Revert to Local account as suggested by Yubikey:

(Please do backup all of your important data before process since switching account can disable your syncing feature so be sure to backup all of crucial data first)

Open Windows settings > Accounts > Your info > Sign in with a local account > follow the prompt and create a new username and password (Do remember the new password in case Yubikey fail) > then Windows will sign out and sign in to your new Local account
Go to Windows settings > Accounts > Sign in options > Security key > Manage > add your Yubikey

Option 2: Reconfigure Yubikey:

Open Windows settings > Accounts > sign-in options > look for Ways to sign in > Security key > Add > add your new Yubikey > follow the on-screen instruction

In case you don't want your sync to be interrupted, please consider to setup/use Windows Hello to login to your computer

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Jim Hopkins 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T10:17:22.91+00:00

Thank you Haytham-C for your help. Very much appreciated.

I tried over and over again to implement option 2 from within my microsoft account, but it just would not let me 'Add Yubikey'.

In the end I reverted to a local account (making sure that I did a backup first). I went back to my original local account sign-in name and password. Amazingly, the Yubikey 4 that I had been using previously with these login details worked just fine all over again. All files intact.

I do want to upgrade to Yubikey 5 NFC, and to ensure that I do that (and hopefully retain Yubikey 4 as a back-up) I have contacted a helper at Yubikey and am waiting for his response.

All the best and thanks for your help.

Regards

Jim Hopkins

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How to reset Yubikey Security Key now that I have a Windows Home User Account

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