Word 2010 is not working, asking me to reenter pin#

Question

I changed the security to ESET, And now when I try to use word 2010, It's asking me to re-enter the Pin #.

Answer 1

Hi, Michael Tudor Sr

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Word 2010 itself doesn’t use a PIN, so the pop up is usually either Windows Security (Windows Hello PIN) or an ESET feature that started protecting a folder/drive right when Word opens a file.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

If the box says “Windows Security” or mentions “PIN”, reset or switch the Windows Hello PIN: Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello) > Change, or use “I forgot my PIN” if it’s looping. This works because it refreshes the credential Windows is trying to use in the background.

If you just want the PIN prompt gone, try turning off “Require sign-in with Windows Hello for Microsoft accounts” in Windows Settings (Accounts area). This works because it stops Windows from forcing PIN re-auth prompts for certain apps/actions.

If the prompt looks like it’s coming from ESET, check whether “Secure Data” is enabled, especially if your documents are on a USB stick or an encrypted drive. Secure Data can prompt for your user-defined password/PIN before letting apps access the encrypted content, turning it off (or moving the file to a normal folder) is a quick test.

Hope this helps. Feel free to get back if you need further assistance.

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