How to reset windows hello Pin which i never created

Question

I recently tried to sign in but I saw my pc wants me to put Pin, i never created Pin. I always sign in using my fingerprint. And also I saw at the setting that my fingerprint has been deleted I don't know how and what happened. Now I can't remove the registered Pin and cannot even reset it. I tried to do the forgot the Pin option as well but nothing worked. Please help me what should I do now.

Answer 1

Good day Tania Sultana!

Welcome to the Q&A forum.

Based on what you described, Windows is now asking for a PIN even though you always signed in with your fingerprint and never set up a PIN yourself. Your fingerprint was also removed, and you can’t remove or reset the PIN because “Forgot my PIN” doesn’t work. You can try using Safe Mode with Networking to repair this.

Step 1: Force the PC to Safe Mode

1. Press and hold the Power button to shut down the device.
2. Turn it on again and repeat this shutdown process 2–3 times until Windows shows Preparing Automatic Repair and enters Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
3. When you see Choose an option, go to: Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > then select Restart.
4. After restart, choose: Enable Safe Mode with Networking

Step 2: Once Windows starts in Safe Mode: Select Sign‑in options > Sign in using your account password (not the PIN).

Step 3: Once logged in, you can try to reset your PIN or go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, and under PIN (Windows Hello), you can choose to Remove the PIN and set it up again.

Hope this method could help. Please let me know how it goes, I'm happy to help further!

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Answer 2

Hi! When you sign in with your Microsoft Account on Windows, it prompts you to create a PIN and then a fingerprint, if your device is compatible.

You probably set up a PIN, but you may not remember it. If the Forgot PIN option didn't work, click on Sign-in methods > Choose the key icon > Enter the same password as your linked email.

If that doesn't work, you'll need to reset your computer. You can reset it without losing your data, but you'll need to set up apps again.

1. Hold down the SHIFT key and restart your computer in the Lock Screen or Start Menu.

• Hold SHIFT until you access the Recovery Screen

2. In Recovery Mode, select Troubleshooting > Restore the PC.
3. Select "Keep my files" to completely restore your computer and keep your files.
4. Choose the reinstallation method "Download from Cloud". If error occurs, choose "Local Reinstallation".

Answer 3

Follow these steps to get back into the PC and fix Windows Hello PIN and fingerprint:

1. Sign in with password instead of PIN/fingerprint
   On the lock screen, select Sign-in options and choose the password icon. Enter the account password to sign in.
   If the password is not accepted and no other sign-in method works, recovery options outside this guidance (such as reinstalling Windows) may be required.
2. Reset the PIN from Settings (when already signed in)
   Once signed in with the password:
   1. Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
   2. Under PIN (Windows Hello) select Change PIN if the current PIN is known, or select I forgot my PIN if the PIN is unknown.
   3. Follow the prompts to verify the Microsoft account and create a new PIN.
   If the system keeps asking to create a PIN again or shows errors, sign out and sign back in, then try the PIN setup again.
3. Re‑register fingerprint sign-in
   After the PIN is working again:
   1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
   2. Under Fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello) (or Windows Hello Fingerprint on some devices), choose Set up or Add a finger.
   3. Register the fingerprint again, making sure the finger and sensor are clean and dry and slightly changing finger position during setup.
   4. Optionally add more than one fingerprint.
4. If PIN or fingerprint still fail
   • Check for Windows and driver updates, especially for biometric devices.
   • If Windows Hello was working before and recently stopped, a recently installed app, driver, or update might be the cause. As a last resort, consider a restore or reset of the PC, understanding this can remove apps and may affect data depending on the option chosen.

If none of the above works and the password also cannot be used to sign in, the remaining practical option shown in similar cases is a clean reinstall of Windows, which will remove installed apps and data on the system drive.

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References:

• Change or reset your PIN in Windows
• Windows Hello common issues and troubleshooting tips
• Troubleshoot problems with Windows Hello on Surface
• Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security
• Stuck in an infinite loop involving the PIN - Microsoft Q&A
• Unable to log in to Dell Rugged Laptop - Microsoft Q&A