Windows Hello

Question

How can you remove your Windows Hello sign-in? It shows "Remove" under accounts, but it is blocked out. It will not let you remove it.

Answer 1

Open the Settings App.

Go to Accounts - Sign In Options.

If you have set some Hello login option in there, are you first able to remove the option, before disabling Windows Hello?

If not, in the Settings app, go to Accounts - Access Work or School, is there an work or school account listed there?

If there is, select it and disconnect the work or school account, then, restart your PC to apply the change.

Answer 2

If the Windows Hello “Remove” button is greyed out, remove the specific Windows Hello method (face or fingerprint) from the Sign-in options page instead of trying to remove Windows Hello globally.

On Windows 10/11:

1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Under Windows Hello Face or Fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello), select the method that is currently set up.
3. Select Remove for that method.
4. If prompted, authenticate with your PIN or password.

This unenrolls the device from that Windows Hello biometric method and deletes the associated biometric template data.

If a PIN is configured and must be removed as well:

1. In Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, go to PIN (Windows Hello).
2. Choose Remove (or use I forgot my PIN if you need to reset it first).

If the Remove button for a given method is still blocked, ensure at least one other sign-in method (password or another Hello method) is available; Windows requires at least one valid way to sign in before allowing removal.

For managed/enterprise devices using Windows Hello for Business, administrators can also clear the Windows Hello for Business container with:

certutil.exe -deleteHelloContainer

Note: On the latest Windows 11 versions, this also deletes any passkeys stored on the device, so an alternative sign-in method must be prepared first.

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References:

• Troubleshoot problems with Windows Hello on Surface
• Sign-In Options in Windows
• Common questions about Windows Hello for Business