PIN not available

Question

When my husband tries to log into his computer he gets a 'Your PIN is not available" message. As he does not accurately recall his Skype name, which he hasn't used since it became unavailable, we get the following response "Unfortunately, we have determined that the information you provided was not sufficient for us to validate your account ownership." when attempting to recover the account. How can we recover this account?

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

Option 1. Reset TPM Memory from BIOS.

TPM is responsible for storing the ashes for Windows Hello PIN. Resetting it may resolve the sign-in issue.

1. Boot your PC into the BIOS Utility screen.
2. In the Security or Advanced tab, find TPM 2.0 Security or Intel PTT (or similar terms), select Clear TPM, and click OK.
3. Save the configuration changes made and restart your computer.
4. Sign in with your PIN.

Option 2.

Your device might be booted into Diagnostic startup mode, which disables all the necessary Windows services. This could have happened after making any recent system changes to your device. You can follow the guidelines in the article below to switch the startup type to Normal Startup and see if you can sign in with your PIN normally again.

Error “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available”

Note - This article was written by a trusted Microsoft MVP, Ramesh.

---

Disclaimer - This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.'

Let me know if you still need more help.

Answer 2

The PIN issue and the Microsoft/Skype account recovery are two separate problems that both need to be addressed.

1. Fix "Your PIN is not available" so the PC can be used

Because the PIN is tied to the Windows sign-in method, use the Windows 11 PIN/password reset paths:

• On the Windows sign-in screen, under the PIN box, select I forgot my PIN.
  • If this option is available, follow the prompts to reset the PIN. This works only if the Microsoft account password can be entered successfully during the flow.
• If I forgot my PIN is not available or fails, sign in using the account password instead:
  • On the sign-in screen, choose Sign-in options and then select Enter your password.
  • After signing in with the password, go to Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options and set up a new PIN.

If the password is also forgotten, the Microsoft account password must be reset first (see next section). Once the password is reset and accepted on the sign-in screen, repeat the steps above to reset the PIN.

2. Reset the Microsoft account password (if it cannot be remembered)

If the Microsoft account password is not known:

• From the Windows sign-in screen:
  • Select I forgot my password, or
  • Select Sign-in options → Web sign-in, complete web sign-in, then choose Forgot my password.
• Or from any browser, go to the Microsoft account Reset password page:
  • Use the email address or phone number associated with the Microsoft account (not the Skype name) to start password reset.

If the account is locked or the normal reset flow fails because verification codes cannot be received, use the Microsoft account recovery form:

• Go to the Account recovery form and provide as much accurate information as possible about the account (old passwords, contacts, subject lines, Xbox console IDs, Skype contacts, etc.). The more detail, the better the chance of success.
• Complete the form from a device and location previously used with this account (same PC, home network) if possible, as this improves the likelihood of successful verification.

If the recovery form response says the information is insufficient, gather more specific data and try again (for example, exact email subject lines, old passwords, and other services used with that account). If two-step verification was enabled and none of the verification methods are accessible anymore, support cannot override this and the account cannot be recovered.

3. If the Microsoft account truly cannot be recovered

If repeated attempts with more detailed information still fail and there is no access to any verification methods, the Microsoft account may not be recoverable. In that case:

• Create a new Microsoft account.
• On the PC, sign in with the new account and use it going forward.

If there is important data only inside the old profile on the PC and the Microsoft account cannot be recovered, local data recovery may require signing in with another administrative account on the machine (if one exists) and copying files from the old user profile, or, as a last resort, backing up data via a technician before reinstalling Windows.

---

References:

• Change or reset your PIN in Windows
• I've forgotten my Skype user name or password
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• My username and password have stopped working