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If Windows 11 says your PIN isn’t available, first try signing in with your account password. Then reset the Windows Hello PIN using I forgot my PIN at the lock screen, if that option appears, or through Settings after you sign in. The PIN is a device sign-in method, not your Microsoft account password, and the right reset path depends on whether you use a Microsoft account, a local account, or a work-managed device.
What “PIN not available” means
A Windows Hello PIN is a sign-in method for a particular device. It is separate from the password for your Microsoft account. Microsoft explains that distinction in its PIN change and reset guidance. The message alone does not establish one cause, so start with the supported sign-in and reset options rather than deleting system files or changing security settings.
Try these steps at the sign-in screen
- Choose password sign-in. Select Sign-in options and choose the password option if it is available. Enter the account password—not the PIN. If you use a Microsoft account, use its password.
- Reset the PIN if the option is available. For a Microsoft account, select I forgot my PIN under the PIN box. If Windows asks you to choose an account, select the right one, complete the verification prompts, and create a new PIN. Microsoft says this lock-screen option is not available for local accounts.
- If you don’t see “I forgot my PIN,” sign in with your password. Once you reach the desktop, reset the PIN in Settings. The missing lock-screen option does not by itself mean the PIN feature is broken.
- If you also can’t use your password, recover that account first. Follow Microsoft’s account-specific password recovery instructions; resetting a PIN is not the same as recovering an account password.
- Restart and finish offered updates. If the lock screen offers Update and restart, use it to complete available updates. Microsoft recommends restarting as a general sign-in troubleshooting step in its Windows sign-in troubleshooting guidance.
- Check the network connection if verification needs internet access. Some sign-in or account-verification flows may not work without a connection. Use the network control on the lock screen to connect if needed.
Reset the PIN after signing in
Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello). Choose the option that matches your situation:
- Change PIN: Use this when you know the current PIN. Windows asks for the old PIN before you set a new one.
- I forgot my PIN: Use this when you can’t remember the current PIN. Follow the account verification prompts, then create a replacement. This is different from changing a known PIN.
If the standard reset doesn’t work
Microsoft’s general sign-in troubleshooting guidance suggests trying another account on the device, if one is available. Safe Mode can help troubleshoot some sign-in problems, but it requires a password: PIN and biometric sign-in are unavailable there. Safe Mode is not itself a PIN-reset method.
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If Windows displays an error code while you create a PIN, use the guidance for that specific code rather than applying a generic fix. Microsoft lists code-specific mitigations in its Windows Hello PIN-creation error guidance. Some codes call for retrying or signing out and back in; others concern managed enrollment or a TPM setup issue. If Microsoft does not list a mitigation for the displayed code, contact support. Do not clear the TPM or remove and rejoin a managed device as routine consumer troubleshooting.
If this is a work- or school-managed device
Windows Hello for Business uses organization-managed reset methods. Depending on the deployment, a destructive reset deletes the existing PIN and the credentials in the Windows Hello container, such as keys or certificates, before setting up new credentials. A nondestructive reset preserves that container and its keys, but requires the organization to deploy the Microsoft PIN reset service and client policy. The supported method depends on the device’s join type and trust configuration. Ask your IT team to choose the appropriate reset; do not attempt deployment-level repairs yourself. Microsoft documents these differences in its Windows Hello for Business PIN reset documentation.
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When the reset page says it can’t open
On a particular Microsoft Entra-joined setup, the lock-screen reset uses web sign-in, which allows navigation only to specified domains. If the organization’s federated identity provider or government-cloud domain is not allowed, the user may see We can’t open that page right now. Microsoft’s documented remedy is for an administrator to configure the allowed domains with the ConfigureWebSignInAllowedUrls policy. This applies to that managed-device flow; contact IT rather than changing organization policy yourself. See Microsoft’s Windows Hello for Business deployment issue guidance.
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Which route should you take?
| Situation | Next step | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft account and I forgot my PIN appears at the lock screen | Use the reset flow and complete account verification | You |
| Local account, or the lock-screen reset option is missing | Sign in with the password, then reset in Settings | You |
| You forgot the PIN but can sign in with your password | Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello) and choose I forgot my PIN | You |
| You can’t use the account password either | Recover the account password using Microsoft’s account-specific guidance | You |
| Managed device’s reset page says it cannot open | Ask IT to review the Entra web-sign-in allowed-domain policy | IT administrator |
| Managed-device reset could affect existing Hello credentials | Have IT select the reset method supported by the organization’s deployment | IT administrator |
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