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If your Windows 11 PIN no longer works after you changed it, start with I forgot my PIN on the sign-in screen. If that option is missing, sign in with your account password and reset the PIN in Settings. The timing does not establish why the PIN failed; Microsoft’s published recovery steps focus on restoring access, not diagnosing this specific pattern.
Choose the recovery route that matches your account
| Your situation | Next step |
|---|---|
| Microsoft account; I forgot my PIN appears on the sign-in screen | Select it and complete the identity-verification and new-PIN prompts. |
| I forgot my PIN is absent, but you know the account password | Use Sign-in options to choose password sign-in, then reset the PIN in Settings. |
| Local account | The sign-in-screen forgotten-PIN option is not available for local accounts. Use password sign-in and the PIN reset option in Settings if available. |
| Work or school account, or organization-managed PC | Use the organization’s password-recovery process or contact its administrator/help desk if self-service recovery is unavailable. |
| You cannot sign in because the account password is also unavailable | Recover the password first using the recovery process for that account type. |
Microsoft describes a Windows Hello PIN as device-specific and distinct from the Microsoft account password. Its PIN reset instructions say the sign-in-screen I forgot my PIN option is for Microsoft accounts, not local accounts. A PIN change immediately before the problem does not, by itself, show what caused the failure.
Reset the PIN from the sign-in screen
- On the sign-in screen, select the user account you want to recover. If more than one account is listed, check that you have selected the right one.
- Below the PIN field, select I forgot my PIN, if it appears.
- Follow the prompts to verify your identity, then create a new PIN.
If Windows asks you to choose an account or complete additional verification, follow the prompts for the account you are trying to access. Microsoft’s reset guidance applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If the reset option is missing, use your password
- At the sign-in screen, select Sign-in options.
- Select the password sign-in option, shown as Enter your password when available, and sign in with the password for that account.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Expand PIN (Windows Hello) and select I forgot my PIN.
- Complete the verification prompts and create a new PIN.
Do not choose the ordinary Change PIN action if you cannot supply the PIN that Windows is asking for. Microsoft’s instructions distinguish changing a known PIN from resetting a forgotten one: the standard change flow requires the old PIN.
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If you cannot use the account password
Recover the account password before trying to reset the PIN. For a Microsoft account, use Microsoft’s account recovery flow. For a work or school account, self-service password reset works only if the organization has enabled it and you registered the required verification methods. Follow Microsoft’s work or school password-reset steps; if the option is unavailable or verification cannot be completed, ask your organization’s administrator or help desk. See also Microsoft’s guidance on registering password-reset verification methods.
Try basic sign-in troubleshooting if you remain blocked
- Restart the PC. Then return to the sign-in screen and try the supported account recovery route again.
- Check the network connection. Some sign-in or verification flows may require connectivity.
- Try another available account. If another account can sign in, use it only for appropriate troubleshooting; it does not itself reset the affected account’s PIN.
- Use Safe Mode only if you can sign in with a password. Windows Hello PIN and biometric sign-in are unavailable in Safe Mode, so you need the account password. Follow Microsoft’s Windows sign-in troubleshooting guidance for the supported steps.
Avoid disruptive fixes as a first response
Microsoft’s PIN recovery guidance does not identify a PIN change, Windows update, TPM issue, or damaged files as the cause of this specific failure. It also does not establish that clearing TPM data, deleting PIN-storage folders, or editing the registry is an appropriate fix. Avoid those unverified, potentially disruptive steps. Before choosing a broader Windows recovery option, read its consequences: Microsoft warns that some recovery choices can cause data loss in its Windows recovery options guide. If the PC is managed by work or school, contact IT before attempting disruptive recovery.
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