How to fix grayed out Remove PIN button in Windows 11

repair gfce
repair gfce

This article describes steps to resolve the remove PIN sign-in option button when grayed out in Windows 11.

Windows 11 has a Windows Hello feature that provides a more personal and secure way to sign into Windows. With Windows Hello, one can use a PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint to sign into their devices securely.

When you set up an account PIN, you can also reset or remove it when you want to sign into your Account with a password.

An account protected with a PIN is more secure than one set up with a password. In addition, your PIN helps make it easier and safer to sign into your PC because a PIN is associated with one device and backed up for recovery with your Microsoft account.

While using a PIN is safer and more accessible than traditional passwords, you can permanently remove the account PIN from your Account and use a regular password if necessary.

How to remove a PIN when the button grayed out in Windows 11

An account PIN is safer and easier to remember and provides better security than a traditional password. If you instead use a password and then an account PIN, the steps below show you how to do that.

First, open the Windows Settings app.

You can do that by clicking the Start menu and selecting the Settings app. Alternatively, press the keyboard shortcut (Windows key + I) on your keyboard to launch the Settings app.

windows 11 new settings button
windows 11 new settings button

When the Settings app opens, click the Accounts button on the left.

windows 11 account tile in settings
Windows 11 account tile in settings

On the right, select the Sign-in options tile to expand.

windows sign in option tile
Windows sign in option tile

On the Account -> Sign-in options settings pane, select the PIN (Windows Hello) tile to expand. Next, verify that the “Remove this sign-in options” button is grayed out on the expanded tile.

windows remove this sign in option grayed out
Windows removed this sign in option and grayed it out.

To fix the remove PIN button being grayed out, turn Off the tile under the Additional settings that say, “For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft account on this device.”

windows turn off for improved security only allow windows hello sign in
Windows turned off for improved security, only allowing windows hello sign in

Once it’s off, go back to the PIN (Windows Hello) tile again, and this time, the remove PIN button should not be grayed out.

windows remove pin button not grayed out
windows remove the pin button not grayed out

That’s it!

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to fix the remove PIN button being grayed out in Windows 11. Please use the comment form below if you find any errors above or have something to add.

Posted by
Richard W

I love computers; maybe way too much. What I learned I try to share at geekrewind.com.

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