Remove PIN from Account in Windows 11

What is Windows Hello and PIN?

Windows Hello lets you sign in to your Windows 11 computer with a short code, a fingerprint or your face instead of a long password. The PIN is the most common part of it. It is tied to one specific device. Even if someone learns your PIN, it does nothing on another computer or website.

A Windows 11 PIN can be numbers only, or it can include letters and symbols if you enable that option. Because it is bound to the hardware, it gives much stronger protection than a traditional password that you might reuse elsewhere.

Why is a PIN better than a password?

• PIN is tied to your device
  
  Your PIN only works on your computer. If someone steals your PIN, they still can’t get into your account without the device itself.
• PIN stays on your device
  
  Unlike a password, your PIN isn’t sent over the internet or stored on Microsoft’s servers. It stays on your device only.
• PIN is backed by special hardware
  
  Most modern devices have a security chip called a TPM. It protects your PIN and makes it very hard to break in by guessing.
• PIN can be as strong as a password
  
  Your PIN can be a short number or a long mix of letters, numbers and symbols, depending on your settings.
• PIN is needed for biometrics
  
  Fingerprint and face sign-in depend on a PIN being set up. The PIN also works as your backup if the biometric sign-in doesn’t recognise you.

A PIN is safer than a standard password because it stays locked to your physical hardware. It never travels across the internet or sits on Microsoft’s servers. That means an attacker cannot reuse it on other sites, even if they see it.

How to Remove PIN on Your 🪟 Windows 11 PC

Option 1Remove PIN Using Settings

You need to know your Microsoft account password before you start, because Windows asks for it at the end. If you only ever used the PIN, reset or confirm your password first so you don’t lock yourself out.

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Click Accounts in the left menu.
3. Click Sign-in options on the right. You should now see a list of sign-in methods.
4. Under Ways to sign in, find PIN (Windows Hello) and click it to expand it.
5. Click the Remove button next to "Remove this sign-in option".
6. If the Remove button is grey, scroll down to the Additional settings area on the same page. Turn off "For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device", then go back to the PIN entry. The button should now be clickable.
7. Click Remove again when Windows asks you to confirm.
8. Enter your Microsoft account password (not the PIN) to verify it's you, then click OK. The PIN entry should now show an Add button, which means the PIN is gone.
9. Close Settings.

The whole process takes less than a minute. No restart is needed. The next time you lock the screen or sign in, Windows asks for your password instead of the PIN.

If the button is still grey after you turn that toggle off, the device may be managed by a work or school organisation that requires a PIN. In that case, ask your IT administrator. To undo the change at any time, go back to Sign-in options, expand PIN (Windows Hello) and click Add.

Quick Link to Sign-in Options Settings

Windows 11 also lets you jump straight to the right page. Click the "Open Sign-in options" link and Settings opens directly on Sign-in options. This saves you the trip through Accounts.

From there, continue with the steps above, starting at expanding PIN (Windows Hello) under Ways to sign in.

Option 2Remove PIN for All Users Using a Batch File (Advanced)

Use a batch file when the normal method fails or throws errors. This is a more advanced fix. It clears broken sign-in records from your system so Windows can start fresh. Try the Settings method first.

When the stored PIN records are damaged, signing in or changing your credentials gives persistent errors. Deleting the broken files forces Windows to rebuild a clean authentication state. These are the errors that usually point to this problem:

• "Something went wrong (code: 0x8009002d)" when signing in with PIN.
• "Something went wrong. Try again later" when adding or changing a PIN.
• PIN sign-in option missing or not working.

A batch file is a text file saved with a .bat extension. Run as administrator, the script below clears the corrupted directory and resets local credentials:

@echo off
powershell -windowstyle hidden -command "Start-Process cmd -ArgumentList '/s,/c,takeown /f C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC /r /d y & icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC /grant administrators:F /t & RD /S /Q C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc & MD C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc & icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc /T /Q /C /RESET' -Verb runAs"

How to use this code:

1. Open Notepad and copy-paste the code above.
2. Click File, then Save As. Set Save as type to All files so Notepad doesn't add .txt. Save the file with a .bat extension, for example, ResetPIN.bat.
3. Right-click the file and choose Run as administrator. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes.
4. Wait for the script window to finish and close. Your PIN data is now reset.
5. Restart the PC if you can, then try setting up a PIN again under Settings › Accounts › Sign-in options. Any fingerprint or face sign-in will likely need to be set up again too.

Sign in with a password first if the PIN no longer works.

Summary

Those features rely on the PIN as a backup code. Your account stays protected by your main password, but you will type that password every time you start or unlock your PC.

• Removing the PIN also removes face and fingerprint sign-in.
• The PIN works only on your device, so it helps keep your account safe.
• PIN data is stored securely on your PC, not online.
• Admins can fix PIN problems for all users by resetting the PIN folder.
• Removing the PIN may turn off some account protection features in Windows Security.

Before you remove the PIN, think about why you want to. If it is just broken, resetting it with the batch file and setting a new one is often the better fix. If you prefer a traditional password, removing it is fine. Make sure the password is strong and that you can always recover it.

More Help

For more detail on how Windows Hello and PIN sign-in work, see Microsoft's official documentation:
Sign-In Options in Windows - Microsoft Support