What to Do When Windows 11 Keeps Asking for a PIN After Every Reboot

Understanding the 🪟 Windows 11 PIN Prompt Problem

The folder that stores your sign-in details is usually damaged or corrupted. Windows keeps your PIN and Windows Hello data there. If a system update fails to save your credentials properly, or a background security service doesn’t start in time at boot, Windows can’t confirm who you are and asks again.

Other causes are common too. A recent Windows 11 update can change your security settings without you noticing. Your Microsoft account settings can also get out of sync with the PC. In both cases Windows plays it safe and asks you to enter your PIN, or create a new one, every time you turn the machine on.

You don’t need any technical background for this. Most people can stop the repeating prompt in under five minutes with the steps below. Before you start, make sure you know your Microsoft account password. Several of these fixes ask for it.

Method 1Remove and Recreate Your PIN

Recreating your PIN is the quickest fix and the one to try first. Removing the current PIN and setting up a new one replaces any broken sign-in data behind it. You need your Microsoft account password for this, because Windows asks for it before it lets you remove the PIN.

1. Click Start and open Settings (the gear icon). You can also press Win+I.
2. Click Accounts in the left-hand menu.
3. Click Sign-in options in the list on the right. You should now see the ways you can sign in to this PC, such as Facial recognition, Fingerprint recognition, PIN (Windows Hello) and Password.

   

4. Click PIN (Windows Hello) to expand it. You should see the Change PIN and Remove options.
5. Click Remove, then click Remove again if Windows asks you to confirm. Enter your Microsoft account password when prompted. (Note: This step requires administrator privileges.)
6. Once the PIN is removed, click Set up or Add next to PIN (Windows Hello). Windows may ask you to verify your password again.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions. Type the new PIN, confirm it, and click OK.
8. Restart your🔄 computer and check whether the prompt is gone.

If you can’t remove the PIN because the Remove button is greyed out, the next fix will help. If you get the prompt only once after a restart and not at every sign-in, the problem is fixed.

Method 2Clear and Reset the NGC Folder

If it is corrupted, Windows keeps asking for a PIN. Emptying the folder forces Windows to build a fresh, working copy. This also deletes your current PIN, so you will set up a new one afterward. Make sure you can sign in with your Microsoft account password first.

1. Open File Explorer📁 by clicking the folder icon on your taskbar🖥️.

   

2. Go to this folder: 📁C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngccopy. Paste the path into the address bar and press Enter. (Note: You may need administrator privileges and permission to access this folder.) If Windows says you don’t have permission, click Continue when prompted. If it still refuses, you need to take ownership of the folder. To do that, right-click the Ngc folder and choose Properties. On the Security tab, click Advanced, then change the Owner to your account and apply it.
3. Select everything inside the Ngc folder (Ctrl+A) and delete it. Do not delete the Ngc folder itself, only what is inside it.
4. Open Settings, click Accounts, then select Sign-in options.
5. Click Add or Set up next to PIN (Windows Hello) and create a brand new PIN.
6. Restart your🔄 PC. Windows now uses a fresh folder to remember your PIN.

Method 3Check Your Windows Hello Sign-In Requirements

One Windows Hello setting can change how Windows handles sign-in after a reboot. Switching it off and back on makes Windows re-read your sign-in preferences, so it stops falling back to extra verification.

1. Open Settings and click Accounts.

   

2. Select Sign-in options.
3. Scroll down to Additional settings and find the toggle called “For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device.”
4. Turn the toggle Off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back On. The switch should change state each time you click it.

Toggling this switch forces Windows to recheck sign-in preferences and stop demanding extra verification. Restart once afterward to test it. If you don’t see this setting at all, your Windows build or account type may not offer it, so move on to the next fix.

Method 4Fix Microsoft Account Sync Issues

If your PC can’t reach Microsoft’s servers properly at startup, Windows may fail to save your sign-in state and lose track of your PIN. Switching to a local account and back relinks your user profile to your Microsoft account. That clears communication errors and lets Windows save your sign-in state correctly. Before you start, make sure you remember your Microsoft account email and password. You will need both to switch back.

1. Open Settings and select Accounts.
2. Click Your info.
3. Click Sign in with a local account instead and follow the prompts. (Note: This step requires administrator privileges.) You will be asked to verify yourself and to choose a local username and password. Switching to a local account removes your PIN, so you will need to set up a new one later.
4. When Windows finishes, sign out when prompted and sign back in with the local account. Then restart your🔄 computer.
5. Go back to Settings › Accounts › Your info and click Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
6. Enter your email address (for example, user@example.com) and password to link the account back up. Then follow the prompts to set a new PIN.

Your files stay where they are, but apps and settings that sync through your Microsoft account may pause briefly while you are on the local account. If you don’t see the local account option, your PC may be managed by an organization or use a setup that doesn’t allow it.

Expert Tip: Check Group Policy Settings (Advanced)

If your computer connects to a work or school network, a Group Policy rule may override your local sign-in choices and ask for credentials again after every reboot. Checking the policy tells you whether the problem is local or set by your organization. The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education. It isn’t included in Home, so Home users should skip this fix.

1. Click Start, type Local Group Policy Editor into the search🔍 bar, and open it. (Note: This tool requires administrator privileges and is available in Windows Pro and Enterprise editions.) The editor opens with a folder tree on the left.

   

2. In the left sidebar, go to Computer Configuration › Administrative Templates › System › Logon.
3. Find the setting named “Turn on convenience PIN sign-in” in the list on the right.
4. Double-click the setting and make sure it is set to Enabled. Click Apply, then OK.

Restart the PC to test. If the policy was already set and keeps changing back, your organization is probably applying it from a server. In that case your IT administrator needs to change it.

Unique Angle: Clearing Cached Credentials and Startup Repair

Old or broken saved credentials can trigger the PIN prompt. Deleting them forces Windows to create new, healthy login tokens the next time you sign in. This stops the computer from getting stuck in a verification loop.

1. Click Start, type Credential Manager, and open it.
2. Click Windows Credentials. You should see a list of saved logins under headings like Windows Credentials and Generic Credentials.
3. Look for entries that mention your Microsoft account or generic login tokens. Click an entry to expand it, then select Remove and confirm. (Note: This step requires administrator privileges.) Remove only the entries related to your Microsoft account. Other entries may hold saved passwords for network drives or other PCs, and those will have to be entered again.
4. Restart your🔄 computer immediately after clearing these credentials.

By wiping these old tokens, you force Windows to make brand-new, healthy login tokens the next time you turn on your machine. Expect to be asked for your Microsoft account password once after the restart.

If the prompt still returns, you can also try Startup Repair. Open Settings › System › Recovery, click Restart now next to Advanced startup, then choose Troubleshoot › Advanced options > Startup Repair. Windows will restart and scan for boot and sign-in problems. Save your work first, because the PC reboots right away.

Summary

The PIN prompt after every reboot is almost always fixable. The usual cures are replacing the corrupted security data, resetting your sign-in options, or reconnecting your Microsoft account. Once one of these works, your PC remembers your sign-in again and starts normally.

Start with the simplest fix: remove your PIN and create a new one in Settings. If that doesn’t work, empty the Ngc folder or refresh your account connection. If you are on a work or school PC and nothing sticks, a Group Policy rule is the likely cause, so contact your IT administrator.