How to reset your Windows Hello PIN

Computer security and data protection concept. Laptop with an locked lock and key on it.
Windows Hello allows you to unlock your PC or Laptop using a PIN instead of a password, or if you have biometric inputs, facial recognition or a fingerprint. This is considered more secure than a password, even though it’s less complex, because it’s unique to the device you are using, and doesn’t leave the device to be authenticated somewhere else.

Passwords can be intercepted or stolen, perhaps compromised through phishing. But the PIN is tied to the hardware it was set up on. If someone steals your password, they can access your account from anywhere, but if they steal your PIN they would have to also have access to the device it was set up on.

If you forget the PIN on your Windows 10 PC or Laptop you can still sign in by switching to ‘Other User’ and entering your username and password, but you’ll want to reset the PIN to continue to use it. Resetting is simple.

Reset your Windows Hello PIN

Click on the Start menu and search for ‘Sign In Options’

Select Windows Hello PIN and click ‘I forgot my PIN’

You’ll be asked if you are sure – click ‘Continue’

You’ll be asked to Sign In using your normal password and approve using 2 Factor Authentication if you have this set up (See our blog Why Use Multi Factor Authentication for more details on that) and then you’ll have the option to set a new PIN. You may need to sign out and back in again after you have reset it.

For more details on Windows Hello and why a PIN is more secure than a password, see this great Microsoft article on the subject, Why a PIN is better than a password

Further reading

AI Comparison

AI Chatbots Comparison – Not All The Same

In recent years, AI has transitioned from a term used rarely to hearing it used in almost every conversation. Studies have shown that one in six organisations in the UK use AI in the workplace. This is because AI can automate tasks like drafting emails, summarising meetings and generating report. Some AI models are ‘multimodal’, meaning they can work with text, images, voice and video, while others are ‘unimodal’, built for one type of input like just text.

Read More »

(How To) Start Your Day With A Coffee, Not Your Inbox

Every morning starts the same way: open the inbox, scroll through messages, try to figure out what actually matters. Instead of spending the first 30 minutes reading emails, I built a simple morning assistant that gives me a quick inbox briefing. Now I know exactly what needs attention — before my coffee even gets cold.

Read More »

Copilot 365 Agents and Your Company Data

Most companies already have big amounts of data stored across Microsoft 365 — in SharePoint sites, Excel files, Word documents, and presentations. The challenge is not access to data, but the time it takes to work with it. This project looks at how Copilot 365 agents can help turn existing company data into usable insight faster.

Read More »