Windows 11 PIN Not Working? Get Signed In Again

You type your PIN — the same one you’ve used a hundred times — and Windows 11 insists it’s wrong. Or the PIN option doesn’t appear at all, or it throws an error like “Something went wrong.” Being locked out of your own laptop is stressful, but the PIN system is repairably fragile, and these fixes cover every common failure.

Start at the top and work down. If you’re currently locked out at the sign-in screen, jump to Fix 1 first for the emergency way back in. For broader login trouble beyond the PIN, see our guide on factory resetting without a password as a last resort.

Why this happens

• Corrupted NGC credential store. The folder holding your PIN data gets damaged, often after updates.
• TPM problems. Windows Hello PINs are tied to the Trusted Platform Module; if the TPM resets or is disabled, the PIN breaks.
• Broken Windows Hello components. System file corruption can disable the PIN sign-in path.
• Microsoft account sync issues. Password changes or account security events can invalidate the cached PIN.
• Corrupted user profile. Profile-level damage can break Hello credentials for one account only.
• Group Policy or registry changes. Some tweaks and enterprise policies disable PIN sign-in.
• Failed Windows update. Updates that touch security components frequently break PINs temporarily.

How to fix it

Work through these in order — stop when your PIN works again.

Fix 1: Sign in with your password instead

Get back into Windows first; fix the PIN second.

1. On the sign-in screen, click Sign-in options below the PIN box.
2. Choose the password icon (it looks like a key) instead of the PIN icon.
3. Enter your Microsoft account password. If you’ve forgotten it, use another device to reset it at Microsoft’s account site.
4. For a local account, enter the account password you set when creating it.
5. Once you’re on the desktop, don’t skip the remaining fixes — the PIN won’t heal itself.
6. If no sign-in options appear at all, click the power icon on the sign-in screen, hold Shift, and click Restart to reach the Recovery Environment for the deeper fixes below. Our Safe Mode boot guide lists other ways to reach recovery if that doesn’t work.

Fix 2: Reset your PIN from Settings

The official reset path — quick when it works.

1. Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Under PIN (Windows Hello), click Remove. Confirm the removal.
3. Restart the laptop (this clears cached credential state).
4. Go back to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello) and click Set up.
5. Verify your identity with your Microsoft account password when asked.
6. Enter a new PIN twice and click OK. Sign out and test the new PIN.

Fix 3: Delete the NGC folder and recreate the PIN

This is the heavy-hitter fix for corrupted PIN stores.

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft.
2. You’ll see a folder called NGC. If access is denied, you need to take ownership: right-click NGC > Properties > Security > Advanced > Change owner to your account, then grant yourself full control.
3. Alternatively, open an elevated terminal and run: 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
4. Delete everything inside the NGC folder (not the folder itself if Windows resists — emptying it is enough).
5. Restart the laptop.
6. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello) > Set up and create a fresh PIN.

Fix 4: Check and reset the TPM

Since PINs are TPM-backed, a sick TPM breaks them.

1. Press Win + R, type tpm.msc, and press Enter.
2. Check the status: it should say The TPM is ready for use. Note the specification version too.
3. If it shows an error or “TPM not found,” restart and enter your BIOS/UEFI (usually F2, Del, or F12 during boot).
4. Find the TPM/Security chip setting (often under Security or Advanced) and make sure it’s Enabled.
5. Save and exit. If tpm.msc still shows problems, use its Clear TPM action — you’ll need to re-set-up the PIN afterward, but it fixes TPM corruption. Microsoft’s TPM guidance explains the implications before you clear.
6. After the TPM is healthy, set up a new PIN via Fix 2.

Fix 5: Re-register Windows Hello components

If the PIN infrastructure itself is damaged, rebuild it.

1. Open an elevated PowerShell: right-click Start > Terminal (Admin).
2. Re-register the Hello credential packages: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.AccountsControl | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
3. Then repair system files that Hello depends on: sfc /scannow
4. Restart the laptop.
5. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and check whether the PIN option is available and functional.
6. If the PIN section is still missing, continue to Fix 6.

Fix 6: Enable PIN via policy and registry

Sometimes the PIN option is administratively disabled.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter (Pro/Enterprise editions only).
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon.
3. Find Turn on convenience PIN sign-in and set it to Enabled.
4. On Home edition, use the registry instead: open regedit, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System, and create a DWORD named AllowDomainPINLogon set to 1.
5. Restart the laptop.
6. Check Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options — the PIN setup should now be available.

Fix 7: Create a new user profile

If everything else fails, the profile’s credential store may be unrecoverable.

1. Sign in with your password (Fix 1) and open Settings > Accounts > Other users.
2. Add a new local account, make it an administrator.
3. Sign into the new account and set up a PIN there via Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
4. If the PIN works on the new profile, your old profile is corrupt — move your files over.
5. Copy data from C:\Users\<oldname> to the new profile (Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures).
6. Once everything is moved, you can remove the old account. Keep the new PIN backed by your Microsoft account password as a fallback.

Closing

A dead PIN is almost never a forgotten PIN — it’s a corrupted credential store, and deleting the NGC folder fixes the vast majority of cases. Keep your Microsoft account password memorized (or in a password manager) as your permanent backup key, and you’ll never be truly locked out. If PIN problems keep recurring after updates, check that your TPM firmware is current — laptop makers occasionally ship TPM firmware updates that stabilize Windows Hello.

Frequently asked questions