To reset a forgotten PIN in Windows 10, select I forgot my PIN below the PIN box on the sign-in screen, verify your Microsoft account, and create a new PIN. If you can still get into Windows, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello) and select I forgot my PIN there.
Applies to: Windows 10 (the same Microsoft instructions also cover Windows 11). Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
What to know before you reset the PIN
- The PIN is not your password. Microsoft states that the PIN you use to access your device is different from your Microsoft account password. Resetting the PIN does not change that password.
- The PIN belongs to one PC. A Windows Hello PIN is tied to the device where it was set up, so a new PIN on this computer changes nothing on your other devices.
- The sign-in screen reset is for Microsoft accounts. Microsoft notes that the I forgot my PIN option on the sign-in screen is available only for Microsoft accounts, not for local accounts. A local account is one that exists only on this PC and is not an email-based Microsoft account.
- Have your account password ready. Windows asks you to verify the account before it lets you create a new PIN. A Microsoft account is verified online, so it helps to have the PC connected to the internet.
- Your files stay put. A PIN reset only replaces the sign-in PIN. It is not the same thing as resetting the PC.
Reset the PIN from the Windows 10 sign-in screen
Use this method when you are locked out and the PC signs in with a Microsoft account.
- Start the PC and stop at the sign-in screen where Windows asks for your PIN.
- Look below the PIN text box and select I forgot my PIN. A Microsoft account verification window opens.
- Follow the instructions to verify your account. Expect to enter your Microsoft account password, and a security code if your account uses one.
- When Windows asks, type a new PIN and type it again to confirm it.
- Finish the prompts. Windows returns you to sign-in or the desktop, and the new PIN is the one that works from now on.
If I forgot my PIN does not appear, Microsoft’s guidance is to sign in with your password instead and reset the PIN from the Settings app, as described next.
Reset the PIN from Settings when you can sign in
Use this method if you can still reach the desktop, for example by signing in with your password. On the sign-in screen, select Sign-in options to switch from the PIN box to the password box.
- Open the Settings app and select Accounts.
- Select Sign-in options. The page lists every way you can sign in to this PC.
- Select PIN (Windows Hello) to expand it. On some Windows 10 versions this entry is worded slightly differently, but it is the only PIN entry on the page.
- Select I forgot my PIN.
- Follow the instructions to verify your account, then enter and confirm a new PIN.
Change the PIN if you still remember it
A reset is only needed when the PIN is forgotten. If you know the current one and simply want a different one, changing it is quicker because no account verification is involved.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Select PIN (Windows Hello), then Change PIN.
- Enter your old PIN, then enter and confirm the new one.
Our separate guide on how to change your PIN in Windows 10 goes through the options for making a PIN stronger.
If you forgot the password as well
You cannot verify your account for a PIN reset without the account password, so Microsoft’s instruction is to reset the password first and deal with the PIN afterward.
Microsoft account
- On the sign-in screen, select I forgot my password and follow the prompts.
- Or select Sign-in options, then Web sign-in, follow the prompts, and select Forgot my password.
- Or reset the password from a browser on any other device, using the password reset page linked from Microsoft’s support article.
Local account
- On the sign-in screen, select the arrow next to the password text field.
- Select OK, then Reset password.
- Answer the security questions you set up when you created the account, then choose a new password.
Microsoft also lists a password reset disk as an option for local accounts, if you created one earlier. Microsoft Support states that it cannot help you retrieve or circumvent a lost or forgotten password, so these are the routes to use. For administrator accounts, see our guide to recovering a Windows 10 administrator password safely.
How to confirm the new PIN works
Lock the PC or sign out, then sign back in with the new PIN. If Windows accepts it, the reset is complete. There is no undo for a reset, and none is needed: if you dislike the new PIN, use Change PIN in Sign-in options to pick another one.
Troubleshooting a PIN reset
I forgot my PIN is missing on the sign-in screen
The most likely reason is that the PC uses a local account, because Microsoft offers this link only for Microsoft accounts. Sign in with the account password, then reset the PIN in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
Windows shows a code to type after several wrong PINs
Microsoft’s Windows Hello documentation describes this protection: after three incorrect attempts, Windows displays a message asking you to enter the phrase A1B2C3 before you can try again. Type it exactly as shown. If the next attempt also fails, PIN sign-in is disabled until you restart the PC, and continued failures add waiting periods. Stop guessing at that point and use I forgot my PIN or your password.
The PC belongs to your work or school
On managed devices, PIN rules and PIN reset are controlled by the organization through Windows Hello for Business. Microsoft’s documentation notes that some of these resets need a connection to the organization’s network. If the reset fails or the options are unavailable, contact your IT help desk instead of trying workarounds.
The verification step does not finish
Check that the PC is online, then try again. If your Microsoft account password is rejected, reset the password first using the steps above, then return to the PIN reset.
The PIN was removed and you need a new one
In Sign-in options, select PIN (Windows Hello), choose Set up, and follow the instructions to create a PIN.
Frequently asked questions
Will resetting my Windows 10 PIN delete my files?
No. A PIN reset replaces only the PIN used to sign in on this PC. Documents, apps, and settings are not part of the process.
Does resetting the PIN change my Microsoft account password?
No. Microsoft treats them as separate credentials. You use the password to prove who you are during the reset, and it stays the same afterward.
Can I reset the PIN on a local account?
Not from the sign-in screen. Sign in with the local account password and use Sign-in options in Settings. If you forgot that password too, reset it with your security questions first.
Why is a PIN considered safe if it is shorter than a password?
According to Microsoft, a Windows Hello PIN is tied to the specific device, is never transmitted to a server, and is backed by the PC’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a security chip. Someone who learns the PIN would also need the PC itself.
Is Windows 10 still supported?
Microsoft’s lifecycle page lists October 14, 2025 as the end of support for Windows 10. The PIN reset steps are unchanged, but keep the support status in mind if you rely on this PC every day.
Where is Microsoft’s own documentation for this?
The procedure is covered in Microsoft Support’s Change or reset your PIN in Windows, and the password steps are in Change or reset your Windows password.
Once the new PIN works, make sure you also know your account password, because it is the key to every future PIN reset on this PC.
Related: how to remove your PIN in Windows 11.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.