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If you encounter the problem “Your PIN is no longer available due to a change to the security settings on this device” after updating the BIOS, continue reading below to fix it.
Symptom: After making a major change to your computer hardware (eg CPU change or BIOS update), you can’t log in to your Windows 11/10 PC using PIN due to one of the following errors:
- Your PIN is no longer available due to a change in your security settings on this device, click to reset PIN.
- Something happened and your PIN isn’t available. Click to set up your PIN again.
How to FIX: Your PIN is no longer available or Your PIN isn’t available in Windows 11/10.
Below you will find various methods to solve login problems when your PIN is not available in Windows 10/11 after BIOS or Windows update.*
* Note: If the PIN login problem occurred after rebooting in “diagnostic startup” mode, read this guide: FIX: Can’t login with PIN in Diagnostic Startup mode.
Method 1. Enable TPM in BIOS.
One reason why you might get the error “Something happened and your PIN is not available” is when the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) device is disabled in the BIOS. Therefore, before proceeding further, make sure that this is not the case and that TPM is enabled. To do that:
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Power on you PC again and press the corresponding key* (e.g. Del, F2, F10, etc.) to enter in BIOS configuration menu.
* Note: The way to enter in BIOS varies by manufacturer. If you don’t know how to enter in BIOS, read this article or the instructions on your device/motherboard manufacturer’s support website.
3. Look in the BIOS settings to locate the TPM device and then enable it if it is disabled.
* Note: The location of the TPM settings in the BIOS varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. If you cannot find the TPM setting according to the instructions below, refer to the manufacturer’s user manual.
- To enable TPM on Gigabyte motherboards with Intel Processors:
- Change to Advanced Mode (Press F2), then go to Settings and set the Intel Trusted Technology (PPT) to Enabled.
- To enable TPM on Gigabyte motherboards with AMD Processors:
- Change to Advanced Mode (Press F2) then find in Settings > Miscellaneous the AMD CPU fTPM setting and set it to Enabled.
- To enable TPM on ASUS motherboards with Intel or AMD Processors:
- Change to Advanced Mode (Press F7), select Advanced then click Trusted Computing and set the Security Device Support to Enabled.
- To enable TPM on MSI motherboards with Intel or AMD Processors:
- Change to Advanced Mode (Press F7), select Settings then go to Security and set the Security Device Support to Enabled.
- Then proceed and disable also the AMD CPU fTPM.
- To enable TPM on HP Computers (desktops or laptops):
- Select Security then click TP Emended Security and set the TPM Device to Available.
- To disable TPM on DELL computers:
- Select Security > TPM Security > then check the TPM 2.0 (or set the TPM device to On)
5. After enabling the TPM, Save and Exit from BIOS settings and check if you can login to Windows normally, using your PIN.
Method 2. Login to Windows using your Password.
Another method to fix the mentioned problem, is to use your account password to login to Windows. To do that:
1. In the login screen, click Sign-in options *
* Note: If the “Sign-in options” option is not available or does nothing when you select it, go to the next method.
2. Then click the Key icon.
3. Finally, type your password* and hit Enter to login to Windows.
* Notes:
1. If you’re using a Microsoft Account make sure that your PC is connected to Internet and type your MS account password.
2. If you don’t remember your MS account password, then use another computer or device (eg your smartphone or tablet) and Reset your Microsoft Account password. Then restart the PC and login with the new password. If you still can’t login, skip to Method-4.
4. After signing in to Windows, navigate to Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign in options.
5. Click PIN (Windows Hello) and then click Change PIN to setup a new PIN* or Remove to remove the PIN sign-in option.
5. Restart you PC to verify that the problem is fixed.
* Note: If after changing the PIN, you still face the same error/problem, make sure that the TPM device is enabled in BIOS (see Method-1 above).
Method 3. Disable PasswordLess Sign in.
The latest versions of Windows 10/11 have the “Password-less Sign-in” enabled by default, which allows users to sign in using only their PIN, Fingerprint, or Windows Hello Face. As a result of that, the option to type a “Password” is removed from the login screen.
So, another method to bypass the “Your PIN is not available” problem is to force Windows to allow you to log in with a password as well by disabling the “Passwordless sign in”. To do this:
1. Hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and then go to Power and click Restart, to force Windows to boot into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
2. In WinRE, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options and click Command prompt
3. In command prompt window, type “regedit” and press Enter.
4. In ‘Registry Editor’ window, select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key, and then click on File menu and choose Load Hive.
5a. In “Load Hive” window, click the down-arrow next to ‘Look in’ and select the “Local Disk (C:)” under “This PC“.
5b. Then navigate to this folder: C:WindowsSystem32config
5c. Select the “SOFTWARE” file and click Open.
5d. Then type “NewKey” as name and hit OK.
6. Now navigate to this location:
-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINENewKeyMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPasswordLessDevice
7a. Then, open the “DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion” REG_DWORD.
7b. Change the value data from “2” to “0” and click OK.*
* Note: A value of “0” will force Windows to allow you to log in using your password and not just your PIN.
8. When done, select on the left the “NewKey” and from the File menu choose Unload Hive. Then click Yes to unload the key.
9. Finally close the Registry Editor and the Command Prompt window and click Continue to Windows to load Windows (or turn off and turn on your PC again)
10. After restarting, click Sign in options, then click the “key” icon and type your account password to login to Windows. (see Method-2 above).
Method 4. Gain Access to Windows using “Administrator” account.
Another method to gain access to your Windows 11/10 PC if you can’t login using your PIN or Password, is by using the hidden “administrator” account. To this, follow the steps below:
Step 1. Enable Hidden Admin Account.
1. Follow the instructions in this article to enable the hidden “Administrator” account by modifying the Windows Registry offline.
Step 2. Login to Windows using the Administrator account.
1. After activating the “Administrator” account, restart your computer and on the login screen, click the “Administrator” user to login in Windows.
2. After signing in to Windows and depending on your User account type (Local Account or Microsoft Account), follow the instructions in the corresponding section below.
1. Local Account.
If case you’re using a Local account and you can’t login to Windows using your PIN or Password, do the following:
1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open the Run command box.
2. Type the following command and press Enter.
- control userpasswords2
3. Select your account Username and click Reset Password.
4. Leave the password boxes empty if you do not want to specify a password at this time and click OK & OK to apply the change. *
* Note: If you want to set a password, enter a new (different) password than the one you used in the past.
5. Now, right-click to Start menu and go to Shut down or sign out menu and click Sign Out.
6. Click on your user account and then click Sign-in options.
7. Now click the “Key” icon.
8. Finally, just press Enter if you haven’t set a password for the user, or type the password and press Enter.
9. After entering Windows, navigate to Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign in options > PIN (Windows Hello). There, choose to either remove or set a new PIN and you’re done!*
* Suggestion: Once you have access to your account, go ahead and disable the “Administrator” account to avoid security risks. To do that, open Command Prompt as administrator and give this command:
- net user administrator /active:no
Microsoft Account.
If case you’re using a Microsoft account and you can’t login to Windows using your PIN or your Microsoft account password, then your only option is to create a new Local account and then to transfer all your files from your Microsoft account user profile to your Local Account user profile. To do this:
1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open the Run command box.
2. Type the following command and press Enter.
- control userpasswords2
3. In ‘User Accounts’ click Add.
4. At the first screen, select Sign in without a Microsoft account (not recommended) to create new a Local Account.
5. Click Local account.
6. Type a username and a password (optional) and click Next to create the new account and then click Finish.
7. At ‘User Accounts’ window, select the new account you created and click Properties.
8. At Group Membership tab, select Administrator to add the user to Administrators group and click OK & OK again to apply the changes.
9. Now, right-click to Start menu and go to Shut down or sign out menu and click Sign Out.
10. On the login screen, select the new account and then click Sign in.
11 Wait for Windows to create the new user profile. When this done, open the File Explorer and then open the “C:Users” folder.
12. Inside “C:Users” locate which profile folder contains your files and double-click on it.
13. Click Continue at the message that says “You do not currently have permission to access this folder” and then wait some minutes for Windows to open the folder.
14. Finally, move all your files from the profile folder of your Microsoft account to the profile folder of your new local account, or backup the files to an external (USB) storage device and proceed to clean install Windows.
* Suggestion: Once transferring all your files to the new account, go ahead and disable the “Administrator” account to avoid security risks. To do that, open Command Prompt as administrator and give this command:
- net user administrator /active:no
That’s it! Which method worked for you?
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
