PIN will not work. PIN glitch needs fixed.

Hello Gary Ruegg!

Thank you for joining the Q&A forum.

From what you described, I understand you’re experiencing an issue where your Windows PIN no longer works, even though you’re sure the PIN is correct. Before suggesting any solutions, I’d like to ask a few questions to better narrow down the cause:

1. Are you still able to sign in to Windows using other methods (for example, password instead of PIN)?
2. Is this device connected to any work or school account?
3. Have there been any recent changes, such as Windows updates or changes to system settings, before this issue started?
4. What is the exact error message shown on the sign‑in screen?

If possible, please share a picture of the error message (make sure to hide any personal or sensitive information for security).

I look forward to your response so we could determine the best next steps!

Yours sincerely.

Follow these steps in order on the Windows 11 PC to fix a non-working PIN, even if the PIN is known:

1. Try basic PIN recovery first
   On the sign-in screen, under the PIN box, select I forgot my PIN and follow the prompts. This is the supported way to reset a broken Windows Hello PIN. If this works, the PIN will be recreated and sign-in should succeed.
2. If the PIN keeps failing, sign in another way and reset it
   If possible, sign in with:
   • Password, or
   • Another Windows Hello method (fingerprint/face) if configured.
   Then do the following:
   1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
   2. Under PIN (Windows Hello) choose I forgot my PIN and complete the reset flow.
3. If prompted to create a PIN again or errors appear during PIN setup
   Windows Hello can sometimes prompt to create a PIN again after updates or internal errors. Use these mitigations:
   1. Try to create the PIN again.
   2. Sign out, sign back in, and try to create the PIN again.
   3. Reboot the device and try again.
   4. If joined to an organization (work/school) and you see specific error codes during PIN creation, follow the matching mitigation from the error table (for example, unjoin and rejoin Microsoft Entra ID, or prepare/reset the TPM as documented).
4. If Windows Hello options (including PIN) are generally unreliable
   For persistent Windows Hello issues (PIN and biometrics), remove and re-add the non-working sign-in methods:
   1. Sign in with password.
   2. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
   3. Under PIN (Windows Hello), remove or reset the PIN using I forgot my PIN.
   4. If using fingerprint or face, remove those as well, then set them up again.
5. If still unable to sign in at all
   If the PIN cannot be reset and password also fails, use the general Windows sign-in troubleshooting guidance, including:
   • Resetting the PIN using the documented flow.
   • Resetting or changing the Windows password.
   • Fixing a corrupted user profile if sign-in errors indicate profile issues.

If none of these steps resolve the problem and the device is not managed by an organization, the remaining supported option is often to back up data (if possible) and perform a Windows reset or clean install, as seen in similar cases where no PIN or password workaround succeeded.

References:

• Windows Hello common issues and troubleshooting tips
• Windows Hello errors during PIN creation
• Troubleshoot problems with Windows Hello on Surface
• Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security
• Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows
• Stuck in an infinite loop involving the PIN - Microsoft Q&A
• Unable to log in to Dell Rugged Laptop - Microsoft Q&A