How to Switch Login method from PIN to Password

Windows Hello provides more than one way to access your Windows 10 account which also includes PIN and Password. Password and PIN are very similar with the exception in the latter that you can only use numbers for a PIN. However, the PIN method is more secure as it is tied to the specific device on which that PIN was setup. If the user tries to access the same account from a different device they will have to set up Hello on that device too. But some users prefer to use a password instead of a PIN because it can contain alphabetic characters and is thus easy to remember.

Microsoft has also configured the security settings on Windows 10 in such a way that if a user sets up a PIN for using with just one application then it is also set as the default Log On method instead of a password and some users do not want that. You can follow the below steps to change your Login method from PIN to Password.

Set Default Sign-In Option As Password

If you have set both PIN and Password for your system then the system might ask you to use the PIN at the Log-In screen and then you have to click Sign-In options every time to use your password for login instead of a PIN, you can change this by following the steps below.

1. First, you need to find out your security Identifier (SID) associated with your current Windows Account. Press Windows key + X on your keyboard, and then click on Windows Power Shell (admin)
   
   
2. Type in the command wmic_useraccount_get name,sid
   
   
3. Now press Windows Key + R and enter Regedit in the Registry and press Enter to open it.
4. Navigate to the following Registry key

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\UserTile

   
5. Double-click on your account’s SID on the right-pane
6. In the Edit String Dialog Box, copy and paste one of the following GUIDs into the Value box and click Ok.  In this example, we will paste the GUID for Password because we want to set this as the default login method, if you prefer any other method copy and paste the GUID for that method.
   • PIN: {D6886603-9D2F-4EB2-B667-1971041FA96B}
   • Picture Logon: {2135F72A-90B5-4ED3-A7F1-8BB705AC276A}
   • Password: {60B78E88-EAD8-445C-9CFD-0B87F74EA6CD}
   • Microsoft Account: {F8A0B131-5F68-486C-8040-7E8FC3C85BB6}
   • Fingerprint Logon: {BEC09223-B018-416D-A0AC-523971B639F5}
7. Now close the Registry Editor and Restart your system. You see will your preferred Sign-In option set as default at the Log-In screen.

Remove the PIN Password

If you prefer your default Login method to be password then you can simply remove the PIN that you have set up in your system. Once you remove the PIN you will no longer require it to Sign-In instead you will need your account password to access the desktop.

1. Click on the Windows Menu button (Start button) and click the Settings icon (the gear icon)
2. Click on the Account Icon
3. In the menu on the left side-pane click on Sign-in options
   
   
4. Under PIN click remove and then click remove again
5. You will be prompted to enter your Account Password, enter and click Ok

Change The Pin To Use Letters And Symbols

If you do not like your PIN having just numeric digits in it you can change it to include Letters and Symbols in it as well so you can use it just like a normal password without having to worry about removing or switching to the Password option.

1. Click on the Windows Menu button (Start button)  and click the Settings icon (the gear icon)
2. Click on the Account Icon
3. In the menu on the left side-pane click on Sign-in options
   
4. Under PIN click change
5. Select the check box that says user letters and symbols and Click Ok