When we turn on the computer, or block the session on the PC, Windows asks us for the PIN code before continuing. Of course, in order to use it we must have previously configured it, either during the installation of the operating system (since it will ask us if we want to configure it from here) or later, from the equipment Configuration menu.
Thanks to this PIN, and Windows Hello in general, Microsoft wants to make users less and less dependent on passwords (at least, to log in to the PC) while keeping computers safe and secure. In this way, we can take into account a strong and strong password in Outlook, while to log in to Windows we do not have to type it over and over again. The PIN offers us the same security that the password can offer us. We can even establish a mini-password by combining numbers and characters in this PIN. If we add to this the fingerprint and facial recognition functions, we are facing a great security measure for the PC.
In addition, if we do not know the PIN, or it does not work, we can still log in using the password of our account from the login options.
There is no mystery to how Windows Hello works: either we enter the code correctly to enter the PC, or we don’t. Simple as that. However, there are times when users may encounter problems logging into the PC, and one of the most common is that the PIN, for whatever reason, is not available.
Reasons why the PIN is not available
There are several reasons why we may have trouble signing in to the PC using our Windows Hello PIN code. The most frequent is usually related to Windows updates. An update may have failed to install, or even installed incorrectly, and therefore the use of this code has been blocked.
It is also common for it to fail due to a permissions problem. Windows uses a rather complex system of internal permissions in which SYSTEM it has the highest privilege level, yet no one can access it. Therefore, if something goes wrong with any directory created by SYSTEM, we may not be able to read its contents. And if it happens with the directory where the information of windows hellothen we won’t be able to use it.
Of course, it may also be that the reason why we cannot log in is that we have malware on the PC. And even that a person has tried to start many times by entering the wrong code and, therefore, in the end the computer has been blocked.
At the same time, we must take into account that on certain occasions this error in Windows can be caused by some type of malware that has reached us. It must be taken into account that the aforementioned PIN is currently being used more and more as an authentication system for the operating system. This means that potential attackers can focus on the aforementioned method in order to try to gain control of the computer itself.
Therefore, in the event that we cannot access this device authentication method, it may be due to some type of virus that has arrived without us noticing to the PC. Hence precisely the importance that we have mentioned so many times of keeping an antivirus installed and correctly updated on our computer. In fact, Windows itself offers us its security solution in order to keep both the functions included and the data stored on our PC safe.
For whatever reason, resetting the Windows PIN files almost always fixes it. And then we explain how to do it.
How to fix the error
Whatever the reason why we have encountered this bug in the Microsoft operating system, below, we are going to talk about the easiest way to try to solve it. In addition, at first we will not have to use third-party software solutions and it will be worth it with the functions integrated into the operating system itself, as we will see.
In order to solve this error, we must log in to the PC with Administrator permissions. Otherwise, we won’t be able to do anything. If our account has Administrator permissions, we can use another login method (for example, the Microsoft account password) to enter without having to go through Windows Hello.
Once inside, we will open a Windows File Explorer window, and first of all, we will open the “View” tab to check the box show hidden items of the hard drive.
Once these files are displayed, we must enter our main hard drive and navigate to the Windows > ServiceProfiles > LocalService > AppData > Local > Microsoft directory. Here we will find a folder called “Ngc”, which saves the information related to the Windows 10 PIN, or Windows 11.
For security reasons, we will not be able to enter or delete this folder. This is because its privilege level is SYSTEM, higher than our Administrator Account. What we are going to be able to do is modify its permissions so that all users can read the information that is in it so that the Windows PIN will work again. To do this, we click with the right mouse button on it to open the window «Properties«. Once in it, we go to the tab «Security“, and there we click on the button”Advanced Options«.
Now we can see the advanced security settings window for the folder. It is where the user’s permissions on it and its owner are displayed. In section “Owner» We click on «Change».
Next, we can see the Windows user and group options window. The first thing we will do is select «object type» to make sure all the items in there are checked. Now, we will write the name at the bottom and click on «check names» so that Windows detects the internal name of the user and we can work with it.
We click accept and that’s it. Now, when we return to the previous window, we will see how Windows has detected the change in the owner’s name. Next, we need to make sure to check the box for “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects» which appears just below.
Finally, we click Apply and OK so that all the changes are saved and applied to our PC.
We have already changed the permissions of the Ngc folder that we have talked about before. Therefore, since we are now the authors of it, we will be able to edit it. We simply have to enter by double clicking and delete everything that is inside this folder. This will erase everything related to the PIN from our Windows. And then we restart the computer.
Finally, we simply have to go back to the Windows Configuration menu and create a new PIN from the Windows Hello options. This new PIN will save your new information back into the Ngc directory. Thus, when we close or block the session, we can start it again without problems.
Of course, once the new PIN is configured on the computer, we must scan the entire computer with a good antivirus so that if there is any type of threat or malware on the PC, it can be detected and removed before it is too late. .
And it is that, as we mentioned before, this is a failure that can be caused by some type of malicious code that has suddenly reached the computer. Therefore, to prevent it from happening again and we lose this option to identify ourselves in the Microsoft system again, the best thing we can do is carry out a complete analysis with the corresponding security solution that we use regularly.
Use Registry Editor
Another option that we have available to be able to solve the Windows PIN error is to make a small modification in the Windows Registry Editor. However, this step is reserved for advanced users, since any bad change we make to the registry can cause stability problems in the system. But do not fear, in these moments we are going to tell you clearly which are the entries that you must modify in the registry so that you do not have problems in the future.
To do this, the first thing will be to press the Windows + R key combination to launch the Run command. Here, we type regedit and click OK. Once opened, we must make a backup before making any changes. To do this, click on “File” and “Export”. We then specify Everything in the export range, give it a name, select the .reg format, and click “Save.”
Next, we navigate to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE /Policies /Microsoft /Windows /System
Now right-click on the right panel and select New and DWORD (32-bit). we name it AllowDomainPINLogon. If it already exists, we skip this step.
Finally, we double click on AllowDomainPINLogon and change its data from value to 1.
We close the editor so that the changes are saved and check if this solves the problem with the PIN.
reset PIN
We access the Settings menu and click on the Accounts section. Here we select the section of login optionslater in PIN (Windows Hello) and finally in Settings.
To continue, it will ask us to enter our password and finally we can establish a new PIN and confirm it. Once this is done, the only thing left to do is restart the computer and once it has restarted we should be able to enter the PIN during the login.
Delete the last update
Windows, like Linux and macOS, are not perfect operating systems, nor are they close to being. Although it is true that macOS has always been characterized by a more stable operating system, this is because this operating system is designed to be used on very specific hardware, so that possible performance problems are reduced to a minimum. , incompatibility and operation in general.
However, Windows is designed to work with billions of computers, all of them completely different from each other. Due to its operation, it is possible that, for some equipment, the updates they don’t feel good at all and they can choke.
Taking this particularity into account, every time we have a problem in Windows, before restoring to a previous version (as we show you in the next section), it is advisable to remove the latest update that has been installed on the computer, to check if the problem that the computer presents with the PIN is in it.
To uninstall the latest Windows update, we access the Windows configuration options (Windows + i) and click on Updates and security. In this section, in the section on the right, click on the option View update history.
Next, a new window will open where we can…