Bug that forces you to set a pin when installing Windows 10

Anonymous
2018-01-05T17:52:41+00:00

You guys might want to step up your testing efforts. This is a pretty obvious bug IMO. To be clear, I want to use my password and not a pin. But the UI says, "We think you will like it."... well I don't. Normally there is an option to set a pin later.... Well, this goes away permanently if you initially try to authenticate using the Windows Authenticator app.

I am prompted to set a pin, with no button to skip or proceed without one. If I bring up the dialog and cancel, that doesn't help either... You are basically stuck on that screen. I can't finish the installation because the only option to proceed is to create a pin which will replace my password -- I don't want to do that. 

So to be clear:

Install Windows 10 and enter your name and password during installation... You can skip setting a pin.

Install Windows 10 and enter your name and then select authenticate with the authenticator... I successfully authenticate and then I am asked to set a pin. The option to skip is not there as in the first scenario. Starting the process over and entering a password instead does not help. It seems the option to skip is never available again. The only thing I could do was to wipe the install and start over.

Sure I could have set a pin and removed it later, but I didn't want to do that. I don't want it messing with my login. 

Also asking me to file an issue on connect is not going to happen -- sorry. If you guys want to take the time to file it, then go for it. Hopefully you guys will investigate.

Ironically even this forum has a bug... When you edit an issue -- it resets the Windows version and topic.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2018-05-11T22:28:29+00:00

Hi Arap,

Setting up a pin on your device makes it more secured. One important difference between a password and a Hello PIN is that the PIN is tied to the specific device on which it was set up. Read more in this documentation:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-protection/hello-for-business/hello-why-pin-is-better-than-password

Thus, you still have option to remove it once you've done setting it up for the first time. Kindly follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings app, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.
  2. Select Sign-in options on the left side, and click/tap on the Remove button under PIN on the right side.
  3. Click/tap on Remove to confirm.
  4. Type in your Microsoft account password to verify, and click/tap on OK.

Additionally, you can refer answers mentioned in this thread:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/i-dont-want-a-pin-number/902c5b3d-42d4-4fc8-b34e-71200e0b362d

Let us know how it turns out.

Note: Microsoft has updated the information in this reply to benefit users facing this issue.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-06-14T21:57:23+00:00

    I ran into this very problem this week with our household computers. Dad's is a 2013 desktop, Mom's is a laptop bought last week, and mine is a three year old laptop. All are HP brand computers. Quite simply, I do not want to give you a PIN, folks. It might be more convenient for you, but it isn't for me. Or my parents. It seems to us that you are making things very much easier for hackers to get our information; after all, choosing a PIN from a logarithm HAS to be easier than a password with letters AND numbers, right? Most folks will want to choose something easy to remember. Maybe you would like the same PIN I use for my banking? Sure, why not, I'll just give you that. You've certainly made it impossible to do much else, and those of us who would prefer to keep our computers safe with a password certainly don't have any options. I used the "letters and numbers" option when I was forced to choose a PIN this week, and I input my old password just because I was feeling grumpy at the dictatorial way you've designed this new software. Tonight, my computer barely gave me access unless I practically promised to create a new PIN before I shut this thing down for the night. If I can find a way to thumb my nose at this new design flaw, I will do it in numbers for you, Microsoft.  <Removed Inappropriate Content>

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-06-12T18:15:35+00:00

    I have the same problem, I do NOT want to set a PIN or use a PIN - but the install gives me no other option. I'm helping a person reinstall Windows and set up the machine "as it was previously", the previous machine had no PIN and I don't want to set a PIN on another person's machine!

    What is this.

    EDIT: If you just set a PIN anyway, then remove it afterwards -- it will force you to set a new one AGAIN after the next reboot. The only solution I found was to use a local account instead of a Microsoft account, which is counter to what MS wants. Sometimes I really struggle to make sense of MS.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-06-11T08:54:03+00:00

    Setting up a pin on your computer will be much more secured especially when you're using a Microsoft account. Thus, the only option is to add, change and remove a pin in Windows 10. 

    Feel free to get back to us if you need further assistance. 

    This policy is ridiculous and does not keep the the end user in mind. I dont want "further assistance" - I want the option of not creating a PIN. Why force me to create one if I can just delete it later?

    This sort of thing is becoming all too common with Microsoft. Im seriously considering just getting Linux to avoid all this.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-06-11T06:47:55+00:00

    Am I right in thinking that the PIN is only 'more secure' because Microsoft has forced people to start providing and using email addresses as log in credentials when you create  a new account?  So to hack into your computer, all any hacker now needs are you email details and password, as opposed to having to know your User account details, which previously could have been absolutely anything?

    You now cannot create any user account on your own personal equipment unless you provide an email address and create a Microsoft account.   If you say that you don't have an email account, Microsoft "helpfully" forces you to set up an Outlook email account.

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