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

Anonymous

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.

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

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:

Open the Settings app, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.
Select Sign-in options on the left side, and click/tap on the Remove button under PIN on the right side.
Click/tap on Remove to confirm.
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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141 additional answers

Anonymous

2018-06-15T20:57:29+00:00

My problem was with a new install of windows 10 pro. During the install it wanted me to create a pin and gave me no choice. Create a pin then back or escape did nothing except take you to a screen that said we think you will like it. With the only choice to create a pin no way to cancel. If I didn't create a pin I could not install windows. I got mad and started clicking create pin and then cancel over and over again rapidly. It finally came up with a error screen allowing me to by pass it. I have not yet had the problem of restarting my computers and getting this create pin every body is talking about after this last update.
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Anonymous

2018-06-15T18:22:16+00:00
This isn't a bug. Microsoft is trying to force users to use a PIN by purposefully designing the set-up process to make it difficult to skip PIN creation.

To skip the PIN creation in the latest Windows 10 install:

Click "Set a PIN"

Press back/Escape

The system will ask you if you wanted to cancel the PIN creation process. Say yes and click "Do This Later".
This works temporarily but now I have to go to through the process each time I log in. Also, this wasn't in installation for me, it was after an update. It just started happening this week.
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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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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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