Surface won't let me log in "Your PIN is no longer available due to a change in security settings."

Anonymous
2018-06-11T15:32:25+00:00

Greetings,

I have a Surface Pro running Windows 10.  When I opened it this morning Hello did not recognize me and said "Your PIN is required to sign in."  When I tried to put my PIN in it says "Your PIN is no longer available due to a change in security settings..."  I have not created a USB boot drive.  How do I get logged in?

**Moved to Windows Hello as this is not a problem with the Surface**

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows Hello, lock screen and sign-in

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
2018-07-01T16:34:05+00:00

I had this same issue on a family member's computer. I chatted with Microsoft and the only way we could get it fixed was a system reset. I'd say try a restore if you have a restore point first. This was a fairly new computer (Surface Laptop purchased a month ago). After the reset, facial recognition started working again as did the option for a PIN.

Reset this PC.

  1. From the sign-in screen, press and hold the shift key on the keyboard, select the power icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, and then select Restart. Keep holding the shift key until the device restarts and the Choose an option screen appears on a blue background.
  2. Once Windows Recovery loads, release the shift button, and then select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Reset this PC> Keep my files.
  3. You should now be able to sign-in again.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-11-02T10:21:25+00:00

    I have exactly the same issue. 

    Microsoft, please, repair your authentication protocol. It is unacceptable and a shame that users are logged out from their own computer, and for me, do a factory reset is not an option.

    I logged in to my computer with PIN and Face recognition for almost a year, suddenly on Saturday 13th October 2018, when I try to log in with the PIN I get the message "Your password was changed in another device. Please login with the new password". I do not have another device, I did not change my password, obviously this is the start of reading hundreds of messages from users in the same situation. I can not login with PIN and Face because I am supposed to enter the new password. Let's suppose a hacker did it. Isn't it ridiculous that me, in my computer, with the same IP address, with my FACE and PIN, with the mobile number that receives the code to reset the windows live password, can not log in ? something is missing in the authentication protocol, please solve it in your next update.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-10-22T09:51:11+00:00

    I am having the exact same issue. Surely this cant be for real? I just want to unlock my surface with a pin like can be done with every other tablet in the world and I need to get a programming degree to make it happen?

    I took a chance moving to a surface from an iPad and am already regretting it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-10-17T16:47:32+00:00

    Thank you! I was able to get my Surface Go running again.  I must have turned it off when it was updating which caused this issue, though if it happens again it goes back to Best Buy.  It was running so slowly, hopefully it will now run as it should after I patiently wait for it to update things.  Cheers.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-09-17T22:05:12+00:00

    Hi BettyDar,

    I'm Nathan, a fellow Microsoft customer and expert user here to help.

    If you are unable to sign in with your password, enabling the built in administrator account is an option:

    • Hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking the Power button on the screen (while on the login screen)
    • Continue to hold down the shift key while clicking Restart
    • Continue to hold down the shift key until the Advanced Recovery Options menu appears
    • Click Troubleshoot
    • Click Advanced options
    • Click Command Prompt
    • At the command prompt, enter: net user administrator /active:yes
    • Close command prompt, and restart
    • You should now see an Administrator account you can select (this has no password)

    If you can login successfully to this account, please follow the next set of instructions on how to reset your user password:

    • Open Command Prompt as administrator (search for it within the Windows start menu > right-click > run as administrator)
    • Enter: net user
    • This will list the users on your computer, note down the one you want to change
    • Enter: net user <username here> <enter new password here> (Note: do not include the < and > symbols)

    Log out of the current administrator account, and try login in to your account with the recently set password.

    Please let me know how this goes.

    Hope this helps,

    Nathan

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