The Remove button under PIN (Windows Hello) is greyed out in Windows 11, so you can’t get rid of a PIN you no longer want. A frequent cause on personal PCs is a toggle called “Only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device,” and turning it off makes Remove clickable again.
Quick Reference: Remove Windows Hello PIN in Windows 11
| Situation | What to do | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Remove is clickable | Click it, confirm, enter your password | Fix #1, Fix #4 |
| Remove is greyed out on a personal PC | Turn off the Microsoft-accounts-only toggle | Fix #2 |
| You’re not sure your password still works | Test password sign-in at the lock screen first | Fix #3 |
| Remove is still greyed out after Fix #2 | Check for a connected work or school account | Fix #5 |
| You just want a different PIN | Use Change PIN instead of removing it | Configuration section |
What Is the Windows Hello PIN?
The Windows Hello PIN is a numeric (or alphanumeric) code that signs you in to one specific PC instead of your full account password. It lives in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, under Ways to sign in, next to facial recognition and fingerprint sign-in. Microsoft documents these options on its Sign-in options in Windows and Configure Windows Hello support pages.
Removing the PIN is a different task from resetting a forgotten one. Removal deletes a PIN you know and still have access to. If you can’t remember your PIN, follow Microsoft’s steps to change or reset your Windows Hello PIN instead. If the PIN throws an error, see our fix for Windows Hello PIN error 0x80090016 and 0x80090027.
Before You Begin
Check these off before you touch anything. The third item is the one that prevents a lockout.
- You’re on Windows 11 (the same path generally works on Windows 10)
- A Windows Hello PIN is already set up on this PC
- You know the password for the account you sign in with, Microsoft account or local
- You know whether this is a personal PC or a work/school device managed by an IT department
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Device | Any Windows 11 PC with a PIN configured |
| OS version | Windows 11 (Windows 10 uses a similar path) |
| Account password | Required to confirm the removal |
| Admin rights | Not needed on a personal, unmanaged PC |
| Managed devices | Work/school PCs may need IT approval |
Warning: Don’t remove the PIN until you’ve confirmed password sign-in works (Fix #3). If the PIN is your only working sign-in method and your password is wrong or blocked, you can lock yourself out. Always keep at least one sign-in method you know works, and on a work or school PC, don’t disconnect an organization account without IT approval.
Fix #1: Open Sign-in Options and Check the Remove Button
Start here. On a lot of PCs, Remove is already clickable and you can skip straight to Fix #3 and Fix #4.
- Press
Windows + Ito open Settings. - Select Accounts in the left sidebar.
- Click Sign-in options.
- Under Ways to sign in, click PIN (Windows Hello) to expand it.
- Look at the Remove button next to Change PIN.
Expected result: If Remove is clickable, jump to Fix #3. If it’s greyed out, continue to Fix #2.
Tip: Faster path. Press
Windows + R, typems-settings:signinoptions, and pressEnter. This is one of Windows’ known Settings URI shortcuts, and on most Windows 11 builds it opens the Sign-in options page directly, which is handy when you’re talking someone through this over the phone.
Fix #2: Turn Off “Only Allow Windows Hello Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts on This Device”
This toggle is one common reason Remove is greyed out. When it’s on, Windows disables password sign-in for your Microsoft account on this PC. With password sign-in turned off, Windows can keep Remove greyed out so you aren’t left without a way to sign in, though other policies or device configurations can cause the same symptom.
The toggle only affects Microsoft accounts. If you sign in with a local account, it doesn’t apply to you: continue with Fix #3 to confirm your password works, and see Fix #5 if Remove stays greyed out.
- Stay on Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Scroll down to the Additional settings section.
- Find the toggle labeled Only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device. On some builds, the label reads For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device. Some users have also reported a variant worded Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts.
- Switch the toggle to Off.
- Scroll back up and expand PIN (Windows Hello) again.
- If Remove still looks greyed out, close Settings and reopen it with
ms-settings:signinoptions.
Expected result: Remove is now clickable. Password sign-in is also available again for your Microsoft account, which you’ll test next.
Microsoft describes this toggle on its Sign-in options in Windows page. Note that the page says available settings “may vary based on the configuration of your device,” so don’t panic if your layout looks slightly different.
Fix #3: Test Password Sign-in Before You Remove Anything
This step takes 30 seconds and is the cheapest insurance in this whole article. You’re proving the password works while the PIN is still there as a fallback.
- Save any open work.
- Press
Windows + Lto lock the PC. - On the sign-in screen, click Sign-in options below the PIN box.
- Select the password option (the key icon).
- Type your account password and press
Enter.
Expected result: You land back on your desktop. If the password option is missing, go back to Fix #2 and confirm the toggle is off. If the password is rejected, sign in with your PIN and sort out the password first. For a Microsoft account, reset it through Microsoft’s account recovery. For a local account, change it under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Password.
Don’t move on until a password sign-in succeeds.
Fix #4: Remove the PIN and Confirm With Your Password
Now the actual removal. Windows typically asks you to verify your identity before it removes the PIN, usually with your account password, so have it ready.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Expand PIN (Windows Hello).
- Click Remove.
- Read the warning Windows shows about removing the PIN, then click Remove again to confirm.
- When the verification prompt appears, enter what it asks for, typically your Microsoft account password or local account password.
- Click OK.
Expected result: The PIN (Windows Hello) section now shows a Set up button instead of Change PIN and Remove. The next time you lock the PC or restart, Windows offers your password, or any other sign-in method you still have set up, such as a security key or biometrics.
Fix #5: Check for a Work or School Account on Managed PCs
If Remove is still greyed out after Fix #2, or you’re on a local account and it was never clickable, an organization’s policy may be requiring the PIN. This is common on PCs from an employer or school.
- Press
Windows + R, typems-settings:workplace, and pressEnter. This opens Settings > Accounts > Access work or school. - Look for a connected organization account in the list.
- If an account is listed, contact your IT department and ask whether PIN sign-in is required by policy.
- Only click Disconnect if you own the PC, have permission, and understand what you lose.
Expected result: Either IT lifts the requirement, or you confirm the PIN is mandatory on this device. Disconnecting a work or school account can cut off access to company email, files, and apps, so don’t treat it as a shortcut. A Microsoft Learn Answers thread on work/school PIN removal describes the same limitation.
I’d skip any registry or Group Policy “fix” you find online for this. On a managed PC, the policy usually comes back from the organization anyway, and on a home PC, Fix #2 is all you need.
Configuration: What Changes After You Remove the PIN
Password becomes your default sign-in
With the PIN gone, the sign-in screen asks for your account password. For a Microsoft account, that’s your full Microsoft account password, so a long one gets tedious fast. A password manager helps you keep it strong without retyping it in a dozen places, though you’ll still type it at the Windows sign-in screen.
Face and fingerprint sign-in may need a check
Microsoft’s documentation lists face, fingerprint, and PIN as separate Windows Hello sign-in options, and what’s available varies by device configuration. It’s still worth a quick check after you remove the PIN.
Open the Sign-in options page and look at facial recognition and fingerprint sign-in. If either one no longer works or shows Set up, follow Windows’ prompts to set it up again.
If you use an external Windows Hello webcam or a USB fingerprint reader, the Sign in with an external camera or fingerprint reader toggle in Additional settings relates to Enhanced Sign-in Security. In most configurations, this toggle doesn’t control PIN removal, so leave it alone for this task.
For biometric problems in general, see Microsoft’s Windows Hello common issues and troubleshooting tips.
Passkeys tied to Windows Hello
This only concerns passkeys stored in Windows Hello on this PC, not passkeys kept on your phone, in a password manager, or on a security key. Windows asks you to verify with Windows Hello (PIN, face, or fingerprint) when you use those PC-stored passkeys, and exactly how that works after the PIN is gone can depend on the site and your setup.
After removing the PIN, sign in to one passkey-enabled site to confirm it still works. If it doesn’t, keep another sign-in method for that account, such as a hardware security key like a YubiKey or a passkey on your phone.
Common alternatives to full removal
| Goal | Better option | Path |
|---|---|---|
| A new PIN, not no PIN | Change PIN (needs the old PIN) | Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello) > Change PIN |
| Use a password just this once | Pick the password method at sign-in | Lock screen > Sign-in options > key icon |
| Wipe credentials before selling the PC | Use the retired-PC process | See our guide to removing Windows Hello credentials from a sold or retired PC |
Microsoft’s Change or reset your Windows Hello PIN page covers the Change PIN flow.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Windows asks for a password when I click Remove
That’s expected. The prompt confirms the account owner is making the change. Enter your Microsoft account or local account password and click OK.
The password option doesn’t appear at the lock screen
The Microsoft-accounts-only toggle is probably still on. Sign in with your PIN, go back to Fix #2, and switch it off. Then repeat Fix #3.
I’m on a local account and there’s no “I forgot my PIN” link
Microsoft’s forgotten-PIN recovery flow is built for Microsoft accounts. On a local account, use Sign-in options at the lock screen to switch to your password, then manage the PIN from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
Remove is greyed out and there’s no work or school account
Close Settings completely and reopen it with ms-settings:signinoptions. Confirm the Microsoft-accounts-only toggle shows Off. If both check out and it’s still stuck, a damaged Windows Hello setup or a leftover policy is more likely than a setting, and our Windows Hello PIN error guide is the next stop.
Removing vs. resetting: which one do I need?
Remove the PIN when you know it and want it gone. Reset it when you’ve forgotten it and still want one. Those are separate flows, and Windows only offers Remove after you’re signed in.
Wrapping Up
Start with Fix #2. Turning off “Only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device” is the fix for many greyed-out Remove buttons on personal PCs, and after that the removal takes two clicks plus a quick identity check.
If Remove stays greyed out on a PC with no work or school account, or settings keep flipping back on their own, look harder at that machine. A sign-in policy you didn’t set can come from a local policy, leftover settings from an earlier work or school enrollment, or a damaged Windows Hello setup, so recheck Access work or school and work through the troubleshooting steps above.
| Step | Action | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check Remove under PIN (Windows Hello) | All PCs |
| 2 | Turn off the Microsoft-accounts-only toggle | Microsoft accounts |
| 3 | Test password sign-in at the lock screen | All PCs |
| 4 | Click Remove, confirm, enter password | All PCs |
| 5 | Check Access work or school | Managed PCs |
Rollback is clean. If you miss the PIN, expand PIN (Windows Hello), click Set up, and create a new one. Then turn the Microsoft-accounts-only toggle back on if you want password sign-in locked down again.
Resources
Sources retrieved from Microsoft support and community documentation.