Last Updated on February 22, 2026
An update Microsoft has been heralding for Windows 10 and Windows 11 is the passwordless sign-in experience. Here, you will not be able to use a traditional password for your device. This does not mean that your device will be left unprotected. On your Windows Hello screen, you will either sign in with your fingerprints, iris, face authentication, or a secure PIN code.
The PIN code completely replaces the password. This passwordless feature was a massive security update originally added to Windows 10. It makes massive improvements to your daily sign-in experience. Microsoft asserts that using a PIN could help you avoid spyware attacks directly.
Similarities between a PIN and a Password
1. Understand the Structure
The basic structure of a PIN and a password are very similar. A PIN looks exactly like a password on the screen. It is also mainly a set of numbers. It can have the exact same length and characters as a password. You can add letters and symbols to make it more secure, just like a password.
2. Follow Management Policies
PINs and passwords go through the exact same IT management policies. These policies check their history and when they will expire. They also check the PIN length and how complicated they are. IT administrators can force your Windows Hello PIN to meet strict corporate requirements.
3. Review Basic PIN Requirements
It should be more than six characters and less than sixteen. Your PIN must absolutely contain numbers. The numbers should not be in a sequence or be a repetition of the same digit. You can add letters and symbols. You must change your PIN after six months. Each new PIN should differ from the last five PINs you have had.
4. Analyze PIN Complexity
What comes into your mind when you think about a PIN? A simple four-digit code of numbers? B5rl,8Jd! could be a PIN or a password. There is absolutely no difference in their complexity. Administrators can set exactly how complex they want a PIN to be. They can make special characters or uppercase letters a strict requirement.
PIN Required For Biometric Sign-In
1. What are Biometrics?
Biometrics are biological technology used to prove to a computer that you are actually you. Some common examples are facial, fingerprint, and eye recognition. This technology is built directly into modern laptops and webcams.
2. Prepare for Sensor Failures
Sometimes, signing in with biometrics will not work because the sensor is not working as it should or you are injured. To mitigate that, you will need to use your PIN as another solid backup option. On Windows Hello, you create your PIN first to ensure you can use it when your biometrics fail.
How a PIN Is More Secure Than a Password
1. PIN is Specific To the Device
Although they are similar, a PIN is vastly different from a password. It differs heavily in how it works behind the scenes. A PIN’s mode of operation, rather than its structure, is what makes it much more secure. The PIN you set up on your laptop is for only that specific system. You will not be able to use it on other devices.
2. Stop Remote Hackers
If someone steals your PIN, they would have to physically take your device too. Anybody who steals your account password can log in from anywhere in the world. Your account gets massive security since a person would have to get your PIN and your physical hardware before gaining entrance.
3. PIN Is Localized
A PIN is never sent through the internet or stored on a remote server. The process of signing in sends your standard password through the internet. If you input the password into your account, attackers can intercept it during transmission or hack into the server and steal it.
4. Understand the Authentication Key
When you set up a new PIN on Windows Hello, it connects to the identity provider and creates a nonidentical key pair. This key pair becomes the ultimate form of authentication. Whenever you sign in, the PIN unlocks the authentication key, which alerts the server. The actual PIN is never transmitted to the server because it is localized and unique to your specific device.
5. PIN Has Security Backing
Modern Windows devices have a TPM or Trusted Platform Module chip installed. This is a dedicated cryptoprocessor that has several hardware security mechanisms. It protects the device from attacks, like PIN brute force attacks and malicious software.
6. Protect the Asymmetric Key Pair
It also protects the asymmetric key pair from remote attackers. The key is created within the TPM and secured directly by it. If there are too many incorrect attempts to input the PIN, your device automatically gets locked down.
How to Set Up a PIN on Your Windows Hello Account
1. Open the Settings App
Setting up a Windows Hello PIN is incredibly easy. First, you open the Start menu and go directly to Settings. Then you click on Accounts and go to Sign-in options.
2. Add Your New PIN
Scroll through the options until you get to the PIN section. Click on it and select Add. Follow the on-screen instructions to input your new PIN. Retype it to confirm the entry. You can now use your PIN with your device instantly.
