Opening my surface snapdragon with forgotten pin

Roselle Padua 0 Reputation points
2026-10-14T22:13:44.8133333+00:00

I tried to open my. Surface many times and it can’t used the fingerprint option. I need to login with my pin which I have forgotten. However the option to change the pin option is not showing. How can I change the pin on this situation. Appreciated the help. Thank you.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login
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  1. Lychee-Ng 29,315 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-15T08:05:47.9066667+00:00

    I understand how worrying it is to be locked out of your Surface, Roselle Padua.

    I can also see that the AI answer has already suggested some basic troubleshooting steps, so I’m wondering whether any of those helped. If not, the issue may be more complicated, but there isn’t enough information to identify specific solutions yet. A few more details would help narrow down the correct recovery path:

    1. Does it fail to recognize your fingerprint, or has the fingerprint option itself disappeared?
    2. Is the Windows account a local account, or a Microsoft account? Personal or a work/school account?
    3. Is there still an option to sign in using your account password, or is the password option completely missing?

    In the meantime, I do have a few things you can try out. Although they're not guaranteed to help since it might not match your situation, it's still worth trying:

    • If the fingerprint reader is available, clean and dry both the reader and your finger, then try the finger again.
    • If Sign-in options offers another method that you previously configured, try that instead.
    • Testing the sign-in options again in Safe Mode:
      • On the sign-in screen, select Power in the lower-right corner.
      • Hold down Shift on the keyboard and, while holding it, select Restart.
      • After reboot, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
      • Once the list appears, press 4 / F4 to boot into Safe Mode > see if you have sign in options

    Note: Windows Hello methods are documented to be unavailable in Safe Mode. However, it might've been enabled in some newer Windows version. If you don't see the option, just restart your PC normally.

    I would not reset the Surface yet, especially if there are personal files on it. We need to determine whether there is another way back into the existing account before considering recovery/reset options.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-14T22:13:54.7833333+00:00

    If fingerprint sign-in is not working and the PIN reset option is not showing, use this path:

    1. On the sign-in screen, select Sign-in options.
    2. Try signing in with the password instead of the PIN.
    3. After signing in, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
    4. Select PIN (Windows Hello).
    5. Choose I forgot my PIN and follow the prompts to verify the account and create a new PIN.

    Important details:

    • The I forgot my PIN option on the sign-in screen is available only for Microsoft accounts, not local accounts.
    • If that option is missing on the sign-in screen, the supported method is to sign in with the password first, then reset the PIN from Settings.
    • If the fingerprint reader is failing, sign in with a PIN or password and then set up fingerprint again from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello) > Remove, then Set up.
    • If no other sign-in method is available and access to Windows is blocked, recovery or reset may be required. This can remove apps and personal files, and BitLocker recovery may be required during recovery.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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