"Something went wrong and your PIN isn't available."

N/A 0 Reputation points
2026-11-07T20:09:33.5233333+00:00

Sometimes when I try to unlock my device I get that message. Sometimes resetting it fixes t he problem but other times I'm forced to do the set up PIN process. I have gone through with the setup PIN process about three times now and the error still occurs from time to time.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows Hello, lock screen and sign-in
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  1. Thomas4-N 23,265 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-10T07:47:24.5+00:00

    Hello N/A,

    I understand that you've already reset your Windows Hello PIN several times, but the error keeps returning. Since resetting it only helps temporarily, I'd like to narrow down what might be triggering the issue.

    Could you clarify two things?

    1. Does the error typically appear after restarting Windows, waking the device from sleep, or both?
    2. Does the message include any additional details, such as "due to a change to the security settings on this device" or an error code?

    These details may help distinguish a recurring Windows Hello issue from a problem related to device security settings, so we can avoid having you repeat the same PIN reset steps.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-07T20:09:49.06+00:00

    For intermittent "Something went wrong and your PIN isn't available" issues, the supported fixes are to reset the PIN and then check common Windows Hello causes.

    1. First try the quick recovery steps when it happens:
      • Sign out and sign in again.
      • Reboot the device.
      • Then try the PIN again.
    2. If the PIN still fails, reset it from the lock screen:
      • Select Sign-in options.
      • Select the PIN icon if it is not already selected.
      • Select I forgot my PIN.
      • Complete the prompts to create a new PIN.
    3. If able to sign in with another method, reset it from Settings instead:
      • Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
      • Select PIN (Windows Hello) > I forgot my PIN.
      • Follow the prompts to create a new PIN.
    4. If the problem keeps returning, check whether this is tied to biometric sign-in problems as well. If face or fingerprint sign-in is also unreliable:
      • Go to Settings > Sign-in options.
      • Remove the affected face or fingerprint enrollment.
      • Re-enroll it.
      • If needed, reinstall the biometric device driver from Device Manager > Biometric devices, then restart.
    5. If the issue appears after a TPM-related Windows Hello failure, one documented mitigation for repeated PIN creation failures is to reboot first. If the same TPM-related error continues after reboot, a TPM reset or Clear-TPM can be used. Warning: clearing or resetting TPM is a higher-risk action and should only be done if specifically needed, because it can affect protected credentials and recovery-dependent features.

    If the PIN reset continues to fail or the issue keeps recurring after these steps, Microsoft documentation says to contact Microsoft Support when no listed mitigation resolves the error.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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