Windows 11 Login Loop - Stuck entering password and failed creating pin

Question

Windows 11 Login Loop - Stuck entering password and failed creating pin

Antonio Cavazos 0

So recently I have been having issues logging into my Windows 11 laptop. When signing into my account I enter my password and then am hit with a prompt to create a pin. I hit next and receive an error that "Something went wrong" and am given the option to skip. When I hit skip I'm thrown back to the login screen. Resetting the password hasn't helped. Safe mode has the same issue. Resetting the pc didn't work and neither did using a restore point. Im even using a ethernet dongle to ensure a direct connection. I know the password works because I can log in everywhere else, Windows is just getting stuck at this pin setup step. Is reinstalling a fresh Windows install my last option? I'd like to avoid that if possible.

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Hello,

In this situation, clearing the TPM from the BIOS/UEFI utility may resolve the Windows Hello PIN sign-in issue. The TPM stores the cryptographic key hashes used by Windows Hello PIN.

To clear the TPM:

Boot your PC into the BIOS/UEFI environment.
Open the Security section.
In the Security or Advanced tab, locate TPM 2.0 Security, Intel PTT, or a similarly named option. Select Clear TPM, then click OK.
Save the changes and restart your computer.
After restarting, check whether you can set up a new PIN.

If you are still having issues,

Open Command Prompt from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

Run these commands one by one, pressing Enter after each command.

BCDEDIT

Note down the drive letter for your Windows installation.

Replace C: with the OS drive letter.

takeown /F "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC" /R /D Y

icacls "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC" /grant Administrators:F /T

del /F /S /Q "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC\*"

Note:

Replace C: with your actual Windows drive letter. In WinRE it’s very often D: drive, so running these as written on C: would fail with a “path not found” error. So, this is why the BCDEDIT command should be run to find the OS device letter.

Once done, see if you can set up a new PIN again and sign in.

Answer 2

You can try disabling the offline passwordless-sign-in requirement from Windows Recovery Environment before resorting to a clean installation; this resolution matches the same password → failed PIN setup → Skip → lock-screen loop after Safe Mode failed.^1^

Change the passwordless setting offline

Caution: This edits the offline Windows registry. If the specified key or value is absent, stop rather than creating or changing unrelated entries. Have the BitLocker recovery key available because Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may request it.^2^

At the sign-in screen, hold Shift, select Power > Restart, and continue holding Shift until WinRE opens.
Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
Enter:
```
   regedit
```
In Registry Editor, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Select File > Load Hive.
Browse to the Windows installation drive, then open:
```
   Windows\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
```
WinRE may assign Windows a drive letter other than C:. Identify the drive containing the Windows folder.
When prompted for a key name, enter:
```
   1234
```

Navigate to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\1234\Microsoft\Windows NT\
   CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device

In the right pane, open DevicePasswordBuildVersion, change its value to 0, and select OK.
Select the loaded 1234 key, then choose File > Unload Hive. Confirm the unload.
Close Registry Editor and Command Prompt, then select Continue to restart Windows.
At the sign-in screen, choose Sign-in options > Password and sign in using the Microsoft account password.

If successful, configure the PIN afterward at Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello). A Windows device PIN is separate from the Microsoft account password, so resetting the online password does not itself repair local PIN provisioning.^3^

If that registry value is absent or the loop continues

Since password reset, Safe Mode, Ethernet, System Restore, and Reset this PC have already failed, do not repeat them.

Uninstall the latest quality update

If the problem began immediately after a Windows update:

Enter WinRE using Shift > Power > Restart.
Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
Select Uninstall latest quality update.
Restart and try Sign-in options > Password.

Microsoft documents this WinRE recovery path for systems that cannot access Windows.^4^

Removing a security update temporarily removes its protections, so reinstall current updates after sign-in is restored.

Check whether the documented Windows 11 24H2 reset issue applies

A specific Windows Hello problem was documented for Windows 11 24H2 only when all these conditions applied:

KB5055523 was installed;
System Guard Secure Launch or DRTM was enabled after that update; and
Reset this PC > Keep my files > Local reinstall was then used.

It could produce “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available”; Microsoft addressed it in KB5055627.^5^ Do not assume this is your cause unless those conditions match. If they do, uninstalling the affected quality update from WinRE is the practical offline route, then install current cumulative updates after access is restored.

Last recovery choices

If none of the above restores password sign-in, a clean installation is the remaining supported consumer recovery path. Back up recoverable files first and preferably use the PC manufacturer’s recovery media, which normally includes device-specific drivers. Microsoft notes that installation-media recovery removes everything from the device.^6^

References