How to remove PIN (greyed out) on Windows 11

If you rather sign in with a password, use this guide to remove the PIN on Windows 11.

Windows 11 remove PIN
Windows 11 remove PIN
  • To remove PIN on Windows 11, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, click “PIN (Windows Hello),” click “Remove,” confirm credentials, and click “OK.”
  • To fix the remove PIN button grayed out on Windows 11, turn off the “For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft account on this device” toggle switch on the “Sign-in options” page or the “Passwordless account” option on your Microsoft account online.

Windows 11 requires creating a PIN to access your account since it is easier to remember and offers better security as it’s only locally relevant. However, you can remove the Windows Hello PIN from your account if you want to use a traditional password.

The only caveat is that the option will only be available in certain conditions. If you only have the option to use Windows Hello to sign in on your device or the passwordless account configured on your Microsoft account, the remove PIN button will be greyed out from the system.

If you want to use a different PIN, you do not need to remove it. You want to change the PIN.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to remove the Windows Hello PIN from your account on Windows 11.

Remove PIN on Windows 11

To remove the PIN on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

  2. Click on Accounts.

  3. Click the Sign-option tab.

  4. Click the “PIN (Windows Hello)” setting under the “Ways to sign in” section.

  5. Click the “Remove” button in the “Remove this sign-in option” setting.

    Windows 11 remove PIN

  6. Confirm your account credentials.

  7. Click the OK button to remove the PIN.

Once you complete the steps, the PIN will be removed from the account, but you will continue accessing the account with your password.

Fix PIN remove button greyed out on Windows 11

If you use a Microsoft account to access Windows 11, the button to remove the PIN could appear greyed out. The remove button could be greyed out if the passwordless option is enabled on the Windows 11 account or if the passwordless account is enabled on your Microsoft account.

Disable Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts

To fix the remove PIN button greyed out on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Click on Accounts.

  3. Click the Sign-option tab.

  4. Under the “Additional settings” section, turn off the “For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft account on this device” toggle switch.

    Disable PIN for Microsoft accounts

You may need to restart the Settings app and the computer to apply the changes and enable the option to remove the PIN.

Disable passwordless Microsoft account

To disable the passwordless Microsoft account to fix the greyed out remove PIN button, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Click on Accounts.

  3. Click the Your info tab.

  4. Under the “Related settings” section, click the Accounts option.

    Open accounts settings online

  5. Click the Security tab.

  6. Click on Advanced security options.

  7. Under the “Additional security” section, turn off the Passwordless account option.

    Disable Microsoft account passwordless

  8. Continue with the on-screen directions.

  9. Restart your computer.

After you complete the steps, the “PIN (Windows Hello)” setting will show the remove button on Windows 11.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].