Change your Windows 11 sign-in password or PIN
Your Windows 11 sign-in credential controls access to your account when you log in. If you already use a password or PIN, you can change it from the Sign-in options area in Settings. You will need to enter your current password or PIN before Windows accepts the new one.
The steps below cover both sign-in methods shown in the video. Use the option that matches how you currently sign in. A password and a PIN are separate options, so changing one does not automatically change the other.
Video Tutorial
Open Windows 11 Sign-in options
Start by opening the account settings for your Windows profile. The quickest route shown in the video starts from the Start button on the taskbar.
- Right-click the Windows Start button in the taskbar.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Choose Accounts in the left-hand menu.
- Scroll to the Account settings section.
- Select Sign-in options.
This page lists the available ways to sign in to the PC. Look for the method you use now before making a change. For example, if you enter a PIN at the lock screen, use the PIN section. If you type an account password, use the Password section.
Change the Windows 11 password
If your computer uses a password to sign in, select the Password option on the Sign-in options page. Then select Change. Windows asks for your current password first, which helps prevent someone else from changing your sign-in details while your PC is unlocked.
- Select Password.
- Select Change.
- Enter your current password.
- Enter the new password you want to use.
- Enter the new password again to confirm it.
- Select OK to save the change.
Type the new password carefully in both fields. The confirmation must match the new password exactly. Once Windows accepts the change, use the new password the next time you sign in.
The video demonstrates changing an existing password. It does not demonstrate creating a password hint, so these steps do not include instructions for a password hint.
Change your Windows 11 PIN instead
Many Windows 11 PCs use a PIN for everyday sign-in. If that is what you see on your lock screen, select PIN on the same Sign-in options page. From there, you can change the PIN or remove it as a sign-in option.
- Select PIN in Sign-in options.
- Select the option to change your PIN.
- Enter your current PIN.
- Enter the new PIN you want to use.
- Enter the new PIN again to confirm it.
- Select OK.
After saving the change, the old PIN no longer works for future sign-ins. Use the new PIN when you restart the PC, return to the lock screen, or sign back into your Windows account.
Use the sign-in method you already have
Do not assume that a password is the method your PC currently uses. Check the lock screen if you are unsure. If you normally enter numbers only, you are likely using a PIN. If you enter a longer account credential, use the Password option.
Windows also provides a reset option if you forgot the password or PIN. That is different from changing a credential you still know. For a normal update, select the available change option, enter the current credential, then enter and confirm the replacement.
Test the new credential
Lock your PC or sign out after changing the password or PIN. At the next sign-in screen, enter the new credential. This confirms that the change saved correctly and helps you avoid relying on the old password or PIN by mistake.
Keep the new credential private. Anyone who knows it can sign in to your Windows account and access the apps and files available through that account.
More Windows 11 Tips & Tutorials:
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