Windows 11 allows both password-based and password-less sign-in. The password-less option is selected by default. If you wish to learn to enable or disable passwordless sign-in only in Windows 11, then please read through this article for the procedure.
How to enable or disable Passwordless sign-in only in Windows 11
Microsoft has always been very conscious of device security while making sure to care for user convenience. To uphold the same, the brand came up with an excellent concept of Windows Hello! This allowed signing in with system-specific parameters thus disabling the possibility of a hacker accessing a local computer simply by knowing the cloud-based Microsoft account password.
How to sign-in to Windows without Hello PIN or Password
Now while most users perceive it as an extra effort and try skipping the option to register for Windows Hello, Microsoft has made it difficult to do so. You can still disable the Windows Hello prompt using GPEDIT or REGEDIT.
1] Through Settings
The procedure to enable or disable passwordless sign-in only in Windows 11 through Settings is as follows:
- Right-click on the Start button and select Settings from the menu that pops up.
- In the Settings window, go to Accounts tab on the list on the left-hand side.
- In the right-pane, select Sign-in options.
- In the Sign-in options window, under Additional settings, you would find an option that reads For improved security, only Allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device.
- Turning this option ON will disallow password-based login to the system. Turning it OFF will permit password login along with Windows Hello credentials.
2] Though Windows Registry
The same procedure could be done through the Windows 11 Registry Editor tool.
Press the Windows key and the R button together to open the Run window.
In the Run field, type the command REGEDIT and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor window. In case you are prompted for administrator permissions, please click on Yes.
Go to the following Registry Editor path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device
In the right-pane, you would find the option DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion. Double-click on it to open its properties.
- If the value data is 2, only passwordless sign-in is enabled. This means you cannot log in using the password.
- If the value data is 0, you can use a password to log in to the system.
Why can I not remove my PIN for Windows Hello login?
When passwordless login is enabled, the PIN becomes mandatory. The reason is that other biometric identity options may or may not work. The password is disabled. In this case, you would have to keep a PIN as a backup option.
If you really wish to remove the PIN, then the alternative is to use the password. Enable password-based sign-in and then close and reopen the settings window. You would be able to remove the PIN now.
