In this post, we will help you set up a passwordless user account on a Windows 11/10 computer. Microsoft is constantly making changes to the sign-in experience of Windows 11/10. It indirectly makes it easy to access and more secure in many ways. Microsoft introduced password-less User Account authentication. This feature uses the user’s phone number to help the user sign in to their user account(s). Said Microsoft,
We’re announcing support for setting up and signing in to Windows with a phone number account, without having to create, or deal with the hassle of a password!? If you have a Microsoft account with your phone number, you can use an SMS code to sign in, and set up your account on Windows. Once you’ve setup your account, you can use Windows Hello Face, Fingerprint, or a PIN (depending on your device capabilities) to sign in to Windows. No password needed anywhere!
In this article, we will be checking out how to set up and use this feature.
Set up a Passwordless User Account on Windows 11/10
You can set up a passwordless user account on a Windows 11/10 PC for a new User Account only. To enable a user account with this feature, you need to open the Windows 11/10 Settings app by pressing the Win+I hotkey or another preferred way.
If you are using Windows 10, navigate to Accounts > Family & other Users > Add someone else to this PC. In Windows 11, select Accounts > Other users > and press the Add account button.
Enter the detail required by the new mini Microsoft account window that appears. You must mention the phone number associated with your Microsoft account since you are setting up a passwordless account. Now select the country code from the drop-down menu. Press the Next button and then the Finish button.
Your user account will be added but you need to complete the process. For this, lock your computer. Before that, make sure your computer is connected to the internet.
On the sign-in screen, select the phone number that you added to your user account from the bottom left part, and press the Sign in button. It will prompt you to complete the account creation process. Provide your Microsoft account password and complete the account creation wizard. Once done, lock your computer, and again press the Sign in button on the sign-in screen. Provide your Microsoft account password and then it will prompt you to set up a PIN (Windows Hello). Enter a PIN and remember it.
Your Password-less User Account on Windows 11/10 will now be ready. The next time you only need that PIN to log in to your user account.
If you want to change or remove the PIN for your user account, you can do so by opening the Settings app > Accounts > Sign-in options > PIN (Windows Hello).
If you already have an account, but your phone number is not associated with your Microsoft account, then you have to add a phone number to your Microsoft Account.
On your Android or iOS device, install any Office App.
Open the app and select Sign in or sign up for free.
Follow the on-screen instructions to associate your phone number with your Microsoft account.
This feature is only available for devices running Windows Home & Pro editions. I am not sure if it is available in the Enterprise version.
Read: How to create a new User Account in Windows
How do I add a user without password in Windows 11?
To add a Microsoft account user without a password in Windows 11, you can use the phone number associated with that Microsoft account, and take the help of the Windows Hello feature of Windows 11 for passwordless login. Or else, you can create or add a local account in Windows 11 that doesn’t require a password to log in.
How do I make my Microsoft account passwordless?
To make your Microsoft account passwordless, you need to remove your account password and set a passwordless method (like the Microsoft Authenticator app) for receiving login codes. For this, log in to your account using a browser, and access the Security section. There, access the Additional security options, and use the Turn on option for the Passwordless account. Complete the passwordless account process by setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app for your account.
Read next: How to enable Remote Desktop without Password on Windows.
