How do I disable Windows 10 login prompt to set up a PIN?

So I recently wiped my hard drive and did a clean install of Windows 10 using the Windows 10 media creation tool (which includes the May 2018 update). Since then, every time I log on using my MS account, I also get a blue screen telling me to "Use Windows Hello instead of your password". No option to cancel, just a 'Next' button: Prompt to create a PIN screen

This takes you to a screen where you can cancel and then back to a "Did you mean to cancel PIN?" screen with a 'I'll set up a PIN later' link: Cancel screen

Every. Time. I. Log. In.

Anyone know how to disable this very annoying behaviour?

I've tried:

  • Disabling 'Allow users to log on using biometrics' and 'Allow the use of biometrics' in Group Policy
  • Changing the Registry key 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Settings\AllowSignInOptions\value' to '0'
  • Setting up a PIN and then removing it

N.B. Using Windows 10 Prof (at home so not on a domain)

Workaround

I set up the PIN to be the same as my password (after ticking the 'Use letters and symbols' box):

Set up PIN dialog box with 'Use letters and symbols' ticked


  1. Run gpedit.msc.
  2. Select Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Hello for Business
  3. Set the "Use Windows Hello for Business" policy to Disabled, and click "Apply"
  4. Reboot

I have also had the same problem. The answer was not where I expected it to be.

Log on, cancel the PIN prompt as in the OP. Then, when you're at the desktop, click the Windows Defender Security Centre icon on the tray. Under "Account Protection", it should say "Set up Windows Hello for faster, more secure sign-in".

If you click "Set-up", it will prompt you to set up a pin, so don't do that. Instead, click "Dismiss" and that should be that. After doing this, my laptop stopped prompting me to set up a pin on logon!

Incidentally, while I had this problem, when I got to the desktop, I had an Explorer window that I couldn't get rid of. It was off-screen, but the taskbar icon was still present for it. The title of the window was "Microsoft Account". Task Manager showed it as not responding, and killing the task in Task Manager got rid of it successfully. This window did not re-appear after following the procedure above to get rid of the PIN setup.


I did find a solution to this. I thought I just posted this, but it didn't show up, so sorry if it double-posts. The next time you logon, notice there are two icons under where you put in your password. The one on the left is for pins and the one on the right is for passwords. Just highlight the one on the right. Now you can logon with your password and you will not be prompted with the setup a pin wizard.


It might be useful to disable Windows Hello entirely, if you don't want to use it. Open Settings. Click on Accounts. Click on Sign-in options. Under Windows Hello, click Remove.