HAVING TO KEEP CHANGING PIN

Question

HAVING TO KEEP CHANGING PIN

LEE TIMMINS 40

In the last couple of days, when I boot up, each time I receive a message that PIN has been damaged. Having to change PIN every time I log on.

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Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

You may encounter this issue if the NGC folder is corrupted.

This is the folder where Windows stores encrypted keys, including your Windows Hello PIN. If the folder becomes corrupted or damaged, you may experience this problem. To resolve it, first take ownership of the NGC folder, then delete its contents and reset your PIN.

To do that,

Open a Command Prompt (Administrator) Window. Run these commands one by one and click Enter for each command.

takeown /f "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc" /r /d y

icacls "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc" /grant Administrators:F /t

rd /s /q "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc"

Once completed,

Go to Settings > Accounts > Windows Hello PIN > click 'Remove'.

Once removed, you can add a new PIN and restart your computer.

See if you are facing the same problem again after the restart.

Answer 2

If the PIN is being treated as unavailable or damaged at every startup, use an alternate sign-in method first, then reset the PIN from Windows Hello settings.

Sign in with a password or another available sign-in method.
Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
Select PIN (Windows Hello).
Choose:
- Change PIN if the current PIN still works sometimes and the old PIN is known.
- I forgot my PIN if the PIN is unavailable or keeps failing, then complete account verification and create a new PIN.

If Windows keeps prompting to create the PIN again after it was already set, this can happen after security updates or system changes. In that case:

Sign out and sign back in.
Try creating the PIN again.
Check for Windows updates.

If the issue happens only with fingerprint sign-in, sign in with a PIN or password instead and then re-register fingerprints in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello) > Add a finger.

If the device is Microsoft Entra joined or hybrid joined and the PIN reset is being done from the lock screen, use I forgot my PIN from the PIN sign-in screen and complete the required authentication steps. For hybrid joined devices, corporate network connectivity to domain controllers is required for destructive PIN reset.