How to Completely Disable ‘Windows Hello’ (PIN and Biometrics) and Force Password Only in Windows 11

Windows 11 heavily pushes “Windows Hello,” Microsoft’s modern authentication framework. During the initial setup of a new PC, the operating system effectively forces you to create a 4-digit PIN or set up facial recognition/fingerprint scanning. Microsoft argues that a PIN bound to a specific physical device is more secure than a complex password that might be stolen via phishing.

However, many enterprise environments and strict security professionals fundamentally disagree. A 4-digit PIN is incredibly susceptible to shoulder-surfing, and biometric data cannot be changed if it is compromised. If you prefer to rely exclusively on a long, complex, alphanumeric master password to unlock your machine and want to completely eradicate the option for a PIN or biometric login, you must dig into Windows 11’s sign-in settings.

Disabling the “Windows Hello Only” Requirement

Before you can remove your PIN, you must first disable a hidden security setting that forces Windows 11 to only allow Windows Hello authentication for Microsoft accounts.

1. Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon (or press Windows Key + i).
2. In the left-hand sidebar of the Settings app, click on Accounts.
3. In the main panel, click on Sign-in options.
4. Scroll down to the section labelled Additional settings.
5. Look for a toggle switch labelled For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device.
6. Click the switch to turn it Off.
7. Close the Settings app entirely, and then reopen it (this forces the menu to refresh and reveal the hidden password options).

Removing the PIN and Biometrics

Now that Windows allows standard passwords again, you can strip away the Hello credentials.

1. Navigate back to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Click on the PIN (Windows Hello) section to expand it.
3. You will now see a button labelled Remove. (If you did not perform the first section of this guide, this button would be greyed out).
4. Click Remove. A warning will pop up; click Remove again to confirm.
5. Windows will ask you to enter your actual Microsoft Account password to verify your identity. Type it in and click OK.
6. If you had Facial Recognition or Fingerprint Recognition set up, click on those sections and click Remove for them as well.

The next time you lock your screen or reboot your PC, the PIN pad and camera scanner will be completely gone. You will be forced to type your full, complex alphanumeric password to gain access to the machine.