With Windows 10 promised to be Microsoft’s last stand-alone operating system release, a lot of controversy sprung due to the franchise’s past faults and lacks.
However, this does not stop Microsoft developers from trying really hard to build a powerful base to work on in the future, and so far things are turning out to be decent, and on the right track, if you ignore the pre-release bugs.
Introduced a while back, several more methods to reach the desktop were made available. One in particular, the PIN, promises to provide even more security, as well as more comfort, since you’re no longer required to remember a long string of characters. If you haven’t set up one already, here’s how you can do it.
Adding 4-digit PIN as login method
Note: The following steps need to be performed in Windows 8. So far, a prompt appears after a fresh install of Windows 10 to suggest to turn to a PIN password. Either way, activating it in Windows 10 is relatively the same.
Step 1-a: Press Win + S to bring up Search, and write down PIN.
Step 1-b: Access PC Settings, click on Accounts, then choose Sign-in Options.
Step 2: Press the Add button. Write down your Microsoft password in the prompt to confirm your identity.
Step 3: Carefully choose and remember four numbers. Write them down in both fields, and press OK.
Note: Try not to use the same numbers for more accounts, or birth date, year, especially credit card, phone, or any other security key that can easily be used against you if discovered.
Step 4: Press Win + L to lock your desktop. You’re now prompted for the PIN, with the possibility to login with a password by pressing the Key button under the PIN field.
Changing the PIN: When in Sign-in Options, click Change, write down your Microsoft password, and specify the new PIN.
Removing PIN: To simply leave the password login as the only option, hit the Remove button in the Sign-in Options.