Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app


  1. Posts : 6
    Windows 10
       #1

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app


    I have two outlook/Hotmail accounts. One I log into the PC with (which is pretty crappy by the way and is a huge hassle in Windows 10 IMO).
    In the mail app, I was able to add the mailbox of the one I use, however I have a second email account through Hotmail that when I try to add the account to the mail app, it asks me to verify with a pin. I have never used a PIN with this account. I went to settings and sign in option, and have an option to change the pin, however it is wanting to change the main account that I log into the pc. The pin appears to be 4 digits (it only allows 4 characters before it auto enters) unlike the main pin which is 8 or 9 numbers.

    Thanks in advance,
    Bryan
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #2

    Hi Bryan, welcome to the Ten Forums.


    The PIN the Mail app asks for the verification when a new / another Microsoft email account (Outlook, Hotmail, Live, MSN) is added is the PIN for the Microsoft Account you use to sign in to Windows.

    An example: Let's say your Windows 10 sign-in MS account is Bryan@AnMSEmail.com, and when signed in using that MS account you want to add your second Microsoft email address slopland@OutlookHotmailOrLive.com to the mail app. You enter the credentials for the slopland@OutlookHotmailOrLive.com, and when done, the Mail app wants to check you are really the user Bryan@AnMSEmail.com, the user currently signed in to Windows. To verify this you need to enter the PIN of the current Windows sign-in account, the one of Bryan@AnMSEmail.com.

    I've only seen this to happen when adding any of the Microsoft's email accounts to the mail app. Adding for instance a Gmail account does not ask it.

    Confusing, I have difficulties to understand myself what I just wrote! I hope you get it, though.

    Kari
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 6
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you for the reply. I have tried that but the PIN auto enters after 4 numbers and the PIN for the computer login is 8 or 9 characters. It does not allow me to put in more than 4 numbers.



    Kari said:
    Hi Bryan, welcome to the Ten Forums.


    The PIN the Mail app asks for the verification when a new / another Microsoft email account (Outlook, Hotmail, Live, MSN) is added is the PIN for the Microsoft Account you use to sign in to Windows.

    An example: Let's say your Windows 10 sign-in MS account is Bryan@AnMSEmail.com, and when signed in using that MS account you want to add your second Microsoft email address slopland@OutlookHotmailOrLive.com to the mail app. You enter the credentials for the slopland@OutlookHotmailOrLive.com, and when done, the Mail app wants to check you are really the user Bryan@AnMSEmail.com, the user currently signed in to Windows. To verify this you need to enter the PIN of the current Windows sign-in account, the one of Bryan@AnMSEmail.com.

    I've only seen this to happen when adding any of the Microsoft's email accounts to the mail app. Adding for instance a Gmail account does not ask it.

    Confusing, I have difficulties to understand myself what I just wrote! I hope you get it, though.

    Kari
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #4

    slopland said:
    Thank you for the reply. I have tried that but the PIN auto enters after 4 numbers and the PIN for the computer login is 8 or 9 characters. It does not allow me to put in more than 4 numbers.
    Are you sure now you are not mixing the password and the PIN? I checked my previous post and the information told in it is both accurate and valid.

    To put it very short: if you sign in to windows using an MS account Email1@OutlookOrHotmailOrLive.com, and you want to add Email2@OutlookOrHotmailOrLive.com to the Mail app, the PIN asked is the PIN (not the password) for the Email1@OutlookOrHotmailOrLive.com, your current Windows sign-in account.

    Below a live example with screenshots.

    By default a Windows user account has no PIN. It needs to be set up, either when installing Windows or later on if skipped when installing. When set, the PIN for the Windows 10 sign-in is four or more digits long, as the user prefers. In your case if it auto enters after 4 digits, you have a 4 digit PIN. I use a 5 digit PIN, in my case when I add a new Microsoft email account to mail app it auto enters after the 5th digit.

    Here's how it works:

    My Windows sign-in MS account kari@abcdefgh.com is already automatically added to Mail app, later on I have added a second MS account. Now adding a new account larry.laffer@abcdefgh.com, I enter this new account's credentials normally:

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_46_151.png

    When added, the account tells Attention Required. Clicking the account I get the option Fix account selecting it:

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_59_591.png

    The next dialog is a bit confusing. It asks me to verify that the larry.laffer@abcdefgh.com is mine by asking the current Windows 10 sign-in accounts PIN, that of kari@abcdefgh.com

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_49_533.png

    I enter my Windows sign-in 5 digit PIN for the user account kari@abcdefgh.com, the account I am currently using to sign in to Windows, and now the larry.laffer@abcdefgh.com will finally be added to the mail app.

    If you are not sure which PIN you have set up, if you have forgot it, go to your account settings and change it. Notice that if you have forgotten the PIN, you need first to remove it, then set a new one. Changing the PIN will first ask the old PIN which of course if you have forgotten it you cannot enter.

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_55_351.png



    Kari
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 6
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank you very much for taking the time for such a detailed reply. I had been going through that exact process. The hang up was when it asked for a PIN (I confirmed it was indeed asking for a pin). I attempted to enter my main MS PIN. This PIN was 7 digits. The box where I entered the number would automatically enter when I put in 4 characters, so as a result, I could never fill in my complete PIN. I went ahead and reset my PIN to a 4 digit one. This seems to have worked, although for some reason, that messed up the certificate in all of my gmail accounts. I am good with computers, but I have never had this much difficulty with a simple email set up... But, thank you very much for your help.

    Bryan



    Kari said:
    Are you sure now you are not mixing the password and the PIN? I checked my previous post and the information told in it is both accurate and valid.

    To put it very short: if you sign in to windows using an MS account Email1@OutlookOrHotmailOrLive.com, and you want to add Email2@OutlookOrHotmailOrLive.com to the Mail app, the PIN asked is the PIN (not the password) for the Email1@OutlookOrHotmailOrLive.com, your current Windows sign-in account.

    Below a live example with screenshots.

    By default a Windows user account has no PIN. It needs to be set up, either when installing Windows or later on if skipped when installing. When set, the PIN for the Windows 10 sign-in is four or more digits long, as the user prefers. In your case if it auto enters after 4 digits, you have a 4 digit PIN. I use a 5 digit PIN, in my case when I add a new Microsoft email account to mail app it auto enters after the 5th digit.

    Here's how it works:

    My Windows sign-in MS account kari@abcdefgh.com is already automatically added to Mail app, later on I have added a second MS account. Now adding a new account larry.laffer@abcdefgh.com, I enter this new account's credentials normally:

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_46_151.png

    When added, the account tells Attention Required. Clicking the account I get the option Fix account selecting it:

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_59_591.png

    The next dialog is a bit confusing. It asks me to verify that the larry.laffer@abcdefgh.com is mine by asking the current Windows 10 sign-in accounts PIN, that of kari@abcdefgh.com

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_49_533.png

    I enter my Windows sign-in 5 digit PIN for the user account kari@abcdefgh.com, the account I am currently using to sign in to Windows, and now the larry.laffer@abcdefgh.com will finally be added to the mail app.

    If you are not sure which PIN you have set up, if you have forgot it, go to your account settings and change it. Notice that if you have forgotten the PIN, you need first to remove it, then set a new one. Changing the PIN will first ask the old PIN which of course if you have forgotten it you cannot enter.

    Asks for PIN when adding a different hotmail account to the mail app-2016_01_08_08_55_351.png



    Kari
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #6

    slopland said:
    Thank you very much for taking the time for such a detailed reply. I had been going through that exact process. The hang up was when it asked for a PIN (I confirmed it was indeed asking for a pin). I attempted to enter my main MS PIN. This PIN was 7 digits. The box where I entered the number would automatically enter when I put in 4 characters, so as a result, I could never fill in my complete PIN. I went ahead and reset my PIN to a 4 digit one. This seems to have worked, although for some reason, that messed up the certificate in all of my gmail accounts. I am good with computers, but I have never had this much difficulty with a simple email set up... But, thank you very much for your help.

    Bryan
    Good to know you got it finally.

    Strange that it went to auto enter after just 4 digits. I've tested it now again, and in my case it always accepts the correct amount of digits.
      My Computer


 

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