How to Enable or Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts in Windows 10


Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to your Windows 10 devices using fingerprint or facial recognition. Most PC's with fingerprint readers already work with Windows Hello, making it easier and safer to sign into your PC.

For improved security and a more seamless sign-in experience, you can now enable passwordless sign-in for Microsoft accounts on your Windows 10 device starting with Windows 10 build 18936.

Enabling passwordless sign-in will switch all Microsoft accounts on your Windows 10 device to only allow modern authentication with Windows Hello Face, Fingerprint, or PIN.

Enabling passwordless sign-in will remove the password and picture password sign-in options for all Microsoft accounts on the sign-in screen and in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18995, Microsoft is taking another step forward in our Passwordless journey by adding Windows Hello PIN sign-in support to Safe mode, so that you no longer have rely on your password when troubleshooting your device.

See also:

• Go passwordless with Microsoft accounts on your device | Microsoft Support
• How to go passwordless with your Microsoft Account

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts for passwordless sign-in on your Windows 10 device.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable passwordless sign-in for all Microsoft accounts on the computer.

If you turn on Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts for passwordless sign-in, it will remove the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer check box in netplwiz for both local accounts and Microsoft accounts.

If you turn on Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts for passwordless sign-in, the Remove button to remove a PIN from your Microsoft account will be grayed out and disabled.

If you turn on Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts for passwordless sign-in, Microsoft accounts on the computer will not have the Password or Picture Password sign in options available. Microsoft accounts will only have Windows Hello sign in options (ex: PIN, Face, Fingerprint, and/or Security Key) they added available.

Contents

• Option One: Enable or Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts in Settings
• Option Two: Enable or Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts using a REG file

OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts in Settings

If you are not currently signed in to Windows with a Microsoft account, then you will need to use Option Two instead.

1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.

2 Click/tap on Sign-in options on the left side, and turn On (default) or Off Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts for what you want on the right side. (see screenshot below)

This setting will be grayed out in Remote Desktop sessions.

3 You can now close Settings if you like.

OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts using a REG file

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device

DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion DWORD

0 = Off
2 = On

1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

2 To Enable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_ON_PasswordLess_sign-in_for_Microsoft_accounts.reg

Download

3 To Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_OFF_PasswordLess_sign-in_for_Microsoft_accounts.reg

Download

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn Brink

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