sign in

An over-the-shoulder close-up of a Corgi looking at a Windows PC screen displaying a PIN sign-in request. His paw hovers over the numeric pad on the keyboard. It's a bright office environment.

How Can a PIN Be as Secure as a Password?

A short PIN seems weaker than a long password, yet for signing in to Windows, it can be just as safe and maybe safer. The secret is where the PIN works, not how long it is. I’ll explain and show you how to make yours stronger if you’re uneasy.

Changing your PIN

How Do I Change My Windows PIN?

Changing your Windows sign-in PIN isn’t a setting in your Microsoft account; it’s set on each device. I’ll show you where to find it, why a PIN is safer than you might think, and when you should change it.

a computer keyboard with smoke coming out of it

How Do I Sign in to Windows If My Keyboard Doesn’t Work?

Keyboard not working, but you need to type to sign in to Windows? There’s a solution for that.

Sign Out

Should I Always Sign Out of My Online Account?

It is safe to stay signed in to your online account as long as you’re protected from a few specific scenarios.

Display email option

Tip of the Day: Control Your Email Address on the Sign-in Screen

Windows 10 with a custom lock image

Tip of the Day: Change Your Lock and Sign-in Screen Background

Windows Sign-In With No Image

Tip of the Day: Remove the Background Image for Windows Sign-in

netplwiz User Accounts

How Do I Sign In to Windows 10 Automatically?

After updating to Windows 10, many users find that they must sign in to Windows using a password, even if they previously did not. I’ll show you how to sign in to Windows 10 automatically.