Need to add a Hello PIN for computer that has never had one

Windows 11 Home, 21H2 Surface 7.

I use this laptop for travel and we have not traveled for awhile. when I bought it several years ago used, on eBay, it did not have a PIN and until now I haven't added one.

I got it out, charged it up, and wanted to run updates. Then on the login screen I used to just press enter when it asks for PIN and I was in. This does not work any more.

How do I get past the login screen so I can add a PIN, add passcodes and such as I have already done on my desktop. and get it ready to travel?

All of the instructions I have found start with having bypassed the login screen., a lovely picture of what I think may be Crater Lake.

Then, this…

Are you logging in with your Microsoft Account (Email as your user name)?
Or a Local Account? Where you make up your own user name and password?

I can't get past the lock screen. I believe I have to do this to follow any of the instructions you are sending. I cannot see my account on this computer.

Assuming no accounts are visible: You could try enambling the hidden administrator account:
Enable or Disable Built-in Administrator Account in Windows 11

That would allow you to set a password for your normal account, if you can find it, or at least create a new account. Once that is successful, you could turn on 'passwordless sign-in' again.

If your user profle has disappeared, its usually saved in the registry with a bak. extension.

This method is for cases where your user profile folder (C:\Users\YourName) still exists, but Windows can’t load it, logging you into a temporary profile instead. This usually happens because the registry key pointing to your profile is corrupted. Windows often renames the corrupted key with a .bak extension. By carefully editing the registry, you can point Windows back to your original profile.

Warning: The Registry Editor is a powerful tool. Making incorrect changes can cause serious system instability. Follow these steps exactly as written.

1. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).

2. In the terminal, type whoami /user and press Enter. Take note of the long string of characters (your SID, or Security Identifier) that appears. You’ll need it in a moment.

3. Press Win + R, type regedit into the box, and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

4. Navigate to this specific key in the left-hand pane: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

5. Under ProfileList, you’ll see several folders named with SIDs. Look for the SID that matches the one you noted earlier. You will likely find two versions: one with a .bak at the end, and one without.

* The key without .bak is the temporary profile you’re currently logged into.

* The key with .bak is your original, correct profile.

6. You need to swap them. First, right-click the key without .bak and rename it by adding .tmp to the end. Next, right-click the key with .bak and rename it by removing the .bak extension.

7. Now, select the corrected key (the one you just removed .bak from). In the right-hand pane, find and double-click the ProfileImagePath value. Make sure it points to your correct user folder (e.g., C:\Users\YourName). If not, correct it.

8. In the same key, double-click the State value and change its data to 0. Click OK.

9. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

When you log back in, Windows should now load your original user profile. This method is highly effective when the profile data itself was never deleted, just disconnected.

Are you basically saying that Windows or its update has set a password on its own and you don’t know what that password is ? I have never heard of anything like this before. That is interesting.

I will follow this thread to learn how that is possible..

How do I get past the lock screen?

We are heading out on our trip and will take another computer.

I won't be in touch on this forum for a while and I thank all of you very much. I dimly remember that if I click the other option on the lock screen (not PIN) I can do something, and I'll look in to that when we get back.

Judy in Texas said:

I can't get past the lock screen. I believe I have to do this to follow any of the instructions you are sending. I cannot see my account on this computer.

Click to expand...

You said you could get passed the Lock screen and were able login? Whatever method you used to login should be your User account that you are logged into.

I never had this question understood. I had never had a PIN on this computer and was unable to get past the lock screen. For some reason commenters continued to believe that I had gotten past the lock screen. I think my problem was compounded by an error I read about in the windows update that was current at the time. I have had two updates since, and today the instructions I had found on a year-old reddit post worked. I have a PIN! If this thread still needs to be closed I will do so. Thank you to all of you.