


'Something happened and your PIN isn't available' error on Windows
Jul 13, 2025 am 02:44 AMWhen you encounter the prompt "Something happened and your PIN isn't available", 1. First check whether the network connection is normal, because Windows Hello's PIN login depends on verification between the account and the Microsoft server. If the network is disconnected or unstable, it will cause this problem. It is recommended to make sure the device is connected to the network and try to log in again.
Are you getting the prompt "Something happened and your PIN isn't available" when trying to log in to Windows? This question is really annoying, especially if you are sure that the PIN is correct but cannot be used. This prompt usually appears not because you entered the wrong PIN, but because something went wrong at the system level.

Below are some common reasons and corresponding solutions that can help you gradually troubleshoot and solve problems.

1. Check whether the network connection is normal
The Windows PIN login method depends on verification between your account and the Microsoft server, especially if the Windows Hello feature is used. This prompt may appear if your computer is out of the network or the network is unstable.
Recommended operations:

- Make sure the computer is connected to available Wi-Fi or wired network.
- Try to open a web page (such as bing.com when visiting bing.com with your browser) to confirm that the network is smooth.
- If using a proxy, check whether the proxy settings affect system authentication.
Sometimes it is just a brief network fluctuation, and it can be solved by reconnecting or restarting the router.
2. Try to log in with your password instead of PIN
When the PIN is unavailable, you can log in to the system with your account password, and then reset or reset the PIN.
Operation steps:
- Click "More Login Options" on the login interface.
- Find the Password input box and enter your Microsoft account password.
- After successfully entering the system, go to "Settings > Accounts > Login Options" and try to delete the old PIN and add it again.
Note: If you have not set a password, you may need to bind security issues or mobile phone verification code in advance as an alternative verification method.
3. Check whether the time and date settings are accurate
If the system time deviation is too large, Windows will not be able to properly verify user credentials, resulting in the PIN being unavailable.
Inspection method:
- Go to Settings > Time and Language > Date and Time.
- Make sure "Auto Set Time" and "Auto Set Time Zone" are on.
- If set manually, make sure the current time and time zone are correct.
This step is ignored by many people, but it is indeed a hidden factor that causes such errors.
4. Clear TPM and reset Windows Hello data
If you have changed your password before, reset your account, or have an exception after the system is updated, it may cause Windows Hello (PIN) data to be corrupted.
The processing method is as follows:
-
Open a command prompt (administrator permissions) and enter the following command:
tpmtscmgr.exe /invalidatekey /force
Then restart the computer.
After entering the system again, go to "Settings > Login Options > Windows Hello" and reset the PIN.
This operation will clear all saved Windows Hello data, including fingerprints, facial recognition and other information, so please be mentally prepared in advance.
Basically these common solutions. You can check one by one according to your own situation. Most of the time, network problems or system time are the most prone to errors. If no hardware changes are involved, the system is generally not required to be reinstalled.
The above is the detailed content of 'Something happened and your PIN isn't available' error on Windows. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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