How to fix “Something happened and your PIN is not available” on Windows 11

by James · January 1, 2023

On Windows 10 and 11, you can log in with a password or PIN code. On compatible systems, you can also use iris scanning and fingerprint unlocking. While a PIN makes the sign-in process faster than a password, you may encounter the error Something happened and your PIN is not available when you try to sign in with it.

Similarly, something went wrong and your PIN is not available (status: 0xc000006d) is another variant of the error. These errors are often triggered due to a bad security update, issues with the NGC folder, and system file corruption.

Here are some troubleshooting steps to help you fix this error and sign in with your PIN on Windows 11.

Table of Contents

If you have set up a Microsoft user account or local user account, you can use it to sign in with a password. Once you’re done, you can reset your login PIN to fix the problem. Here’s how to do it.

Note that the steps below will not work for your Microsoft account if you have enabled Only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft account on this device option.

On the lock screen, press a key to view sign in screen.
Then click on Login options to see the available options.
click on Key icon to select password login option.
Enter your password and press enter to log in.

Now that you can log into your account, follow these steps to change your PIN:

Print Win + I to open Settings.
To open Accounting tab in the left pane.
Then click on Login Options.
click on PIN code (Windows Hello).
Here you will see the options for Change PIN and Remove the PIN code. To change the PIN code, you must know the old PIN code. So we continue with Remove the PIN code to remove the current PIN and then add a new one.
So click on Remove button for Remove this login option. click on Remove once more to confirm the action.
Now you need to confirm your administrator credentials. Then enter the password for your user account and click OK. Windows will remove your PIN.
Then click on Configure to add a new PIN. Enter your user account password to verify your account.
IN Set up a PIN code dialog box, enter a new PIN code for your account. Repeat the same in confirm the PIN code field and click OK.

If you want, you can also add letters and symbols to your PIN to make it secure. Make sure to choose Include letters and symbols the option i Set up a PIN code dialog and then add the new PIN code.

To test your new PIN, press Win + L to lock the screen. Then enter the new PIN on the login screen to confirm the changes.

What if I don’t remember my account password?

If you have forgotten your account password, you can reset it from the login screen by answering the security questions for your account.

How to reset your user account password:

Click on on the login screen Login Options.
Select Password option. Here you enter anything as a password and press enter. Windows will display the password is incorrect screen. Click OK.
Then click on Reset password option. This will open the password reset dialog box.
Then you have to answer the three security questions and tap enter.
When successful, Windows will ask you to enter your new password. So enter your new password and confirm the same. Press enter to save the password.

Now you can log in with your new account password. Then change the PIN code by following the steps described above.

2. Delete the NGC folder

If the problem persists when logging in with a PIN, check the NGC folder for permission issues. The NGC folder is where Windows stores your login information. If the folder is corrupted or lacks sufficient permission, it may cause the error Something happened and your PIN is not available.

To fix the broken folder, you need to delete the folder and let Windows recreate it. How to delete the NGC folder to add a new PIN to your account.

To delete your NGC folder:

Make sure you log in with an administrator account.
Print Win+E to open File Explorer.
click on View > View and choose Hidden elements. Make sure the Hidden Item option is ticked.

Then navigate to the following path:

 C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft

Then right-click on Ngc folder and select Delete. click on Delete again to confirm the action.

If you see You need permission to perform this action command prompt, you must take ownership of the folder on Windows to delete the folder. After taking ownership, try deleting the Ngc folder again and you should be able to fix the error. Once you’re done, you can set up a new PIN from the sign-in options in the Settings app.

3. Uninstall Windows Updates

If you find that the error appeared after installing a Windows update, uninstalling it should help you undo the changes and fix the error.

There are many ways to uninstall updates in Windows 10 and 11, including from the Settings app and the Windows Recovery Environment. If you cannot sign in with a password, you can use the Windows Recovery Environment method to uninstall Windows updates.

4. Perform a system restore using the restore point

Windows creates automatic restore points before a major change is made to your system, including installing an update. You can use the restore point to restore your PC to an earlier time when it was working without errors.

If you can log on to your PC, follow the instructions to use a restore point to restore your Windows 11 system. If not, here’s how to use the system restore point from the Windows Recovery Environment.

From the login screen, click on Power icon in the bottom left corner.
Then press and hold Shift key and click on Reboot. click on Restart anyway if a confirmation message appears. Make sure to hold down the Shift key until the PC restarts.
IN System Restore section, click on Troubleshooting.
Then choose Advanced settings.
click on System Restore.
The system will then restart in System Restore environment.
Click on your user account name below Select an account to continue.
Then you need to enter the password of the selected account and click Continue. If your user account does not have a password, press enter to continue without the password.
IN System Restore dialog box, select the last restore point and click Next.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system restore. Your PC will restart with a success or failure message. Once the restore is complete, try logging in with the same PIN to see if the error is resolved.

5. Perform a startup repair

Startup Repair is a built-in troubleshooting tool on Windows to fix problems with files required to start the operating system. You can run Startup Repair from the Windows Recovery Environment. Here’s how to do it.

On the login screen, click on Power icon. Then press and hold Shift key and click on Reboot. Hold the key until the PC restarts.
Next, below Choose an alternative, go to Troubleshooting > Advanced options.
click on Startup repair. Windows will begin to diagnose your PC and repair any problems with the startup files.

6. Perform a system reset

A system reset helps you return your computer to factory settings and remove all system settings and configuration, including login information.

Windows reset allows you to keep or remove your personal files and then reinstall Windows. However, you will need to reinstall all your third-party apps from scratch.

To perform a system reset:

Print Win + I to open Settings.
IN System tab, click on Recovery.
During reset Reset this PCclick on Reset PC.
Under Choose an option, you can choose to keep or remove your files. Confirm the option to reset your PC.

If you can’t sign in, follow this guide to factory reset Windows 11 without the administrator password.

Windows may refuse to accept your login PIN if the folder containing the information is corrupted or due to system file problems. Before trying any advanced troubleshooting steps, try using an alternate sign-in method to sign in and remove and change your PIN. If not, you can use System Repair to fix startup problems or restore your PC using a restore point.