Windows 11 Lets Users Enter PIN During Face Scan
A Windows 11 Insider build lets users type a PIN on the sign-in screen while Windows Hello face recognition is still scanning.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Remote Work
Microsoft is testing a Windows 11 sign-in change in Insider Experimental Build 26340.9882, released November 6, that shows a PIN field while the camera is still scanning. Previously users had to wait for face recognition to finish or fail, or manually select PIN sign-in.
Why it matters
Windows Hello made users wait for face recognition in dim rooms, with wet fingers, or when someone else needed to enter the PIN. The change targets that friction, though Microsoft has not said when it will reach regular Windows 11 PCs.
Build 26340.9882, released November 6, is the Insider Experimental build carrying the change, which follows the October 16 release of Build 26340.9750 that introduced the brightness toggle. The screen-brightness toggle was pulled after feedback and is set to return in November 2026, turned off by default; Microsoft has not announced a general release date for the sign-in change.
The players
Microsoft
Microsoft is the American technology company that develops Windows and its Windows Hello biometric sign-in system.
The details
The new sign-in screen displays 'Look at the camera or enter your PIN' and lets users type a PIN without waiting. After a device restart, Windows still requires PIN entry. The change arrived without ViVeTool or registry tweaks, and the build also adds Windows Hello logging under Event Viewer IDs 4628 and 4629.
Timeline
April 2025: KB5055523 required the color camera to see a visible face for face recognition.
October 16: Build 26340.9750 released to Experimental with an automatic brightness toggle.
November 6: Build 26340.9882 released with the PIN-entry sign-in change.
November 2026: The screen-brightness toggle is scheduled to return, off by default.
Roadmap
Microsoft's April 2025 update KB5055523 tightened Windows Hello so the color camera must see a visible face, a security-driven change that frustrated users with privacy shutters. The new PIN-during-scan sign-in in Build 26340.9882 partly eases that tradeoff by letting users type a PIN without waiting on the camera.
Users who rely on Windows Hello can sign in faster, without waiting for the camera in dim rooms or when someone else needs to enter the PIN. The change is still in Insider testing, so regular Windows 11 PCs will not see it until Microsoft releases it more broadly.
The takeaway
Windows Hello's face scan is faster when it isn't blocking the PIN, so watch for the sign-in change in future Windows 11 updates. Keep your PIN handy as a fallback if face recognition fails in low light.
Further reading
For more on workplace tools and digital work habits, see Remote Work.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Windows Latest.
