Use PIN Recovery
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 10, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 10
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Hello for Business Description
PIN recovery enables a user to change a forgotten PIN using the Windows Hello for Business PIN recovery service, without losing any associated credentials or certificates, including any keys associated with the user's personal accounts on the device. To achieve this, the Azure-based PIN recovery service encrypts a recovery secret, which is stored on the device, and requires both the PIN recovery service and the device to decrypt. PIN recovery requires the user to perform multi-factor authentication to Azure Active Directory. If you enable this policy setting, Windows Hello for Business uses the PIN recovery service. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows does not create or store the PIN recovery secret. If the user forgets their PIN, they must delete their existing PIN and create a new one, and they will have to to re-register with any services to which the old PIN provided access. NOTE: This policy is only applicable to devices which are registered with Azure Active Directory.
Registry
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork Value name: EnablePinRecovery
Enabled: EnablePinRecovery = 1
Disabled: EnablePinRecovery = 0
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Use PIN Recovery
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 10
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork]
"EnablePinRecovery"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use PIN Recovery
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnablePinRecovery' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use PIN Recovery
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork' -Name 'EnablePinRecovery' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use PIN Recovery
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnablePinRecovery' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use PIN Recovery
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use PIN Recovery
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork' -Name 'EnablePinRecovery' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use PIN Recovery
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnablePinRecovery' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.