If you’re stuck in Diagnostic Startup mode on your Windows 11/10 PC with an error message saying your PIN isn’t available, we will show you how to troubleshoot the issue using effective steps. This can happen if you set your Windows to start in Diagnostic Startup mode in MSCONFIG and cannot get out of it now.
Windows error, ‘Your PIN isn’t available‘ is a common error many users face while trying to sign into their devices using Windows Hello PIN. It can appear in different situations. One such situation is when users enter the Diagnostic Startup mode to test or troubleshoot something and get stuck there. The issue prevents the system from verifying the existing PIN and leaves the user unable to set up a replacement PIN to log into the system. The complete error message reads:
Something happened and your PIN isn’t available. Click to set up your PIN again.
The issue arises in newer Windows 11/10 builds due to a specific sign-in setting for Microsoft accounts. The setting prioritizes Windows Hello authentication methods (like PIN) and disables traditional password-based login. However, if the services required for Windows Hello are disabled, the system cannot authenticate the PIN, and logging in becomes impossible if a Microsoft account is the only user account available.
What is Diagnostic Startup Mode and why does it mess up with your PIN?
Diagnostic Startup is a troubleshooting configuration that loads only essential drivers and services and provides a minimal environment to identify issues caused by software, drivers, or settings related to the Windows operating system.
Diagnostic Startup disables non-essential services, including those required for Windows Hello and PIN authentication. Without these services, the system cannot validate an existing PIN or allow you to set up a new one.
How to get out of Diagnostic Startup in Windows 11
If your Windows PC is stuck in Diagnostic Startup mode and your PIN is not available for login, use these solutions:
- Force Normal Boot via Command Prompt (Utilman)
- Disable PIN-only sign-in via Regedit in Windows Recovery mode
- Use System Restore in Recovery Environment
Let us see this in detail.
1] Force Normal Boot via Command Prompt (Utilman)
This solution involves leveraging the Recovery Environment to temporarily replace the Utilman.exe file with cmd.exe (Command Prompt) to access administrative tools from the login screen.
Utilman.exe is a system utility that provides accessibility features for users with disabilities. It can be accessed from the login screen by clicking the Ease of Access icon. By temporarily replacing ‘Utilman.exe’ with ‘cmd.exe’, you can open the Command Prompt directly from your login screen, run MSConfig, and change the system back to Normal Startup. Here’s how:
Press and hold the Shift key, click the Power icon in the bottom-right corner of the login screen, and select Restart. Windows will start in the Recovery Environment (WinRE).
Under ‘Choose an option’, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
Your PC will reboot and you may be prompted to enter the administrative password. Choose your account and enter the correct password to proceed further.
Command Prompt will open with administrator privileges. Type the following commands in the Command Prompt window and press Enter after each command:
move c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe c:\
copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe
Once the commands are executed, execute the following command:
shutdown /r /t 0
This will immediately restart your PC. At the login screen, click the Ease of Access icon (bottom-right corner). This will now open a Command Prompt window.
In the Command Prompt, type msconfig, and press the Enter key. System Configuration window will appear.
Go to the General tab and select Normal startup under Startup selection. Click Apply, then click OK to confirm the changes.
Close the Command Prompt by typing exit and pressing Enter. On the login screen, click the Power button in the bottom-right corner, then select Restart.
Your computer should boot normally (with all required services enabled), allowing you to log in with your PIN as usual.
Next, restore the original Utilman.exe file to its correct location following these steps:
Open File Explorer and go to C:\(where the original Utilman.exe file was temporarily moved). Copy the ‘Utilman.exe’ file and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\. Right-click inside the folder and select Paste. If prompted, click Continue to complete the operation.
2] Disable PIN-only sign-in via Regedit in Windows Recovery mode
This method involves using the Registry Editor in Recovery Mode to disable the PIN-only sign-in policy.
Note: Proceed with caution when editing the registry in Recovery Mode. Making incorrect changes can cause further issues or render your system unbootable. Ensure you understand the steps thoroughly before proceeding.
Boot your system into Recovery mode as explained above. In the Recovery menu, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
In the Command Prompt, type regedit and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor, without registry hives (this is the default behavior of RegEdit in WinRE).
To load the registry hives, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE in the left pane, then click on the File menu and select Load Hive…
Navigate to the drive where your Windows installation is located (this is usually not C:\ in WinRE; it might be labeled as another letter, like D:\ or E:\.) Next, navigate to [Drive letter]:\Windows\System32\Config and select the SOFTWARE hive file. When prompted, give the hive a temporary name (e.g., ssoftware).
Next, expand the loaded hive and navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ssoftware\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device
Locate the key DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion and change its value from 2 to 0.
This disables the ‘Require Windows Hello’ feature that enforces PIN-only sign-in.
After rebooting, try logging in with your password. If your password is not accepted, it may never have been used locally before, requiring additional steps. These steps ensure that critical services required for login, network access, and validation with Microsoft servers are running, enabling you to log in successfully.
Reboot to the WinRE Command Prompt and open Registry Editor again. This time, load the SYSTEM hive (e.g., as system).
Next, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ssystem\ControlSet001\Services
For each of the following services, edit the Start key value as follows:
Manual Startup (Start = 3):
lmhosts(TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper)Netman(Network Connections)VaultSvc(Credential Manager)Wecsvc(Windows Event Collector)WbioSrvc(Windows Biometric Service)wlidsvc(Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant)
Automatic Startup (Start = 2):
Dhcp(DHCP Client)EventLog(Windows Event Log)EventSystem(COM+ Event System)LanmanServer(Server)LanmanWorkstation(Workstation)NlaSvc(Network Location Awareness)nsi(Network Store Interface Service)SamSs(Security Accounts Manager)
Reboot your PC. The restored services should enable the system to contact Microsoft servers, allowing validation of your login password.
Read: Windows stuck in Selective Startup mode
3] Use System Restore in Recovery Environment
If you have a restore point prior to the occurrence of the issue, you can effectively restore normal system behavior.
At the login screen, click the Power button, hold Shift, and select Restart. Alternatively, boot using installation media, select your language preferences, and click Next.
Click Repair your computer in the lower-left corner.
Once you enter WinRE, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
The System Restore window will open, allowing you to select a restore point.
Choose a restore point before enabling Diagnostic Startup, click Next, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the restoration process.
After the restoration, restart your PC and check if the PIN login works.
I hope this helps!
Read: How to add Safe Mode to Boot Menu options in Windows.
How do I get out of Windows Diagnostic Mode?
Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. Type msconfig and press Enter. In the System Configuration window, select Normal Startup under the General tab. Click OK to apply the changes. If you are stuck in Diagnostic Mode and unable to log in due to the PIN not being available, boot into Recovery mode, open Command Prompt, launch MSConfig via Command Prompt, and then switch to Normal Startup.
Read: Windows stuck on Diagnosing your PC
How do I unlock my Windows if I forgot my PIN?
To unlock Windows if you forgot your PIN, use your Microsoft account password. On the login screen, click Sign-in options. Select the password icon and enter your Microsoft account password to log in. If your system enforces PIN-only login (due to the Windows Hello setting). In that case, you may need to disable this restriction through registry edits or recovery options before you can use the password.
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