How to configure the setting rules of Windows10 PIN code? Modify PIN code complexity tutorial

Windows 10 systems have a variety of built-in user login methods, including logging in to the system using a PIN. A PIN is a form of secondary authentication similar to a password. Usually, the PIN code only includes numbers and is short, which is easy to be remembered by people with a heart. So we can configure some rules so that users can only use the configured rules to set the PIN when setting the PIN code.

Microsoft introduced and recommended user PIN login system in Windows 10, mainly because:

PIN can only be used for physical login, even if it leaks, it can't log in to the system remotely.

The PIN only binds and uses the current device, even if it leaks, it will not threaten Microsoft accounts and other security.

Although it seems safer to log in with a PIN, Windows 10 uses only a minimum of 4 digits of PIN, which makes many users feel too weak and discouraged. Fortunately, Windows 10 comes with a PIN complexity strategy that allows us to create a more complex PIN with special characters, letters, uppercase and lowercase to make the account more secure.

How to configure PIN complexity

You can use the Local Group Policy Editor to quickly set the PIN complexity on a Windows 10 computer by performing the following steps:

1. Use the Windows + R shortcut to open Run — execute gpedit.msc to open the Group Policy Editor.

2. Navigate to the following path:

Computer Configuration — Administrative Templates — Windows Components — Windows Hello for Business - PIN Complexity.

3. Various settings for PIN complexity requirements can be made on the right side, including:

● Requirements include numbers: If this policy is enabled or not configured, the operating system will need to At least one number is included when creating a PIN. If you disable this policy, you can use any non-numeric characters.

● Requires lowercase letters: If this policy is enabled or not configured, the operating system will need to include at least one lowercase letter when creating the PIN. If you disable this policy, you will not be able to use lowercase letters in your PIN.

● Maximum PIN Length: Configure the maximum number of characters allowed for the PIN. The maximum number allowed for this policy is 127, and the minimum number must be greater than the number or number 4 (whichever is greater) configured in the Minimum PIN Length policy setting.

● Minimum PIN Length: The minimum number of characters required to configure a PIN. The minimum number configured for this policy is 4, and the maximum number that can be configured must be less than the number or number 127 (whichever is the smallest) configured in Maximum PIN Length.

● Expiration: This setting specifies the period (in days) that the PIN can be used before the system asks the user to change a PIN. The PIN can be set to expire after any number of days between 1 and 730 days. If the policy is set to 0, you can set the PIN to never expire.

● History: This setting specifies the number of past PINs that can be associated with a non-reusable user account. Administrators can use this policy to ensure that the old PIN is not continuously reused for added security. The PIN history cannot be retained by a PIN reset. This value must be between 0 and 50 PINs. If this policy is set to 0, you do not need to store the previous PIN.

● Require special characters: Use this policy to set the use of special characters in the configurable PIN. The allowed special characters are:

! ” # $ % & ‘ ( ) * + , – . /: ; < = > ? @ [ \\ ] ^ _ ` {