How to Change Minimum Windows PIN Length in Windows 11

In this guide, we provide an overview of configuring the minimum Windows Hello PIN length. While the default PIN length of around four digits is suitable for personal use, MSPs and organizations in regulated industries may want to lengthen the PIN requirement to reduce the risk of unauthorized access and align device authentication with various IT compliance requirements. Other reasons why you would want to configure the minimum PIN length include:

• Enforce stricter authentication methods: Longer PINs increase the complexity and make it harder for threat actors to attempt a brute force attack.
• Improve security for local sign-in and biometric fallback: A robust PIN ensures continued security in cases where biometric authentication fails.
• Align with corporate policies or regulatory framework: Organizations often have specific requirements for authentication methods, and adjusting PIN length can help meet these standards.
• Prevent weak or easily guessable PIN usage on managed devices: Short or simple PINs can be easily compromised. Enforcing a minimum length mitigates this risk.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

How to change the Windows Hello minimum PIN length

Method 1: Using Group Policy

📌 Use Cases: Ideal for standalone devices or devices joined to an on-premises Active Directory domain

📌 Prerequisites:

• Your device must be running on either Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition.
• You must have administrator privileges.
• Group Policy Editor must be accessible on the system.
• This method only applies to local device policy, not cloud or MDM-managed policy, unless integrated with Group Policy.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and click Enter.
2. Go to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > PIN Complexity
3. Double-click on Minimum PIN length, set it to Enabled, then enter a number between 4 and 127. For example, entering 6 requires a six-digit minimum PIN.

💡 Tip: Generally, PINs are between 4-6 numbers long. However, feel free to check various IT compliance requirements to determine the best length for your business.

4. Click Apply, then Ok.
5. Open an elevated Command Prompt and execute gpudate /force to apply the changes immediately. Alternatively, you can restart your device.

Method 2: Using Registry Editor

📌 Use Cases: Recommended for enterprise environments that require remote or scripted configuration without relying on Group Policy

📌 Prerequisites: 

• Your device must be running Windows 11 (preferably Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions).
• You must have administrator privileges.
• It’s recommended that you have some level of knowledge of or are comfortable with the Registry Editor.
• Back up your Registry before attempting any changes. Incorrect configurations can lead to system instability.
• This method only applies to devices with Windows Hello for Business enabled.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and click Enter. 
2. Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork\PINComplexity
   • If PassportForWork or PINComplexity keys do not exist, you need to create them.
     • Right-click on Microsoft Key, then select New > Key, and name it PassportForWork.
     • Then right-click PassportForWork > New > Key, and name it PINComplexity
3. Create or edit the MinimumPINLength value
   • In the right pane, right-click on an empty space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   • Name it MinimumPINLength
   • Double-click the entry, select Decimal, and input the desired value (length), such as 6 for a 6-digit minimum PIN.
4. Click ok and close the Registry Editor.
5. Restart the system or open an elevated Command Prompt and execute the command, gpudate /force.

Method 3: Using PowerShell

📌 Use Cases: Ideal for IT professionals and MSPs managing multiple endpoints at scale

📌 Prerequisites: 

• Requires Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition
• Must be executed with elevated PowerShell (Run as Administrator)
• The device should be enrolled in Windows Hello for Business or support Passport infrastructure.

💡 Tip: Need a refresher? Sign up for PowerShell for IT Ninjas.

Steps:

1. Open PowerShell.
2. To set the minimum PIN length to 6, run the following command:

New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork\PINComplexity" -Force

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork\PINComplexity" -Name "MinimumPINLength" -Value 6

• • The first command creates the required registry path if it does not already exist.
  • The second command writes a DWORD value of 6 to enforce a 6-digit minimum PIN. However, feel free to change this value to your desired length.
  • This script can be executed locally or pushed remotely by using automation tools or RMM platforms such as NinjaOne.

3. After applying the script, either reboot the system or run gpudate /force in an elevated Command Prompt.

Method 4: .reg file example

📌 Use Cases:  This is great for straightforward deployments where a graphical interface or scripting is not feasible.

📌 Prerequisites:

• Applies to Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.
• The .reg file must be run with administrator privileges.
• The target system should support Windows Hello for Business.
• Registry files should be carefully validated before execution to prevent misconfiguration.

Steps:

1. Open Notepad or another plain-text editor.
2. Paste the following content:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PassportForWork\PINComplexity]

"MinimumPINLength"=dword:00000006

3. Save the file with a .reg extension.
4. Right-click the file and select Run as Administrator to apply the changes.
5. Once merged into the registry, either restart the system or open an elevated Command Prompt and execute gpudate /force to apply the changes.

⚠️ Things to look out for

Additional considerations when changing Windows 11 PIN length

• Maximum length: You can also define MaximumPINLength alongside MinimumPINLength to set an upper limit for PIN length.
• Character rules: Additional complexity settings can be configured, such as RequireUppercaseLetters, RequireDigits, RequireSpecialCharacters, etc.
• Does not affect passwords: These settings only affect the PIN used in Windows Hello, not traditional passwords.
• Existing PINs: The policy applies only to new PIN setups or changes. Existing PINs remain unaffected unless reset.
• Windows Hello for Business: These settings also apply when Hello is used in conjunction with Azure AD or hybrid environments.

Comply with IT regulations by changing your Windows Hello PIN length

We’ve discussed four methods to configure the minimum Windows 11 PIN length. While most experts agree that a length of between 4-6 numbers is sufficient for credential management, it is still highly recommended that you check for any specific requirements from your preferred IT compliance.

Related topics: 

• How to Set Up Windows Hello: A Detailed Primer
• How to Enable or Disable PIN History Expiration in Windows 10 & 11
• How to Enable or Disable Domain Users to Sign in with PIN on Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable PIN Reset at Sign-in in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Require Lowercase Letters for PIN in Windows 10