Reasons why you can't sign in even after entering your PIN on the Windows 11 sign-in screen and how to fix it

On the Windows 11 sign-in screen, even if you try to sign in by entering your PIN, you may see the following message and be unable to sign in.

Or you may see the message "Could not verify your credentials."

A problem occurred and your PIN cannot be used (status: 0xc0000234, substatus: 0x0). Restart your device to see if the issue is resolved.

This page explains the causes and solutions for when you cannot sign in even after entering your PIN on the Windows 11 sign-in screen.

Reasons why you can't sign in with your PIN

Why does the message "Repeated failed sign-in attempts or shutdowns..." appear?

The reason you are seeing the above message is that, as the message says, you or a third party has repeatedly tried to sign in with an incorrect PIN.

Windows 11 will lock itself if you repeatedly sign in with an incorrect PIN to prevent tampering and malicious attacks.

This time is currently set to 2 hours in Windows 11.

Why does the message "Could not verify your credentials" appear?

1. You entered the wrong PIN multiple times

If you enter the wrong PIN four times, the message "An incorrect PIN was entered multiple times" will be displayed and you will be asked to enter "A1B2C3."

If you enter the wrong password five times, you will be asked to restart your device.

You can try signing in with your PIN six to eight times, but if you make a mistake on the ninth attempt, you will be unable to enter your PIN for 30 seconds.

Then, after 30 seconds, you will be asked to enter "A1B2C3".

If you enter the wrong PIN on the 10th try, you will be asked to restart the device, and you will not be able to enter the PIN for 1 to 2 minutes after startup, after which you will be asked to enter "A1B2C3."

If you try again, you may find that you are unable to enter your PIN for a longer period of time, or you may have entered the PIN incorrectly so many times at this point that you may see the message "Your credentials could not be verified" even if you enter the correct PIN.

2. BIOS Update

As of October 9, 2025, we have confirmed an issue where the message "Could not verify credentials" is displayed after performing a Windows Update or BIOS update.

Computers have a mechanism to strictly protect important information such as PINs and passwords in a special safe-like location. To retrieve information from this safe, a check such as identity verification using a "password (PCR)" is required.

This issue occurs when the following two updates are performed simultaneously through Windows Update:

1. Security rule updates(Secure Boot DBX update)
   • 【Revocation Database (DBX): Ban List 】
     • role: This is a list of certificates (keys) that prohibit programs from running because they are dangerous (malware, etc.). *Every time a new threat is discovered, it is updated to block the dangerous program.
     • Familiar examples: It's like a "no-entry list" for a store. Anyone (or any program) on the list is never allowed in.
2. Updating the base of your computer(BIOS/UEFI firmware update)

Some PC manufacturers work with Microsoft to deliver BIOS updates directly to users through Windows Update, so your BIOS may be updated at the same time as you update Windows.

If these two actions are taken at the same time, multiple passwords will be changed at once. This will trigger the computer's security system to think, "Huh? The passwords have changed so suddenly! This is suspicious!" and lock the safe for safety.

As a result, the PIN and password information stored in the safe cannot be retrieved, which is why the current problem occurs.

3. Update Windows Secure Boot Certificates

Like Secure Boot DBX, updating the Windows Secure Boot certificate at the same time as a Windows Update may cause the PIN to become unusable.

[Warning] BIOS manipulation can make your PC unbootable? Three measures to prepare for Secure Boot updates

What to do if you can no longer sign in with your PIN

1. If you see the message "Repeated failed sign-in attempts or shutdowns..."

If you see the above message, you'll need to use a different sign-in option or keep your device turned on for at least two hours.

If you want to sign in immediately,

1. Click on "Sign-in options."

For Microsoft accounts, click the icon on the right.

For local accounts, click the icon on the left.

2. You will then be able to sign in with your password. If you are using a Microsoft account, enter your Microsoft account password. If you are using a local account, enter the password you set yourself to sign in.

How to quickly unlock PIN sign-in

1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run, type the following command and press Enter:

ms-settings:signinoptions

2. Open "Settings" > "Accounts" > "Sign-in options". Click "PIN (Windows Hello)" and then click "Remove this option".

3. A confirmation message will be displayed, so click "Delete".

4. You will be prompted with "First, please confirm your account password." If you are using a Microsoft account, enter your Microsoft account password. If you are using a local account, enter the password you set yourself and click OK.

5. The PIN will now be removed.

6. Click "Setup" to set up your PIN.

You can set the same PIN as the one you used to lock your device.

7. Once the new PIN is created, the lock will be released and you will be able to sign in with the PIN.

If you try to change the PIN while the device is locked, the message "You have entered the wrong PIN too many times. Restart your device to try again" will be displayed and the device will not be unlocked.

2. If the message "Could not verify credentials" appears

If you click "Sign-in options" and try to sign in with your password, but the message "Your credentials could not be verified" appears, then if you click "Sign-in options" and try to sign in with your password, the message below appears.

The referenced account is currently locked out and may not be able to log on.

If this happens, wait 10 minutes and then try signing in again.

In most cases, after waiting 10 minutes, the device will unlock and you'll be able to sign in with either your PIN or password.