• Open to Microsoft account > Security > Advanced security options .
  • Turn on the “Passwordless account” option and confirm the request with the authenticator app.
  • It’s recommended to enable two-factor authentication before making the account password.

You can now remove your password from your Microsoft account to enable the passwordless experience. This means that you will be using the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello , security key device, text message by phone, or email verification to sign in to your account without the need for a password.

The idea of this approach is simple. Accounts need long and strong passwords, and each one has to have a different password, something that most people fail to do since they are difficult to remember, and attackers exploit this on a daily basis. The passwordless experience makes it easier to keep your account secure using something that only you can access, such as your phone, biometrics, security key, or another email account.

  • Enable passwordless login on Microsoft account
  • Enable two-factor authentication on Microsoft account

Enable passwordless login on Microsoft account

The process to remove your password from the account for a passwordless experience requires you to install the Microsoft Authenticator app and link your Microsoft account.

If you already have the two-factor authentication feature configured and linked with the Authenticator app, continue with the steps below . Otherwise, first, enable the two-factor authentication feature , and proceed to enable the passwordless feature.

To make a Microsoft account passwordless, use these steps:

  1. Open your Microsoft account online .
  2. Sign in to the account (if applicable).
  3. Click the Security tab.
  4. Under the “Security basics” section, click the Advanced security options link.
  5. Under the “Additional security” section, click the “Turn on” link for the Passwordless account option.
  6. Click the Next button.
  7. Open your phone.
  8. Confirm the passwordless request on the authenticator app.
  9. Click the Done button.

Once you complete the steps, you can start signing in to your account without a password.

Enable two-factor authentication on Microsoft account

If your account doesn’t have the more secure authentication feature enabled, it’s recommended to enable it before trying to set the passwordless experience.

To enable two-factor authentication on a Microsoft account, use these steps:

  1. Open your Microsoft account online .
  2. Sign in to the account (if applicable).
  3. Click the Security tab.
  4. Under the “Security basics” section, click the Advanced security options link.
  5. Under the “Additional security” section, click the “Turn on” link for the Two-step verification option.
  6. Click the Next button.
  7. Click the Get it now button to download the Microsoft Authenticator app for Android or iPhone . (You can use the provided links.)
  8. Sign in to the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone with your Microsoft account. (Or add the account you want to make passwordless.)
  9. On the Microsoft account page, click the Next button.
  10. Click the Finish button.
  11. Click the Next button.
  12. Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, you can turn on the passwordless option more easily on your Microsoft account.

On Windows 10, Windows Hello is a name that describes the support for new and more secure ways to sign in to your device using biometric and PIN authentication.

In other words, Windows Hello allows users to ditch traditional complex passwords in favor of more personal and secure methods of authentication, including face and iris recognition, fingerprint, and PIN to unlock a device.

In this guide , you’ll learn the step to configure and remove Windows Hello using a fingerprint reader on Windows 10 .

  • Set up Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10
  • Remove Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10
  • Windows Hello compatible hardware for Windows 10

Set up Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10

To unlock device using a fingerprint reader with Windows Hello, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 10.
  2. Click on Accounts .
  3. Click on Sign-in options .
  4. Under the “Manage how you sign in to your device” section, select the Windows Hello Fingerprint option.
  5. Click the Set up button. Set up Windows Hello Fingerprint
  6. Click the Get started button. Windows Hello Fingerprint wizard
  7. Confirm your account password.
  8. Touch the fingerprint sensor as indicated in the wizard. Fingerprint setup on Windows 10
  9. Continue with the on-screen directions to capture your fingerprint from various angles. Quick tip: It’s recommended to click the Add another finger option to configure a second and even a third finger that you can use in case you’re having problems signing in, or you just forgot which finger is the one that unlocks your device.

Once you complete the steps, you can now lock your device ( Windows key + L ), and then use the fingerprint reader to sign in with the finger that you configured.

Remove Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10

To remove Windows Hello to sign in on Windows 10, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings .
  2. Click on Accounts .
  3. Click on Sign-in options.
  4. Under the “Manage how you sign in to your device” section, select the Windows Hello Fingerprint option.
  5. Click the Remove button. Remove Windows Hello Fingerprint
  6. Click the Remove button again.
  7. Confirm the account password.
  8. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, you can continue signing in with a traditional password. If you have configured Window Hello Face or PIN, you’ll need to remove those configurations using the same steps to completely disable the Windows Hello feature.

Windows Hello compatible hardware for Windows 10

Although face recognition and fingerprint authentication has been around for years, it’s still a technology that isn’t available on all devices. If you want to sign in to Windows 10 using your face or fingerprint, there are a lot of devices that come with Windows Hello built-in, such as the Surface Pro 7 , Surface Laptop 3 , Surface Go , and many others.