How to Setup Picture Password in Windows 10?

Windows 10 by default allows you to login with the Microsoft account. In our earlier article we have explained how to setup a local account in Windows 10 so that you can login without Microsoft account. If you are bored with password, PIN or finger print then there is an interesting login option called picture password. This is to setup a gestures as password on a chosen picture and use them for login to your computer.

Though gestures are much easier on touch easier you can still use your mouse for logging into non-touch screens as well. In this article let us explain how to setup picture password in Windows 10.

Setup Picture Password in Windows 10

Remember picture password is an additional sign-in option in Windows 10. This essentially means you should have existing Microsoft account or setup local account for login.

Press start button and navigate to “Settings” menu. On the available options choose “Accounts” as shown below:

Navigate to “Sign-in options” section and scroll down to the “Picture password” option. Click or tap on the “Add” button to add a picture password for logging into your Windows 10 computer.

You may need to enter the current password to go to the next screen. Windows will show you an existing picture with the sample gestures. Click on the “Choose picture” button and select the familiar picture from your computer.

Choose an easy picture where you can remember the setup gestures. You should draw three gestures to complete the setup and the gesture can be a straight line, circle or a tap. Let us explain with three simple lines as shown in the below picture. We use the mouse to just draw the gesture around the wooden piece.

If you have wrongly drawn the gesture, click on the “Start over” button to start it from the beginning. You will see a success message once all three gestures are completed and click on the “Finish” button to compete the setup.

Login with Picture Password

Lock your computer and you will the picture you have setup for login like below. Use the three gestures in the same order to (like pattern on Android phone) to login to Windows 10.

As mentioned earlier, picture password in an additional option in Windows 10. When logging in, click on the “sign-in options” to enter the password or PIN to skip picture password.

Remove or Change Picture Password

Anytime you can remove the picture password by going to “Start Menu > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options”. Click on the “Remove” button under “Picture password” section to remove the picture password setup.

Click on the “Change” button if you want to change the existing picture or the gesture pattern.

The “Replay” option allows you to view the previously setup gestures if you have forgotten.