Windows 10 offers a variety of ways you can log in to authenticate yourself, from a regular password and a PIN to your fingerprint and even your face. But one effective and entertaining way to log in is through a picture password.
Using this method, you create a series of three lines, dots, or circles on an image of your choice. You then recreate those gestures on the same image each time you wish to log in. As long as you remember the gestures and recreate them successfully, you're in.
The trick is to make your picture password gestures easy enough for you to remember but complex enough so someone else wouldn't be able to guess them. Picture passwords work best on a touch-screen tablet, but you can also use them on a standard PC via your mouse. Let's look at how to set up and use them.
First, find a photo or image that you want to use for your picture password. You can download a cool image from the internet or use a favorite photograph from your library. You can even take a photo with your PC's camera and save that to your Pictures folder. Just make sure the image is one that lends itself to creating and recreating lines, dots, or circles easily enough.
Next, click on the Start button > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. On the right pane of the Sign-in options screen, scroll down to the category for Picture Password. Click on the Add button.
Enter your password at the Windows security prompt and then click OK. Windows displays a generic image along with details on how to set up your picture password. Click on the "Choose Picture" button to pick an image from your own Photos library.
Browse to and double-click a photo stored on your computer.
If you're happy with the picture, you can drag it up, down, left, or right to position it the way you like. Then click on the "Use this picture" button. If you're not crazy about the image, then click on the "Choose new picture" button to select a new image and try again.
After you've chosen your preferred image, you're asked to create three gestures that can be any combination of circles, lines, and taps. At the initial screen to "Set up your gestures," use your mouse, a stylus, or your finger to draw a circle, line, or dot anywhere on the screen. After you create your first gesture, Windows prompts you to create the second gesture, and then the third one.
Windows displays an outline of the gesture on the screen so you can see it. If you make a mistake or aren't happy with a certain gesture, click on the "Start over" button to take another stab at creating the gestures. Make sure you remember not only each gesture but their locations as you create all three. After you've created the three gestures, Windows asks you to draw them again to confirm them. Recreate each of the three gestures.
If you're successful, Windows congratulates you. If not, you'll have to try again. When done, click on the Finish button.
To try out your picture password, click on the Start button, click on your account photo, and then click on the Sign out command. To log back in, press any key to get past the lock screen. You'll then see the Sign-in options screen displaying your picture.
Draw the three gestures that you created to sign in. If you've matched them closely enough, Windows then welcomes you aboard. If not, you'll have to try again. If you forget your picture password gestures or don't want to use them, click on the Sign-in options link at the Sign-in screen and click on one of the other buttons to use your regular password, your PIN, or another method that you may have set up.
For more, check out these other Windows 10 tutorials:
- How to Retrieve Folders, Files With Windows 10 Quick Access
- How to Run Windows 10 From a USB Drive
- How to Back Up and Restore an Image File of Windows 10
- How to Turn on Cortana by Voice in Windows 10
- How to Share More (or Less) Personal Data With Cortana
- How to Tweak Your Tiles in Windows 10
- How to Check Out Early Versions of Windows 10
- How to Customize, Control the Command Prompt in Windows 10
- How to Customize Your Default Apps in Windows 10
- How to Use and Tweak the Start Screen in Windows 10
- How to Find a Lost Windows 10 Device