Ask Dave Taylor
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • YouTube Videos
  • Top Categories
  • Subscribe via Email
  • Ask A Question
  • Meet Dave
  • Home
  • Chrome OS Help
  • Change the Chromebook Login to a PIN Instead of a Password?

Change the Chromebook Login to a PIN Instead of a Password?

July 17, 2021 / Dave Taylor / Chrome OS Help / 8 Comments

I have a long, complex password for my Google account, as the company recommends. Great. But every time I log in to my Chromebook I have to type it in again, which is tedious! Is there a way I can log in to my Chromebook with a PIN as I do on my smartphone?

I completely understand your frustration when it comes to logging in to a Chromebook. We’re so used to fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, even simple numeric PIN sequences that having to type in a long, complex password each time is pretty awful. Indeed, the surprise is that ChromeOS doesn’t prompt you to set up a PIN for easier login when you’re first setting up your account, but no worries, it’s easy to add after the fact.

I will warn you that you will need to type in your password again at least once. Props to you for having a long, complex password! I recommend at least 12 characters, a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, digits, and a punctuation mark or two. You should also set up two-step authentication for your Google account too for added protection. Not sure how? Please check out this article from Google: How to set up 2-factor authentication for your Google account.

Now let’s get to it!

ACCESS SYSTEM SETTINGS ON CHROMEBOOK

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, you access all your system settings and preferences on a ChromeOS system by clicking on the time and shortcut icon tray on the lower right. That brings up a shortcuts window:

chromebook chromeos - shortcuts popup window

As highlighted in red, you access ChromeOS settings by clicking on the gear icon. It’s a bit confusing because it opens up another tab in Chrome itself, but remember, Chrome basically is ChromeOS, so it’s not just Chrome settings, it’s settings for the entire Chromebook.

There are a lot of different areas, all nicely explained on the Settings page. Scroll or swipe down to find the “People” section, which will look like this:

chromebook chromeos - settings people person - password

You’ll want to click on “Screen lock and sign-in” to add the PIN. Do so and it prompts for your Google password again:

chromebook chromeos - verify google password account

Why does it do this? To ensure someone else doesn’t monkey with your Chromebook while you’re away!

SWITCH TO USING A PIN FOR CHROMEBOOK LOGIN

Once you’ve confirmed your account password, you’ll see the relatively few options for your account:

chromebook chromeos - login log-in options settings preferences pin

If you worry that someone is going to pop open your Chromebook when you step away, enable “Show lock screen when waking from sleep” (which is way less annoying when you can enter a PIN to log in, rather than yet again typing your account password).

To switch from password only for sign-in to PIN or password, click in the button adjacent to “PIN or password“. A new button magically appears:

chromebook chromeos - sign-in login pin or password setting set pin

Almost done. Click on “Set Up PIN” and it’ll prompt you twice for a secret sequence of digits:

chromebook chromeos - enter login sign-in pin number code sequence

As shown in very small type, it needs to be at least 6 digits, so you could use the first 6 digits of your Mom’s phone number, your driver’s license, or whatever numeric sequence will be easy to remember.

Enter it, click “Continue“, enter it again, and you’re done.

CHROMEBOOK LOGIN SCREEN PIN OR PASSWORD

With this set up the login screen on your Chromebook will change rather dramatically:

chromebook chromeos - prompt for login pin password numberds

You can also use the computer keyboard to log in if you don’t want to move to a digit, click, move to the next, etc. Done. Easy!

Pro Tip: I’ve been writing about operating systems for many years. You can find a lot more useful tutorials in my computer basics help library here on the site too. Why not check it out while you’re visiting?

Let’s Stay In Touch!

Never miss a single article, review or tutorial here on AskDaveTaylor, sign up for my fun weekly newsletter!
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please enter all required fields
Correct invalid entries
No spam, ever. Promise. Powered by FeedBlitz
Please choose a color:
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!
chromebook login, chromebook pin login, chromebook sign-in options, chromeos login, chromeos security

8 comments on “Change the Chromebook Login to a PIN Instead of a Password?”

  1. Devon says:
    July 31, 2022 at 2:57 pm

    Sadly it’s only for *unlocking the screen*.

    If you restart or shut it down and start again, you always have to enter your 40 something character password, which you do exactly 2 times and then about switching back to macOS or Windows :))

    Google’s solution “Well, just keep it running” is fine in case you work for energy companies, regular users who care about money will shut it down.

    Reply
    • Dave Taylor says:
      July 31, 2022 at 6:06 pm

      That’s not my experience across a variety of Chromebook systems, Devon, so that’s most curious…

      Reply
    • Bee says:
      August 12, 2022 at 8:51 am

      100% agree with this lol

      Reply
  2. mike says:
    April 10, 2022 at 7:59 pm

    If one is using a computer exclusively at home, it is not necessary to use bomb-proof locks to prevent evil from penetrating the computer.

    Reply
  3. Haroldas says:
    December 3, 2021 at 8:19 am

    it doesn’t works. Option greyed out. “this setting is managed by your administrator” I am the company administrator and did not find a way to enable it in the google workspace admin panel. Google is useless, my boss is now hard on me for choosing chromebooks for the company. There are many other similar problems,

    Reply
    • Dave Taylor says:
      December 4, 2021 at 7:08 am

      Try these steps, see if it helps you out: https://www.auslogics.com/en/articles/fix-this-setting-is-enforced-by-your-administrator/

      Reply
  4. Mark Connely says:
    July 26, 2021 at 10:52 pm

    This doesn’t work for me, because recently the window titled Screen Lock and Sign In spntaneously changed the second option from “Screen Lock and Sign In Options” to “Lock Screen from Sleep Mode”. So IOW, a PIN sign in is now only available from sleep mode, and I lost my option , which was previousy available and which I was using, to log in at strat up with a PIN. Now I have to use the password each time.

    Reply
    • Daniel Wood says:
      October 25, 2021 at 10:15 pm

      Wtf Google. It’s hard to login when using a decent password. Get with the times and give me facial recognition

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Recent Posts

  • Easy Way to Forward or Share an SMS Text Message on an iPhone?
  • How Can I Make an Animated GIF on my Chromebook Computer?
  • Can I Specify my Preferred Pronouns on Pinterest?
  • What Options are there for Hiding a File or Document in Windows 11?
  • Switch from 24-Hour Time to AM/PM in Ubuntu Linux?

On Our YouTube Channel

Eupho DB1 Double Base Speaker by UB+ -- KICKSTARTER PREVIEW

ZAGG Invisible Shield Glass Elite Screen Protector for Google Pixel 6a -- INSTALLED!

Categories

  • AdSense, AdWords, and PPC Help (106)
  • Amazon, eBay, and Online Shopping Help, (161)
  • Android Help (203)
  • Apple iPad Help (145)
  • Apple Watch Help (53)
  • Articles, Tutorials, and Reviews (344)
  • Auto Tech Help (12)
  • Business Advice (199)
  • Chrome OS Help (26)
  • Computer & Internet Basics (764)
  • d) None of the Above (165)
  • Facebook Help (383)
  • Google, Chrome & Gmail Help (180)
  • HTML & Web Page Design (245)
  • Instagram Help (48)
  • iPhone & iOS Help (608)
  • iPod & MP3 Player Help (173)
  • Kindle & Nook Help (93)
  • LinkedIn Help (85)
  • Linux Help (167)
  • Linux Shell Script Programming (87)
  • Mac & MacOS Help (895)
  • Most Popular (16)
  • Outlook & Office 365 Help (26)
  • PayPal Help (69)
  • Pinterest Help (54)
  • Reddit Help (18)
  • SEO & Marketing (81)
  • Spam, Scams & Security (93)
  • Trade Show News & Updates (23)
  • Twitter Help (217)
  • Video Game Tips (66)
  • Web Site Traffic Tips (62)
  • Windows PC Help (923)
  • Wordpress Help (204)
  • Writing and Publishing (72)
  • YouTube Help (46)
  • YouTube Video Reviews (159)
  • Zoom, Skype & Video Chat Help (57)

Archives

Social Connections:

Ask Dave Taylor


Follow Me on Pinterest
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Instagram


AskDaveTaylor on Facebook



microsoft insider mvp


This web site is for the purpose of disseminating information for educational purposes, free of charge, for the benefit of all visitors. We take great care to provide quality information. However, we do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this site or on any linked site. Further, please note that by submitting a question or comment you're agreeing to our terms of service, which are: you relinquish any subsequent rights of ownership to your material by submitting it on this site. Our lawyer says "Thanks for your cooperation."
© 2022 by Dave Taylor. "Ask Dave Taylor®" is a registered trademark of Intuitive Systems, LLC.
Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions - Accessibility Policy