There are two methods to unlock your Surface Pro when you forget your pin or password. The first is to get a code sent to your email address to sign in, and the other is to factory reset the device.
Today, people have passwords for everything, and it can be a lot to remember. There have been countless occasions where I have forgotten a password and was worried I may have lost access to a device or account forever.
But thankfully, companies know we can be forgetful, so there is almost always a way to get access even if your password has slipped your mind. This goes for many accounts, as well as some devices like the Surface Pro.
Keep reading to check out our guide that goes through a few methods you can use to unlock and access your Surface Pro if/when you forget your password.
Key Takeaways
- The first method involves getting a code sent to your email, that you can use for one-time access to your account. Once you are in, you will be able to change your password and be able to log in like normal going forward.
- You can also factory reset the device. This is a longer process, but just as effective. Once the process is done, you will be able to set a new password to ensure you can access the device and your account in the future without problems.
- Always ensure your password is something difficult for others to guess, but easy enough for yourself to remember. If you write or save it somewhere, make sure you put it somewhere that only you know about.
Get a Code to Sign in
The simplest and quickest way to access and unlock your Surface Pro even though you forgot your password/pin is to get a code sent to your email that allows you to access your account.
To initiate this process, tap the I forgot my PIN/password option under where you tried to enter your password. A window will pop up saying that Microsoft will send a code to your email, and it will display the email it is going to send the code to.
Once you click Send Code, you need to wait until it arrives in your email inbox. When it does, simply enter the code to get access to your account/device. Of course, once you’re signed in, you will be able to change your password to something you will remember.
Factory Reset Your Device
If you don’t have access to your email account associated with the device anymore, or this option doesn’t work for you, a second method is to factory reset your device in order to reset the password. Here is the process to factory reset your Surface Pro without a password:
Step 1: On the sign-in page, click the Power button, hold down the Shift key, and click Restart. If you don’t have a physical keyboard, you can bring up the on-screen keyboard. You can do this in the ease of access menu at the bottom right side of the screen.
Step 2: Doing this will allow the device to restart in the Windows Recovery Menu. When the menu appears, click Troubleshoot. On the next page, click Reset this PC.
Step 3: You will be greeted with two options. One is to reset things like your apps and settings, but keep your files. Or, you can do a complete reset and remove everything from the device.
Step 4: You can choose to either reinstall Windows via cloud download or by local install, and will also be given the option to simply remove your files, or fully clean the drive. The second option is generally chosen if you are going to sell or give the device to someone else.
Step 5: The device will ask you if you’re sure you want to reset, and if you do, press Reset and simply wait for the process to finish. How long it takes will depend on the options you choose, but could take more than an hour in some cases.
Once this is done and the device is reset, you will be able to set up the device from scratch, including creating a new password for your Surface Pro. Make sure this password is something no one will guess, but is something you will remember.
If you still think you might forget the password, you could save or write it down somewhere, but make sure to keep it somewhere that only you have access to.
Final Thoughts
Forgetting a password is something we all do from time to time. But thankfully in most cases, there are ways to access accounts and devices through other methods. We hope that this guide has been able to help you unlock your Surface Pro without your password.
Which method worked for you to unlock your Surface Pro? Let us know in a comment below.
