Assigning Picture Password to a Windows 10 Touchscreen Computer

A picture password in Windows 10 eases you from the hassle of typing a strong and lengthy password while signing in to your touchscreen device. Picture password works exactly the way the unlock pattern works in most mobile devices with the difference that in picture password you draw an unlock pattern on a photo of your choice. Selecting your desired photo to set a pattern is not possible in the mobile devices.

While assigning a picture password to your Windows 10 user account you are prompted to draw three patterns over the selected picture and then Windows asks you to confirm the drawn pattern by redrawing them for the second time.

After the patterns are confirmed the selected photo is set as the picture password for your account and you can sign-in to Windows 10 by drawing the same pattern on the picture.

You can assign a picture password for your account in Windows 10 by following the steps given below:

Note: Although this process works best when used with a touchscreen device in this demonstration a Windows 10 computer is used and mouse and keyboard are used as input devices. Nonetheless the process of assigning a picture password is identical for both touchscreen and non-touchscreen Windows 10 devices.

1. Sign-in to your account on the Windows 10 computer.
2. From the desktop screen click the Start button.
3. Click the Settings option from the left pane of the opened Start menu.

4. On the opened SETTINGS window click Accounts.

5. On the ACCOUNTS window from the left pane click to select Sign-in options.
6. From the right pane under the Picture password section click the Add button.

7. When prompted provide your current password and click OK to continue.

8. From the left pane of the displayed window click Choose new picture and select a picture to set as password. Alternatively you can click Use this picture to continue using the currently displayed picture in the right pane. (The Use this picture button is used here for demonstrating the procedure.)

Note: The Use this picture button will be enabled only when you have chosen a picture previously. If you are setting a picture password for the first time after installing Windows 10 the Use this picture button will remain disabled leaving you with no option other than clicking the Choose new picture button.

9. Once the picture has been selected in the right pane left-click and drag the mouse to draw three patterns on the screen. (You can use finger on the touchscreen devices to draw a pattern.)

10. After the three patterns have been drawn redraw them for confirmation when prompted.

Note: At any time while setting up the drawing pattern you can click the Start over button from the bottom of the left pane to start the setup process from the scratch or click Cancel to exit the interface altogether.

11. Once Windows confirms the pattern click Finish from the bottom of the left pane.

12. You can try using the assigned picture password to access Windows 10 by signing out and then signing back in.
13. To remove the assigned picture password follow the above steps from 1 to 6 and click the Remove button under the Picture password section when on step 6.