Некоторые пользователи при входе в Windows 11 или 10 сталкиваются с сообщение «Чтобы повторить попытку, введите A1B2C3 ниже» с полем «Фраза вызова». Обычно, такое сообщение появляется если ввести ПИН-код для входа в систему неправильно несколько раз.
В этой инструкции подробно о том, что делать, если вы столкнулись с такой ситуацией и в случаях, когда сообщение «введите A1B2C3» появляется постоянно и без многократного неправильного ввода ПИН-кода.
При однократном появлении сообщения — просто введите A1B2C3
Если ранее вы не сталкивались с такой проблемой, а включив компьютер или ноутбук обнаружили, что вас просят ввести A1B2C3, чтобы повторить попытку, стоит попробовать сделать это, не забыв про заглавные буквы и переключение на английскую раскладку клавиатуры: обычно это клавиши Alt + Shift и Windows + Пробел.
После ввода указанного сочетания букв и цифр вас попросят ввести обычный ПИН-код для этой учетной записи, а после верного ввода вы войдете в Windows 11/10.
Это может помочь даже в случае, если вы не вводили неверный ПИН-код: возможно, в ваше отсутствие это пробовал сделать кто-то другой, затем выключил компьютер или перевел его в спящий режим. В таком сценарии при повторном включении вы всё равно получите сообщение о необходимости ввода A1B2C3.
Если запрос о вводе появляется при каждом включении компьютера
В ситуации, когда, введя A1B2C3 вы можете войти в систему, но перезагрузка или завершение работы Windows вновь приводит к той же самой проблеме, при этом никто кроме вас компьютер не использует, можно попробовать следующие варианты решения проблемы.
Удаление ПИН-кода, перезагрузка и повторная его установка
Первый вариант — попробовать удалить ПИН-код для входа (требуется, чтобы вы знали пароль своей учётной записи Майкрософт для входа без ПИН-кода), а после перезагрузки вновь установить его, если требуется.
Шаги для удаления ПИН-кода в Windows 11 (в Windows 10 действия очень похожи, разобраться будет не сложно):
- Откройте «Параметры» и перейдите в раздел «Учетные записи».
- Откройте раздел «Варианты входа».
- Раскройте пункт «PIN-код» (Windows Hello) и нажмите кнопку «Удалить». Если она не активна, пролистайте то же окно вниз и отключите опцию «Для повышения безопасности разрешите вход Windows Hello для учетных записей Майкрософт на этом устройстве» и уже после этого удалите ПИН-код. Если и этот пункт не активен, решение вы найдете в статье Как удалить ПИН-код Windows 11.
- Перезагрузите компьютер.
- После входа с паролем учетной записи Майкрософт вновь создайте ПИН-код в том же разделе параметров.
Полное удаление настроек входа с ПИН-кодом
Второй метод — удаление папки с параметрами ПИН-кодов (для всех пользователей компьютера, для входа в систему потребуется знать пароль учетной записи Майкрософт) и установка нового ПИН-кода после этого. Необходимые действия:
- Запустите командную строку от имени администратора (как это сделать).
- По порядку введите следующие три команды, нажимая Enter после каждой: последнюю команду потребуется подтвердить вводом «Y».
takeown /f C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc /A /R /D Y icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc /grant Администраторы:f /t rd C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc /s
- Закройте командную строку и перезагрузите компьютер.
- Войдите в учетную запись с паролем учетной записи Майкрософт (потребуется подключение к Интернету).
- Вам будет предложено создать новый ПИН-код. Если этого не произошло, вы можете создать его самостоятельно в Параметрах Windows 11 и Windows 10.
Надеюсь, один из методов подойдёт в вашем случае. Если же решить проблему не удалось, опишите её в подробностях, используя форму комментариев ниже, я постараюсь предложить дополнительные варианты.
When trying to log into your user account on a Windows PC, you may see an error message stating “To try again, enter A1B2C3 below.” This is a “Challenge phrase” that you see when the computer detects that there have been multiple incorrect attempts to log in.
This error message can be seen on both Windows 10 and 11, but only in case someone is repeatedly entering an incorrect PIN. This error message does not show up when entering an incorrect password.
That said, there are reports that users often encounter this error message even though the computer has just started up, or they haven’t even touched the keyboard yet and the “A1B2C3” error message is there. In certain cases, someone has been trying to access their PC behind their backs and now the error message won’t go away.
If you are reading this post, then it is likely that you or someone around is experiencing the same problem. Here, you’ll find quick workarounds and fixes to mitigate the issue and successfully log into your PC.
Table of Contents
Purpose of the A1B2C3 Log-In Challenge Phrase
Before we begin, we would like to inform you that this error prompt is not an “error,” per se, but more like an attack prevention mechanism set in place by Microsoft.
In the modern world, Brute force attacks are becoming more and more common. A Brute force attack is when repeated attempts are made to penetrate the system/network.
In case someone is trying to log into your user account remotely, they will be asked to enter this challenge phrase to restrict their access to the Lock Screen, where they can continue guessing your password.
That said, the error message should only show up once. Once you have entered the challenge phrase, you should be brought back to the Lock Screen where you can enter your PIN/biometric information/password, and continue to log into your account.
However, according to online forums, that is not always the case. Users are often stuck inside the same loop or are asked to enter the “A1B2C3” challenge phrase every time they want to log in.
Let us now continue to see how we can bypass or mitigate the problem once and for all.
Bypass/Fix Continuous A1B2C3 Challenge Phrase
There are methods to both bypass the A1B2C3 challenge phrase in case it was a one-time prompt or fix the issue if you are encountering the prompt continuously and repeatedly.
We suggest that you perform the given solutions below in the given chronological order that go from simply bypassing the challenge phrase to resolving the repeated prompt. Additionally, perform all the methods using an administrator account.
Note that the methods to fix the continuous asking of the challenge phrase need to be performed while you are logged in. Therefore, you might need to perform either one of the first two solutions nonetheless.
Enter the A1B2C3 Challnge Phrase
The first and least-extensive workaround is to simply do what the computer is asking. By entering the challenge phrase, you will be taken back to the Windows lock screen, where you must carefully enter the correct credentials to log in.
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Enter “A1B2C3” in the challenge phrase text field and hit Enter.
Enter the A1B2C3 challenge phrase -
Enter the PIN/Biometric information to log into your account.
Enter login credentials Carefully enter the correct credentials to log into your computer account.
Use other Sign-In Options
Alternatively to the method above, you can also use other sign-in options to log into your account. If you have configured other methods to sign in, such as a password, then you can use that to sign in instead.
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Click “Sign-in options” under the challenge phrase text field.
Click Sign in options -
Now select the alternative sign-in option available.
Choose another sign-in option -
Now enter the alternative credentials and press Enter.
Enter your password
You should now be logged into your account. Hopefully, you won’t be asked to re-enter the A1B2C3 challenge phrase unless the wrong credentials are entered again. However, if the issue persists, then we suggest that you continue to perform the mitigation methods shared below.
Create New Login PIN
In case there is any issue with the information stored on the computer regarding your PIN, you ought to try deleting the old PIN and creating a new one. This way, the locally stored data will be reset and new files will be created.
Here are the steps to create a new PIN in Windows:
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Go to the following:
Settings app >> Accounts >> Sign-in Options
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Click “Windows Hello PIN.”
Expand PIN settings -
Click Remove.
Remove PIN -
Click “Remove” again to confirm.
Confirm PIN removal -
Enter your account password to authenticate and click Ok.
Enter password to authenticate The existing PIN will now be removed.
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Click “Add” under Windows Hello PIN.
Add a new PIN -
Enter your account password again to authenticate.
Enter password again -
Set a new PIN and click Ok.
Configure a new Windows Hello PIN
Once a new PIN has been configured, lock/sign out of your account and check whether you still encounter the “A1B2C3” challenge phrase.
If you do, then we might need to dig a little deeper to resolve the issue.
Reset the Access Control List
Windows OS stores an Access Control List (ACL) to authenticate which passwords and PINs should allow an individual to log in. This is stored inside the “Ngc” folder located at the following path:
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC
An issue with the ACL can prompt the challenge phrase to pop up over and over again. Therefore, it must be reset. However, before you can reset it, you must gain full control over the NGC folder so you do not encounter the “Access is denied” error.
Change Owner of NGC Directory
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Using File Explorer, navigate to the following path:
Note: You may not be able to enter the path directly into the navigation bar in File Explorer due to a lack of permissions. Additionally, since the “AppData” directory in the given path is hidden, you can access it by manually entering the directory into the navigation bar (for the said folder only), or accessing it by viewing hidden items.
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\
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Once there, right-click the “Ngc” folder and click Properties.
Open Ngc properties -
Switch to the Security tab and click Advanced.
Open advanced Ngc security properties -
Click “Change” in front of Owner.
Change owner -
Type in “Administrators” in the text field, click “Check Names,” and the Administrators group will automatically be selected. Then click Ok.
Make Administrators group the owner for Ngc -
Select “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” and click Apply and Ok.
Replace owner on subcontainers -
When asked for confirmation, click Yes.
Confirm owner replacement -
When asked to reopen object properties, click Ok.
Reopen object properties -
Click Ok on the advanced security setting and properties window.
Now that you have the required permissions (since you are logged in from an administrative account), continue to perform the steps in the next section to reset the ACL.
Reset ACL
Follow these steps to reset the ACL and check whether it resolves the issue:
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Open an elevated Command Prompt.
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Run the following cmdlet:
icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc /T /Q /C /RESET
Reset ACL -
Now, you must set a new PIN for your account by going to the following:
Settings app >> Accounts >> Sign-in Optons >> Windows Hello PIN
Now check whether the “A1B2C3” prompt has gone away. If it hasn’t, then there is still one more trick up our sleeve.
Remove Ngc Folder Content and Create Fresh Files
This is the most extensive mitigation method of the A1B2C3 challenge phrase and should only be used in case none of the methods above have worked.
Since the “Ngc” folder stores your login information, you must delete it and then recreate a new PIN. Here is how:
Note: You can either delete the data inside the Ngc folder or simply rename it. Moreover, we also recommend that you create a system restore point before proceeding so that you can revert your settings in case things do not go as planned.
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(Conditional) If you haven’t already, take ownership of the Ngc folder.
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Use File Explorer to navigate to the Ngc folder at the following path:
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc
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Select everything inside the folder (CTRL + A) and hit Delete.
Delete contents of Ngc folder Alternatively, you can simply rename the Ng folder to “Ngc.old”.
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Now, you must set a new PIN for your account by going to the following:
Settings app >> Accounts >> Sign-in Optons >> Windows Hello PIN
Now check whether you continuously see the “A1B2C3” challenge phrase when attempting to log in.
As reported, this last solution works for most users and resolves the issue. However, we only need to be extreme with the Windows OS when absolutely necessary.
Closing Thoughts
We repeat that the “A1B2C3” challenge phrase is not an error, but a prevention mechanism of Windows to secure your account and protect your data from Brute force attacks.
However, when Windows repeatedly asks you to enter the challenge phrase, it means that something might be wrong. The solutions given in this post should surely work and fix the issue.
Let us know which solution worked for you in the comments below, so our readers can get a better understanding of how aggressive their approach should be to fix it from the very beginning.
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- Windows 11 Keeps Asking for A1B2C3? Try 4 Fixes to Remove It!
By Vera | Follow |
Last Updated
Are you encountering the same issue as others: Windows 10/Windows 11 keeps asking for A1B2C3 on the login screen although you have entered the correct PIN? In this post on MiniTool, we will explore how to remove Windows A1B2C3 challenge phrase via some fixes.
Continuous Prompt Asking to Enter A1B2C3
When booting your PC to its login screen, you need to enter a PIN to sign in to the operating system. However, sometimes Windows 10/Windows 11 keeps asking for A1B2C3 challenge phrase. To be specific, on the computer screen, you see the error message:
“You’ve entered an incorrect PIN several times.
To try again, enter A1B2C3 below.”
This issue could happen although you type a correct PIN. The challenge phrase refers to a security measure to protect the system against brute-force attacks. If someone attempts to log into your account remotely, it is required to enter the challenge phrase.
Tips:
In terms of Windows 11 security, besides using a PIN to protect your PC, you can also take some other measures to keep it safe, including running Windows Security, keeping Windows up-to-date, using TPM/ UEFI Secure Boot, backing up your PC with MiniTool ShadowMaker to avoid data loss, etc.
MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Then, how to remove Windows A1B2C3 challenge phrase to successfully log into the system? Let’s delve into some available workarounds.
Way 1. Enter Challenge Phrase or Use Other Sign-in Options
While Windows 10/Windows 11 keeps asking for A1B2C3 on the login screen, you can enter A1B2C3 and then the PIN/biometric information. Alternatively, click Sign-in options to choose another option for Windows login if you ever configured other methods like a password.
Way 2. Delete the Ngc Folder
Windows stores your login information in the Ngc folder. Due to some reason, this folder could go wrong and get damaged. Needless to say, some login errors happen. If Windows keeps asking to enter A1B2C3, try to delete the Ngc folder via the steps below.
Step 1: Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
Step 2: Unhide AppData by clicking View > Show > Hidden items in Windows 11. Then, access this path: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft.
Step 3: Right-click on the Ngc folder and choose Properties.
Step 4: Under the Security tab, click Advanced.
Step 5: Tap on Change, type administrator in the text field, and click Check Names > OK. Apply the change by Apply > OK.
Step 6: Choose the Ngc folder and click Delete.
Way 3. Reset Access Control Lists
Usually, if the access control lists (ACLs) in the Ngc folder turn corrupted, Windows 11 keeps asking for A1B2C3 challenge phrase. To fix this issue, you can reset ACLs.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
Step 2: Copy and paste icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc /T /Q /C /RESET to the CMD window and press Enter.
Step 3: After the reset, you can add a new PIN.
Way 4. Create a New PIN
Your old PIN may have something wrong, most likely the sign-in data is deleted, as a result, the A1B2C3 challenge phrase always appears. You can try to create a new PIN to solve your issue.
Step 1: Access the Settings app via the Win + I keys.
Step 2: Navigate to Accounts > Sign-in options.
Step 3: Expand PIN (Windows Hello), click Change PIN, enter your old PIN, and type in a new PIN.
Step 4: Restart your PC and log in to Windows using the new PIN. Then, the continuous prompt asking to enter A1B2C3 won’t appear.
Verdict
How to remove Windows A1B2C3 challenge phrase? If Windows 10/11 keeps asking for A1B2C3 on the login screen, try the solutions above to easily address this issue.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Vera is an editor of the MiniTool Team since 2016 who has more than 7 years’ writing experiences in the field of technical articles. Her articles mainly focus on disk & partition management, PC data recovery, video conversion, as well as PC backup & restore, helping users to solve some errors and issues when using their computers. In her spare times, she likes shopping, playing games and reading some articles.
Windows 11 brings a lot of new security features to keep your PC and account safe. One thing that might make you scratch your head is this Challenge Phrase A1B2C3 that would pop up after you mess up your PIN or password for a few times in a row.
Just to clear things up, the Challenge Phrase A1B2C3 is not a security question. It’s not about forgetting any security questions or answers. It’s actually a different method introduced by Microsoft to check if it’s really you trying to get into your account after a few mistakes with your login details.
This guide will explain what this feature is really about and how you can move past the Challenge Phrase A1B2C3 if it keeps bugging you when you’re trying to log in.
Also see: Enable or Disable Security Questions in Windows 11/10
What is challenge phrase A1B2C3?
In Windows 11, they’ve thrown in a thing called a Challenge Phrase. It’s a little step to confirm it’s really you when you’ve failed your login several times or are about to do something big that triggers the challenge phrase. This is to make sure you are actually you and not some random bot that tries to login to your Windows without your knowledge.
The Challenge Phrase A1B2C3 is a basic security setting. This name, “A1B2C3,” is just a standard option set by Microsoft, but it can be changed by the system administrator to make security even stronger. As an extra safety step, it adds more protection on top of the usual username and password.
Related resource: How to Remove PIN Login From Windows 11 Startup
What to do when you see the challenge phrase screen?
Sometimes, if you get your PIN wrong too many times, your computer will ask, “You’ve entered an incorrect PIN several times. To try again, enter A1B2C3 below.” It’s just making sure you’re not someone trying to sneak into your account.
Just type in “A1B2C3” and you’re good to go for another try. This isn’t some secret code you’ve forgotten; it’s a built-in step to help protect your account.
After entering “A1B2C3”, you will have another chance to enter your PIN or password. Just try to sign in again, with the correct PIN or password of course.
If you really can’t remember your PIN or password, after typing in the challenge phrase, you’ll see options to reset them. Just follow the steps, and you’ll be back in your account in no time.
Useful tip: How to Auto Login Windows 11 Without Password or PIN
How to get rid of the challenge phrase in Windows 11
The Challenge Phrase A1B2C3 is super important for keeping your Windows 11 safe. But if it’s starting to get in your way, here’s how you can sort it out:
- Type in “A1B2C3” and get into your Windows with your PIN or password.
- Find the NGC folder. It’s in your system directory, over at
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\NGC. You might need to take a little journey there yourself because sometimes the computer won’t let you just jump straight to it (copy and pasting the full address) without asking nicely. If you do so, you might receive errors like “Permission Denied” or “Folder Not Found”.
- Take ownership of the NGC folder: Usually, you can’t touch this folder, but you can change that by getting the permissions sorted. Here’s how you do it:
- Right-click the NGC folder and hit “Properties”.
- Go to the “Security” tab and click on “Advanced”.
- In the following window, find the “Owner” section and click on the “Change” link.
- In the field that appears, enter your username, then click on “Check Names” and “OK”.
- Make sure the “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” checkbox is selected. Apply the changes by hitting “Apply” and “OK”.
- Right-click the NGC folder and hit “Properties”.
- Delete the contents of the NGC folder: This place stores your PIN stuff. If it’s acting up, clearing it out can help you start fresh.
- Set up a new PIN: Head over to “Settings” > “Accounts” > “Sign-in Options” and hit the “I forgot my PIN” link. Follow the steps to create a new one.
After doing all this, you shouldn’t see that challenge phrase nagging you anymore. You’ll then be able to log in successfully with your new PIN.
Additional suggestion: How to Login Windows 11 Without Microsoft Account
TL:DR: Summing everything up
The Challenge Phrase A1B2C3 in Windows 11 is meant to keep away people who shouldn’t be getting in, but it’s been causing some confusions among users. This isn’t actually about forgetting a security question or a clue for your password. If you’re stuck on a screen asking for this challenge phrase after trying to sign in a few times and not getting through, just type in “A1B2C3” exactly like that.
Now, if you keep seeing this screen even when you’ve logged in successfully before, it’s probably a sign that something’s up with your PIN’s data. To fix this, you might need to clear out the NGC folder (follow the steps shown above).
This folder has all the cryptographic keys linked to your PIN, making your sign-in extra secure. But if there’s an issue with these keys, you’ll keep bumping into the challenge phrase prompt. Deleting what’s inside the NGC folder gets rid of these problematic keys and resets your PIN’s setup in the system, which should help solve the problem.
Windows PC has a Challenge Phrase security feature to reduce brute-force login attempts. What it does is display the A1B2C3 error and asks the user to enter the challenge phrase which is literally A1B2C3. Here is the error message:
“You’ve entered an incorrect PIN several times. To try again, enter A1B2C3 below.”
What’s weird is that users are forced to enter the A1B2C3 challenge phrase even after entering the correct pin. Here’s how to fix A1B2C3 challenge phrase on Windows 10/11 computers.
Note: You must enter the A1B2C3 challenge phrase every time you log in to your Windows PC remotely.
Fix 1 – Enter A1B2C3
Yes. It might sound absurd and that’s what it is. Microsoft wants you to enter exactly what you are seeing on the screen. Think of it as a super easy captcha. Type A1B2C3 and then enter the PIN.
Fix 2 – Sign-In Using Password
You cannot troubleshoot the A1B2C3 challenge phrase issue unless you sign in to your Windows computer. Fortunately, you can only set up a PIN after you have set up a password on Windows.
- Click on I forgot my pin. Windows will take a few moments to load the password screen. Others may see Sign-in options instead.
- Enter the password here.
Enter the password here.
Once we are in, we need to try some troubleshooting steps to fix the A1B2C3 challenge phrase issue.
Fix 3 – Change PIN
This has worked for some users. Changing Windows PIN is easy to do and takes only a few minutes.
- Press Windows + I to open Settings. Select Accounts from the sidebar and click on Sign-in options.
- Select PIN (Windows Hello) and click on Change PIN button.
- In the pop-up that follows, enter your old pin and then your new pin twice. Click on OK to save.
- Follow on-screen from here on and you are done.
Fix 4 – Remove NGC Folder Content
Windows saves your login information in the NGC folder. Needless to say, if the folder is corrupt, has files with bugs, or lacks correct permissions, you will face sign-in errors like challenge phrase A1B2C3 error.
- Sign in to your Windows administrator account.
- Navigate to this folder – C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft
- The folder AppData is hidden by default for safety reasons. You need to unhide it. To do that, in File Explorer, click on View > Show > Hidden items.
- Right-click on the Ngc folder and select Properties.
- Under the Security tab, click on Advanced button.
- 5. Click on Change link next to the Owner section.
- Type administrators (no space before or after) in the given field in the pop-up and click Check Names button.
- It will detect the username automatically. Click on OK to save changes.
- You should now be able to Delete the Ngc folder.
- You must set up Windows Hello or PIN, face unlock, or fingerprint again.
What If I Forgot the Password
That’s a separate issue and beyond the scope of this article. However, on the sign-in screen, you should see I forgot my PIN or Reset password option. If yes, use that and follow on-screen instructions to change the password or PIN on your Windows computer and regain access.
Bonus Tip: Use Fingerprint or FaceUnlock
If your Windows computer has a webcam and/or fingerprint reader, we recommend you set it up. That would make it so much easier to sign in to your Windows computer. No need to remember and enter a PIN or password now.
Challenging Times
We don’t recommend removing password/PIN completely just because you are seeing the A1B2C3 challenge phrase screen as it leaves your computer vulnerable. Anyone with physical access to your Windows PCs can steal data or change settings, for example. You don’t want that. Windows Hello was designed to protect your privacy and offer security. Instead, set up multiple sign-in methods like password, PIN, fingerprint or face unlock so if one doesn’t work, you have a backup.
Now that you have entered your computer, it’s time to optimize it to get the max out of it.
Gaurav Bidasaria
Gaurav is an editor here at TechWiser but also contributes as a writer. He has more than 10 years of experience as a writer and has written how-to guides, comparisons, listicles, and in-depth explainers on Windows, Android, web, and cloud apps, and the Apple ecosystem.
He loves tinkering with new gadgets and learning about new happenings in the tech world.
He has previously worked on Guiding Tech, Make Tech Easier, and other prominent tech blogs and has over 1000+ articles that have been read over 50 million times.