How to Set up a Picture Password in Windows 8

Picture passwords are more than a fun way to sign in—they can also be more secure than regular passwords because they’re harder to guess.

With a picture password, you can sign in to your PC with your favorite photo instead of a hard-to-remember password. You choose the picture, which gestures—circles, straight lines, or taps—you use, and where on the picture you trace them. You can draw a picture password directly on a touchscreen with your finger, or you can use a mouse to draw your shapes. Everyone who has a Microsoft account on your PC can set up their own picture password.

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

2. Tap or click Accounts, and tap or click Sign-in options.
3. Under Picture password, tap or click Add.
4. Sign in with your Microsoft account info, then follow the steps on the screen to choose a picture and pick your gestures.