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Windows
: Password rules

Name
Description
Activation types
Default
Possible values
Password required for device
Specify whether a user must set a device password.
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
No
  • No
  • Yes
Allow simple password
Specify whether the device password can contain repeated or sequential characters, such as 1111 or 1234.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
Allow
  • Disallow
  • Allow
Minimum password length
Specify the minimum number of characters that the device password must contain.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
4 characters
Minimum value: 4 characters
Maximum value: 16 characters
Password complexity
Specify the complexity of the device password. If set to "Alphanumeric," the password must contain both letters and numbers. If set to "Numeric," the password must contain only numbers.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
Numeric
  • Alphanumeric
  • Numeric
Minimum number of character types
Specify the minimum number of character types that the device password must contain. If you select "1," the password requires numbers. If you select "2," the password also requires lowercase letters. If you select "3," the password also requires uppercase letters. If you select "4," the password also requires special characters. This rule does not apply to Windows 10 computers and tablets.
Depends on: Password complexity
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
numbers required
  • numbers required
  • numbers and lowercase letters required
  • numbers, lowercase letters, and uppercase letters required
  • numbers, lowercase letters, uppercase letters, and special characters required
Minimum value: 1 character type
Maximum value: 4 character types
Password expiration
Specify the maximum number of days that the device password can be used. After the specified number of days elapse, the password expires and a user must set a new password. If set to 0, the password does not expire.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
0 days
Minimum value: 0 days
Maximum value: 730 days
Password history
Specify the maximum number of previous passwords that a device checks to prevent a user from reusing a device password.
If set to 0, the device does not check previous passwords.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
0 passwords
Minimum value: 0 passwords
Maximum value: 50 passwords
Maximum failed password attempts
Specify the number of times that a user can enter an incorrect password before a device is wiped.
If set to 0, the device is not wiped regardless of how many times the user enters an incorrect password. This rule does not apply to devices that allow multiple user accounts, including Windows 10 computers and tablets and Windows Mobile devices with Microsoft Passport.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
0 attempts
Minimum value: 0 attempts
Maximum value: 999 attempts
Maximum inactivity time lock
Specify the period of user inactivity that must elapse before a device locks.
If set to 0, the device does not lock automatically.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
0 minutes
Minimum value: 0 minutes
Maximum value: 999 minutes
Allow idle return without password
Specify whether a user must type the password when the idle grace period ends.
If this rule is selected, the user can set the password grace period timer. This rule does not apply to Windows 10 computers and tablets.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0
MDM controls
Allow
  • Disallow
  • Allow
Allow use of biometric gestures
Enable or disable the use of biometric gestures, such as face and fingerprint, as an alternative to the PIN gesture for Windows Hello for Business.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0.14393
MDM controls
Selected
Enable enhanced anti-spoofing for facial feature recognition
Enable or disable enhanced anti-spoofing for facial feature recognition on Windows Hello face authentication.
Depends on: Password required for device
Minimum OS version: 10.0.14393
MDM controls
Not selected