Windows Hello common issues and troubleshooting tips (2024)

FAQs

Why doesn t Windows Hello work anymore? ›

Check your lighting. If there is harsh or particularly bright light coming from one side or the other, Windows Hello might have a harder time recognizing you. Some unusual kinds of make-up are visible to infrared and that can make it more difficult for facial recognition to recognize you.

Fingerprint readers on laptops are generally in one of two places: either a small square to the right of the trackpad or for newer models, the fingerprint reader is the power button. You will be asked to repeatedly lift and re-place your finger.

So, if you're looking to protect your device or online account, using a strong password is a better choice than a PIN. This doesn't necessarily mean you should stop using PINs altogether. PINs are a practical and secure method to unlock your touchscreen device, for example.

Windows Hello for Business provides many benefits, including: It helps to strengthen protections against credential theft. An attacker must have both the device and the biometric or PIN, making it much more difficult to gain access without the user's knowledge.

IR or 3D Camera equipped Windows 10 and 11 based computers that are produced after June of 2017, will by default support Windows Hello Facial recognition. XPS 13 9360 & 9365 and other computers that are equipped with optional fingerprint readers can use Windows Hello for fingerprint sign-in ONLY.

How do I fix my Windows Hello? ›

Way 1: Reset the Facial Recognition and Fingerprint Options

If you've already set up Windows Hello on your Windows 10 device but it stops working for odd reasons, then you can try resetting the facial recognition and fingerprint options to fix the problem.

The user's existing PIN and underlying credentials, including any keys or certificates added to their Windows Hello container, are deleted from the client and a new sign in key and PIN are provisioned.

Yes, Windows Hello can be used to unlock specific apps on your device, adding an extra layer of security and convenience. However, app compatibility may vary, so not all apps support this feature. To check if an app supports Windows Hello, go to its settings or security options and look for the authentication options.

There are multiple reasons why Windows Hello PIN is unavailable. Firstly, it can be a malware infection, which might be causing the problem. Secondly, you might have permission issues on your Windows device, which can cause this issue.

Restore or reset your PC.

If Windows Hello was working before, a recently installed app, driver, or update might be causing the problem. To resolve this, try a fresh start. To learn more, see Restore or reset Surface for Windows 10.

Make sure your eyes, nose and mouth are fully visible to the TrueDepth camera. By default, Face ID doesn't work if anything is covering your mouth and nose. If you're wearing a face mask and have already set up Face ID with a Mask You may need to hold your iPhone higher if you're wearing a face mask.

Is your Windows Hello PIN not being accepted by Windows? In most cases, it occurs when you enter the wrong PIN. Other factors that could contribute to this issue include corruption of the Ngc folder, a problem with your Microsoft or local accounts, or misconfigured PIN settings in the Group Policy Editor.