Common causes of Windows Hello fingerprint login problems include driver incompatibility, hardware failure or system settings being wrongly modified. The solutions are as follows: 1. Confirm whether the fingerprint device is working properly, check the status in "Settings" and "Device Manager"; 2. Update or reinstall the fingerprint driver, and try to automatically update or manually download and install; 3. Reset Windows Hello settings, delete and re-add fingerprint information; 4. Check system policies and permission settings, turn off the disable biometric options or run sfc /scannow to repair system files; 5. Ensure that the system update is complete, clean the sensors and handle multi-user conflicts. If the above steps are invalid, it may be hardware damage. It is recommended to contact the manufacturer for after-sales service.

The most common reasons for Windows Hello fingerprint login may be driver incompatibility, hardware failure, or system settings that are wrongly modified. If you suddenly find that fingerprint recognition cannot be used, don’t rush to reinstall the system first, you can follow the steps to check.

1. Confirm whether the fingerprint device is working properly

First of all, we have to confirm whether it is a problem with the hardware itself or a problem with the software level. You can try to view the status of the fingerprint reader in Settings > Account > Login Options. If "Fingerprint reader not detected" is displayed, it may be that the hardware is not recognized.

• Check Device Manager (right-click Start Menu → Device Manager) for a "biometric device" or "fingerprint reader" with a yellow exclamation mark.
• If the relevant device is not found, try re-plug and unplug the external fingerprint device (if it is external), or restart the computer to see if it can be recognized.
• If there is a built-in fingerprint module, there may be a problem with the driver, please read it down.

2. Update or reinstall fingerprint driver

Driver problems are a common reason for Windows Hello fingerprint recognition failure. Update drivers are the most direct and effective solution.

• Open Device Manager → Expand "Biometric Device" → Right-click your fingerprint reader (such as "Synaptics Biometric Device") → Select "Update Driver".
• If the update is invalid, you can select "Uninstall Device", then restart the computer, and let the system automatically reinstall the driver.
• You can also go to the official website of the laptop brand (such as Dell, Lenovo, HP) to download the latest drivers of the corresponding models and install them manually.

Sometimes, there will be problems with the driver after the system is updated, especially after upgrading to Win11 or major version updates, which is more common.

3. Reset Windows Hello settings

Sometimes, even if the hardware is fine, Windows Hello may have errors in configuration, causing the fingerprint function to be unusable.

• Go to "Settings > Account > Login Options", find "Windows Hello Fingerprint", and click "Delete" the existing fingerprint information.
• Then click "Add fingerprint" again and enter it as prompted.
• If you prompt "Fingerprint recognition cannot be set" when adding, it may be a system policy or permissions issue, continue to view the next item.

4. Check system policies and permission settings

Biometric login may be disabled for some enterprise versions of Windows or computers managed through Group Policy.

• Press Win R to enter gpedit.msc to enter to open the local Group Policy Editor.
• Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Windows Hello for Business.
• Check if the Disable Biometrics setting is enabled, and if so, turn it off.

Ordinary home version users do not have a Group Policy Editor, so they can try running the system file checking tool:

• Open a command prompt (administrator permissions) and enter:

   sfc /scannow

This scans and repairs system files, and sometimes restores fingerprint recognition.

5. Other possible reasons

• Windows Update Incomplete : Make sure the system has the latest patches installed.
• The fingerprint sensor is dirty : Clean the fingerprint area, sometimes dust or oil stains can cause identification failure.
• Conflict in a multi-user environment : If multiple user accounts have fingerprints set, conflicts sometimes occur. You can try to clear all fingerprint data and add them one by one.

Basically, these common troubleshooting methods. In most cases, reinstalling the driver or resetting Windows Hello can solve the problem. If you have tried it all, it may be due to hardware damage. It is recommended to contact the manufacturer for further treatment after-sales service.

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