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(Pocket-lint) – If you have a Windows 10 device and are wondering what Windows Hello quest or how to set it up, then you have come to the right place.
We’ll walk you through what Microsoft’s user-friendly security system is all about. Including everything you need to know from setup to use and any potential issues you might have.
What is Windows Hello?
At a basic level, Windows Hello is a different way to sign in to your Windows devices, much more convenient than a traditional password.
Depending on your device, Windows Hello may give you access to sign in using your fingerprint, iris scan, or facial recognition from your webcam.
Logging in this way is obviously much more convenient as you don’t have to bother remembering your password or bothering to type the wrong thing three times before you even log into Windows.
There are some arguments that Windows Hello is also more secure, as you won’t be tempted to use a simple, easy-to-guess password for your laptop or desktop, but instead rely on the various biometric options.
Is Windows Hello safe?
Microsoft is keen to say how secure Windows Hello is. The company claims that you can use your fingerprint, face, or iris to log in with “enterprise-grade” security without anything hackers or other malicious individuals can steal.
Other people cannot watch you enter your PIN or password and gain access that way. They also can’t use a photo of your face to trick the system, because Windows Hello is cleverly designed to only work for real people.
Likewise, if someone steals your laptop, they won’t be able to sign in to your device, unless they can also use your face, fingerprint, or iris to activate Windows Hello.
The user’s biometric data is also not sent to the cloud. These are stored on the device. Hackers therefore cannot simply hack Microsoft servers to gain access to your data.
How to configure Windows Hello
You must meet certain criteria to set up Windows Hello. Obviously you need Windows 10 to get started, but you also need the right tech on your device – a webcam or fingerprint sensor is clearly a must.
You can then follow the simple setup steps by opening the signing options from within Windows. To do this, click the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Connection options” to find the appropriate settings.
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Otherwise, follow these steps:
Click on the Windows key
Click on the settings cog at the bottom left
Under Windows settings, click Accounts
In the left navigation, click on “connection options”
It should be noted that not all machines will be compatible with Windows Hello. Even if you have a webcam, you may not have the right webcam to tick the boxes. The camera must have the technology to handle near infrared imaging.
Under the sign-in options, you can click to select from the different Windows Hello options. Choose to log in using your camera, fingerprint, password, or other method.
Once you’ve picked your preferred option, Windows will walk you through the process – whether it’s scanning your fingerprints, registering your face, or creating a PIN.
For fingerprint registration, you usually need to put your finger on the reader, lift it up, put it back in place and repeat at different angles until the machine has a good scan.
It should be noted that if you don’t have a fingerprint scanner built into your machine, you can purchase an aftermarket one that you can simply plug into your device to use with Windows Hello. Just make sure it’s compatible with Windows Hello.
Windows Hello camera not working?
You may find occasions when Windows Hello won’t work with your camera. These issues may just be intermittent, and you’ll always have the option to log in using a PIN instead.
If you regularly find that your camera is not working, there are a number of different steps you can take to fix it.
Reset facial recognition – Go back to the connection settings and click to remove facial recognition and click to “reset” these settings. Restart your machine and configure it again.
Download Drivers and Updates – if possible, find and download the latest drivers for your webcam from the relevant manufacturer. Also check the Windows Update settings (click the Windows key and search for “check for updates”) and make sure you have the latest updates installed on your computer.
Run the troubleshooting utility – click on the start menu and click on the settings cog, then go to Update & Security and click on “Troubleshoot”. From there, you can then run the hardware and peripherals troubleshooter.
Multi-user connection
If your device is compatible with Windows Hello and you share it with others in your household, there is more good news because it is possible to configure the Windows Hello login for each user.
To do this, open the account settings by following the same steps as above. Click on “family and other users”, then follow the steps to add them to your device. Once done, sign out of your own account and sign in to the other account and have the other person go through the Windows Hello setup process.
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You can then both access the device using the simpler login system.
Written by Adrian Willings. Originally published on .
