Windows 11 facial recognition

[Mr429er]

were do i get facial recognition fix for windows 11 Hello on a Leveno Laptop siince it was not pre--installed Useless Microsoft Tons of bloatwar

 

[ChatGPT]

To fix Windows Hello facial recognition issues on your Lenovo laptop running Windows 11 when the feature is not pre-installed, follow these steps:

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1. Verify Hardware Compatibility​

Check that your Lenovo laptop has an IR (infrared) camera, required for Windows Hello Facial Recognition. This is commonly found in Lenovo models like ThinkPad with supported IR sensors. If your device lacks an appropriate sensor, you may need external hardware or consider upgrading.

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2. Install/Update Necessary Drivers​

• Visit the Lenovo Support website and search for your laptop model.
• Download the latest IR camera drivers or any "Windows Hello" drivers listed under downloads.
• Alternatively, you can also check for updated drivers using Windows Update:
  • Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Optional updates, and install any camera-related updates.

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3. Enable Biometrics in System Settings​

Ensure "Biometric services" are enabled:

1. Open Local Group Policy Editor (Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter).
2. Navigate to:
   • Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Biometrics
3. Ensure the following are Enabled:
   • Allow the use of Biometrics.
   • Allow users to log in using Biometrics.

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4. Set Up Windows Hello Facial Recognition​

If Windows Hello is now recognized, set it up:

1. Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Select Facial Recognition (Windows Hello) and click "Set up."
3. Follow on-screen instructions for face enrollment.

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5. Reconfigure Windows Hello (If Already Set Up)​

Sometimes reconfiguration fixes bugs:

• Navigate to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Face recognition and click Remove or Reset and then re-add your face.

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6. Address Known Windows Updates Glitches (If Applicable)​

If your facial recognition issue correlates with recent Windows Updates (e.g., KB5055523), it might be a known bug. Users have reported fixes, such as re-enrolling face recognition after updates.
Steps:

1. Reset the feature:
   • Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Facial recognition, then re-set it up.
2. Confirm your device camera is functioning properly and unobstructed.

If updates are a concern, check for hotfixes or rollback updates.

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7. Still No Luck? Install Windows Hello​

In cases where Windows Hello features are absent:

1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
2. Select Turn Windows features on or off.
3. Look for Windows Hello Face, check it, and click OK.

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More help?​

If none of these options work, share the exact error message or behavior you're encountering.
Hopefully, this guides you toward a solution. Feel free to ask for further clarification!

 

[wesweber]

Windows Hello face isn't coming on when logging in. It always show the PIN login window. The setup process seems normal until you try to login where the login window always asks for the PIN. I've tried all the fixs listed in the apr 25, 2025 message, I've reset windows 11, reloaded the camera drivers. The camera works with other apps like Teams, lenovo camera app.
No errors show up in the windows logs

What's next

 

[ChatGPT]

You’re absolutely not alone—your description matches a widespread Windows Hello bug tied directly to the April 2025 cumulative update KB5055523 on Windows 11 24H2 (and Server 2025). Here’s the critical detail: If you did a “Reset this PC” (especially with “Keep my Files”) or used certain security features like DRTM or System Guard Secure Launch, Windows Hello Face and PIN can get stuck, always defaulting to PIN with no face option—despite a normal setup and fully functional camera.
Key Takeaways:

• There are no error logs.
• The bug is introduced after a system reset with the affected security features.
• It will persist even after driver reinstalls, Windows reinstallation, or standard troubleshooting.

Confirmed Workarounds (until Microsoft releases an official fix):

1. Manually Re-Enroll Hello Face:
   1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Facial Recognition (Windows Hello).
   2. Click “Set up” (or “Remove” then “Set up” if available) to re-enroll.
   3. Complete the face scan process again.
   4. Restart and test the login window—sometimes this restores the face prompt.
2. PIN Re-Enrollment:
   If you get “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available”, follow the prompt to set up your PIN again. This resets the Hello subsystem under the new security context.
3. Device Manager IR Camera Trick:
   In Device Manager (devmgmt.msc), under Cameras, try temporarily disabling the RGB (color) camera, leaving the IR camera active. This can (sometimes) force Hello to use the right sensor and trigger the face prompt. Don’t forget to re-enable it afterward.
4. If No “Set up” Option Appears:
   • Check for group policy or registry settings blocking Windows Hello Biometrics. (Run gpedit.msc > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Biometrics.)
   • Confirm “Allow the use of biometrics” and related settings are enabled.
   • If you use enterprise controls or an Azure AD/Intune policy, check with your admin for any Hello restrictions.

The Reality:
This is a known Microsoft bug, and even resets/reinstalls or fresh Windows images won’t permanently fix it until a patch arrives. Your attempted steps (reset, driver reload, etc.) are the correct classics—they just won’t stick because Hello’s backend is broken by the update and security feature combo.
Stay tuned for an MS hotfix, and for now, use the manual re-enrollment method above after each reset, or temporarily fall back on PIN/password if facial recognition simply refuses to appear.
If you want to dig deeper technically or test some registry or advanced policy remediations, let me know and I’ll walk you through those as well. But rest assured—you’re hitting the bleeding edge of a confirmed Update bug, and your troubleshooting is already on point!

 

[wesweber]

In your suggestions,
item 1: not working
item 2: it's not allowing me to change the PIN
item 3: didn't work
item 4: set up option appears
Also the update log show no installation of KB5055523

 

[ChatGPT]

Thank you for the details and for confirming there’s no KB5055523 installed. This rules out the major “April 2025” bug affecting Hello Face, so something else is at play—likely a system configuration or profile corruption, especially since a reset and driver attempts haven’t fixed it.
Let’s move beyond the basics:

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Targeted Troubleshooting Steps​

1. Check Windows Hello Face Optional Feature​

• Go to Settings > Apps > Optional Features.
• Search for “Windows Hello Face”. If not installed:
  • Click “Add a feature” and install Windows Hello Face support.
• After install, restart, and check again.

2. Check Biometric Service​

• Press Win+R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Scroll down and ensure Windows Biometric Service is running and set to Automatic.
• If it’s not, right-click > Properties > Start, and set “Startup type” to “Automatic”.

3. New User Profile Test​

Sometimes the account’s biometric data store is corrupted:

• Create a new local user (Control Panel > User Accounts > Manage another account > Add a new user).
• Log in as that new user.
• Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in Options – does Windows Hello Face set up and work for this account?

This can confirm if the issue is local-account specific.

4. Check for Group Policy or Registry Block​

If you’re on Pro/Enterprise:

• Group Policy:
  Run gpedit.msc, then check:
  Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Biometrics
  Make sure policies aren’t set to Disabled.
• Registry:
  Navigate to
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Biometrics
  and
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Settings\AllowSignInOptions
  Ensure any setting isn’t disabling biometrics/Hello.

5. Clear and Rebuild Hello Data​

Occasionally, stale/invalid data prevents Hello from initializing:

1. Open File Explorer and go to
   %WinDir%\System32\WinBioDatabase
2. Back up and then delete the files in this folder (Windows will recreate them).
3. Reboot, then try setting up Windows Hello Face again.

6. Run System File Checker​

Just in case remnants from the reset left something broken:

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator, then run:
  sfc /scannow
  Let the scan finish and repair as needed.

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If none of the above work and your device logs no errors, but other apps can use the camera, you’re dealing with either a deeply corrupted profile or a stubborn OS-level misconfiguration. At that point, a truly fresh Windows install (delete all partitions, not just “Reset this PC”) is the last-resort nuclear option.
Let me know what you find at each step, especially with a new user profile and the Hello Face optional feature. This will help pinpoint whether the issue is hardware, account, or system-level!

 

[datawizard0103]

Try these fixes -

1. Check Hello Face Feature
Go to Settings > Apps > Optional Features
Search for Windows Hello Face
If missing, click Add a feature, install it, then restart

2. Try a New User Account
Create a new local user account
Log into that account
Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options
Try setting up Hello Face again

3. Check Biometric Service
Press Win + R, type services.msc, press Enter
Find Windows Biometric Service
Right-click > Properties > Set Startup type to Automatic, then Start it

4. Check Group Policy and Registry
Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc
Go to Computer Configuration > Windows Components > Biometrics
Make sure nothing is set to Disabled
Also check in Registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Biometrics
Remove anything blocking biometrics

5. Run System File Check
Open Command Prompt as admin
Run: sfc /scannow
Let it fix any system issues

6. Clear Face Data
Go to: C:\Windows\System32\WinBioDatabase
Delete everything in that folder
Restart and try Hello Face setup again

 

[ChatGPT]

Your step-by-step list for fixing Windows Hello Face is an excellent, comprehensive checklist—these are the exact steps recommended by advanced troubleshooting guides and forum experts:
To recap and expand:

1. Check Windows Hello Face in Optional Features
   • Go to Settings > Apps > Optional Features, search for Windows Hello Face and add it if missing, then restart. This is a key step for missing facial recognition on Lenovo, Surface, and other OEM laptops.
2. Try Creating a New User Account
   • Sometimes, the issue is profile corruption. Creating and logging into a brand-new local account can confirm if it’s user-specific—if it works in the new account, your main profile’s biometric data is likely damaged.
3. Check Windows Biometric Service
   • Open services.msc, find Windows Biometric Service, set it to Automatic, and Start it. If this service isn’t running, Hello Face can’t activate.
4. Review Group Policy & Registry
   • Use gpedit.msc:
     Computer Configuration > Windows Components > Biometrics, and confirm nothing is set to Disabled.
   • Registry: Remove any policies blocking biometrics at:
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Biometrics
   • This fixes issues where sign-in options are missing or "disabled by policy" messages are shown.
5. Run System File Checker
   • Command Prompt (Admin):
     sfc /scannow
   • This repairs corrupted system files that could disrupt Hello face logic.
6. Clear WinBioDatabase (Face Data)
   • Go to C:\Windows\System32\WinBioDatabase, delete all files (Windows will recreate them), then reboot and set up Hello Face again. This is useful when data corruption in the biometrics database blocks face enrollment.

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Special Note for Recent Windows Updates (April 2025/KB5055523):​

• If you've recently reset your PC or installed security updates, and Hello Face/PIN always defaults to PIN with no face prompt—this is a known Microsoft bug on 24H2 with certain security features (like DRTM/Secure Launch). The workaround is to re-enroll Hello Face after each reset, but even reinstalling drivers or Windows may not fix it until an official patch is released.

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Summary:
You’ve covered the right bases. If you work through all these steps and Hello Face still doesn’t work (but the camera is operational in other apps, and no group policy blocks are present), you might be hitting this confirmed update bug. In that case, try the face re-enrollment trick after every major update, and watch for official hotfixes from Microsoft.
If you need step-by-steps for any of the advanced troubleshooting (registry/GP edits or face data reset), just ask!