Windows Face Recognition Not Working: 4 Ways to Fix it

Reinstall the driver or reset the settings!

Fix » Windows 10

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by Madalina Dinita 

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Key notes

  • If face recognition is not working in Windows, it affects the PC's security and puts the user data at risk.
  • The problem arises due to driver issues, misconfigured settings, or data corruption.
  • To fix things, reset the settings, reinstall the driver, or modify the local policies.
fix windows face recognition not working

Face recognition is a security technology to protect your PC, but many users reported that Windows 10 face recognition isn’t working for them.

This can be a problem and leave your PC vulnerable. So in today’s article, we’ll show you how to fix things when facial recognition is not working.

How do I get Windows Hello face to work?

1. Reset Face Recognition Settings

  1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Click on Accounts and then the Sign In option.
    accounts windows 10 face recognition not working
  3. Go to the Face Recognition option, then select Remove.
  4. Click on Get Started and follow the onscreen instruction to set up face recognition again.
  5. Restart your computer.

2. Reinstall drivers

  1. Press Windows + X, and select Device Manager.
    device manager facial recognition not working
  2. Locate Biometric Devices in Device Manager.
  3. Right-click on the device, then select the Uninstall option.
    uninstall device face recognition problems
  4. Next, click on Scan for hardware changes. This will reinstall the drivers.
    scan for hardware changes windows 10 face recognition not working

When Windows face recognition is not working, the problem may lie with the driver, and reinstalling it should do the trick!

3. Restore older driver

  1. Open the Device Manager.
  2. Click on System Devices and then Surface Camera Windows Hello.
  3. Click on the Driver tab and then click on the Roll Back Driver button.
    driver rollback face recognition problems
  4. Choose the reason for rolling back, click Yes to proceed, and then restart the computer.

4. Turn on/Enable Biometrics

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type gpedit.msc, and press the Enter key.
    gpedit run window windows 10 face recognition not working
  2. Click on Computer Configuration and then on Administrative Templates.
    administrative templates windows 10 face recognition not working
  3. Also, click on Windows Components, then Biometrics.
    biometrics windows 10 face recognition not working
  4. Now, double-click on Allow the use of biometrics option in the setting.
    allow the use of biometrics windows 10 face recognition problems
  5. Select the Enabled option.
  6. Now, click on Apply, and then on OK.
    enable allow use of biometrics windows 10 face recognition not working
  7. Similarly, enable the Allow users to log on using biometrics policy.
  8. Restart your computer and see if the problem persists.

There you go! These simple solutions can help if Windows 10 face recognition isn’t working.

Before you leave, check some quick tips to enhance security in Windows. Let us know in the comments section if our solutions were helpful to you.

More about the topics: windows 10 fix, Windows Hello

Madalina Dinita

Madalina Dinita Shield

Networking & Security Specialist

Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer. She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies -- AI and DNA computing in particular. Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.