On Windows 10, Windows Hello fingerprint is just another biometric authentication method to sign in to your account.

The set up is a very straightforward process , but if you’re having problems signing in, and you usually end up typing a password instead, the problem isn’t the fingerprint reader, it’s probably an issue with your configuration. If this is the case, reconfiguring your fingerprints can resolve most issues.

In this guide , you’ll learn the steps to fix sign-in problems using a fingerprint reader on Windows 10 .

Fix fingerprint authentication on Windows 10

The best way to get your fingerprint reader to work correctly with Windows Hello is to reconfigure the feature until your fingerprints have been captured properly.

To fix Windows Hello Fingerprint feature, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 10.
  2. Click on Accounts .
  3. Click on Sign-in options.
  4. Under the “Windows Hello” section, click the Remove button. Remove fingerprint from Windows Hello
  5. Click the Set up button.
  6. Click the Get started button. Windows Hello fingerprint wizard
  7. Confirm your password.
  8. Continue with the on-screen directions to capture your fingerprint from various angles.

Once you complete the steps, lock your device ( Windows key + L ), and use the fingerprint reader to sign in. If you’re still having problems, repeat the steps mentioned above until you find a configuration that works.

On Windows 10, Windows Hello is a name that describes the support for new and more secure ways to sign in to your device using biometric and PIN authentication.

In other words, Windows Hello allows users to ditch traditional complex passwords in favor of more personal and secure methods of authentication, including face and iris recognition, fingerprint, and PIN to unlock a device.

In this guide , you’ll learn the step to configure and remove Windows Hello using a fingerprint reader on Windows 10 .

  • Set up Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10
  • Remove Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10
  • Windows Hello compatible hardware for Windows 10

Set up Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10

To unlock device using a fingerprint reader with Windows Hello, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 10.
  2. Click on Accounts .
  3. Click on Sign-in options .
  4. Under the “Manage how you sign in to your device” section, select the Windows Hello Fingerprint option.
  5. Click the Set up button. Set up Windows Hello Fingerprint
  6. Click the Get started button. Windows Hello Fingerprint wizard
  7. Confirm your account password.
  8. Touch the fingerprint sensor as indicated in the wizard. Fingerprint setup on Windows 10
  9. Continue with the on-screen directions to capture your fingerprint from various angles. Quick tip: It’s recommended to click the Add another finger option to configure a second and even a third finger that you can use in case you’re having problems signing in, or you just forgot which finger is the one that unlocks your device.

Once you complete the steps, you can now lock your device ( Windows key + L ), and then use the fingerprint reader to sign in with the finger that you configured.

Remove Windows Hello Fingerprint on Windows 10

To remove Windows Hello to sign in on Windows 10, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings .
  2. Click on Accounts .
  3. Click on Sign-in options.
  4. Under the “Manage how you sign in to your device” section, select the Windows Hello Fingerprint option.
  5. Click the Remove button. Remove Windows Hello Fingerprint
  6. Click the Remove button again.
  7. Confirm the account password.
  8. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, you can continue signing in with a traditional password. If you have configured Window Hello Face or PIN, you’ll need to remove those configurations using the same steps to completely disable the Windows Hello feature.

Windows Hello compatible hardware for Windows 10

Although face recognition and fingerprint authentication has been around for years, it’s still a technology that isn’t available on all devices. If you want to sign in to Windows 10 using your face or fingerprint, there are a lot of devices that come with Windows Hello built-in, such as the Surface Pro 7 , Surface Laptop 3 , Surface Go , and many others.