Solved New Human Presence Detection in Windows 11 - Has This Feature Rolled Out to Everyone?

In Windows insider builds, I get that Microsoft is rolling out features to some people and not to others. But it drives me crazy that they are doing this in the released version of Windows now.

With the October updates one of the new features was supposed to be the human presence detection that can make use of a time-of-flight sensor if your laptop has one. This can automatically lock and unlock your computer. My laptop has this sensor, but the presence detection options in setup are missing.

So, here is the quandary: Are these options missing because that feature has not yet rolled out to me or is there a problem, such as my Lenovo laptop drivers for the presence detection interfering with the built-in features in Windows? In other words, I don't know if I should even start trying to troubleshoot the issue because it may be as simple as me not having the feature yet.

Worse yet is the fact that this feature is one that I don't even know whether it is slow rolling out to only some or not.

Every time Microsoft starts getting it together, they manage to find yet another way to drive me nuts.

Sorry for the rant, but I feel better now .

On the off chance that anyone knows, does anyone know if this is one of the features that is not rolling out to everyone yet?

Yeah, my computer has that. Every time I get near the computer is says things...

Perhaps Lenovo has more info on what you require.
There is also every possibility that Microsoft ran into snags with parts of the updates and wants to save face?... I don’t get why they’re rolling stuff out in bits.

antspants said:

rolling stuff out in bits

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Because they broke enough stuff already.

Flashorn said:

Because they broke enough stuff already.

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I’m considering buying them out, firing everyone and starting a fresh. I also think I will change the name to — Reallysoft.

antspants said:

Reallysoft.

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Reallysoft What?

hsehestedt said:

f your laptop has one.

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How would we go about finding out ? I have never heard of this feature.

Flashorn said:

How would we go about finding out ? I have never heard of this feature.

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Trust me, if your laptop has it, you would know . Your laptop would also come with software to specifically support this. Mine is actually working perfectly, I just wanted to try it with the new capabilities now included right in Windows.

How does it detect presence?

kelper said:

How does it detect presence?

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I really want to say, watchtowers and courier pigeons, but I’m guessing camera? Sound maybe?

Trust me, if your laptop has it, you would know

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Well, I'm kinda glad I don't have that option.
I always disable the camera on all my notebooks.

Flashorn said:

Well, I'm kinda glad I don't have that option.
I always disable the camera on all my notebooks.

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It doesn't need to camera to function. At least on my laptop, you have the option to use the camera to aid in detection. Apparently by using the presence sensor alone it is possible that under some circumstances, such as if you learn back in your chair, it may not sense your presence. Allowing it to use the camera will enhance the detection so that this does not happen. But for me, it works perfectly even without the camera enabled.

hsehestedt said:

It doesn't need to camera to function. At least on my laptop, you have the option to use the camera to aid in detection. Apparently by using the presence sensor alone it is possible that under some circumstances, such as if you learn back in your chair, it may not sense your presence. Allowing it to use the camera will enhance the detection so that this does not happen. But for me, it works perfectly even without the camera enabled.

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I've read an article last night when you posted this and it said that it could detect presence from about 3 to five I forget if it was meters or feet.
I'll try to find that article again. I imagine that it would have to be line of sight right?
OK so , it has to be 3 to 5 feet and not meters. Can't find the same article but, did see how it works.

Flashorn said:

I imagine that it would have to be line of sight right?

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Correct, it does need to detect you in front of the laptop. I love this feature. If I walk away from the computer and I'm running on battery, after a short time away (this is configurable), it first dims the screen (I guess that let's you know it is about to lock the screen), then it locks the screen a few seconds later and puts the laptop in Modern Standby. But the sensor is still active in standby, so as soon as you get in front of the laptop it comes out of standby. If the camera is enabled, it also logs you back in instantly with Windows hello. This can definitely save some battery. Love it!

kelper said:

How does it detect presence?

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on Xmas it can detect presents under the tree... (I don't want my computers to spy on me, I know my Sony TV does!!!)

HDP uses ToF. So now I am much wiser!

Time-of-flight sensors measure the distance an object (you, for instance) is away from the sensor by measuring the time it takes for light from the source to be reflected to the source by the object.

Now, I hope that satisfies your bottomless thirst for new knowledge.

Wisewiz said:

Time-of-flight sensors measure the distance an object (you, for instance) is away from the sensor by measuring the time it takes for light from the source to be reflected to the source by the object.

Now, I hope that satisfies your bottomless thirst for new knowledge.

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Can't you find and emoticon for smug?

Smug? Me? Never! Lifelong science teacher with an inescapable tendency to answer any question that I know the answer to (and, unfortunately, as I grow older, more and more that I don't). Aaargh!