Windows 11 - Windows Hello Facial Recognition Behaving Strangely

Grego · May 18, 2024

Ever since the latest windows update (about maybe less than a week ago?) the Windows Hello - Facial Recognition has started to behave strangely as follows:

(1) I lock windows (WIN + L)
(2) The camera light indicator turns on (flashing) to try to detect me (this is usual), but doesn't recognise me (this is not usual);
(3) It keeps flashing until it gives up and then asks me for my PIN
(4) But instead of putting in my PIN, if I were to click on "Sign-In Options" and then on the "Facial Recognition" Icon, the camera turns on again AND immediately recognises me and lets me in

Before the update, it used to be that it would recognise me on the first pass instead of having to go through the steps above.

Would be most grateful for any help!

I'm using a Lenovo Thinkpad T16 Gen 2 on Windows 11 Pro Version 10.0.22631 Build 22631

FreeBooter · May 19, 2024

See if there is driver update for camera from manufacturer website.

Grego · May 19, 2024

FreeBooter said:
See if there is driver update for camera from manufacturer website.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just tried updating, but still no luck.

Any other ideas? I'm at my wit's end here.

glasskuter · May 19, 2024

Hello and welcome to the forum. You can try to remove facial recognition, restart and set up it up again.

Remove Facial Recognition Sign-in from Account in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to remove the Windows Hello facial recognition sign-in option from your account in Windows 11. Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to your Windows 11 devices using a PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint. You'll need to set...

www.elevenforum.com

If that does not work completely reset biometrics.

Resetting the Windows 11 and Windows 10 Hello Biometrics | Dell US

www.dell.com

Grego · May 19, 2024

glasskuter said:
Hello and welcome to the forum. You can try to remove facial recognition, restart and set up it up again.

Remove Facial Recognition Sign-in from Account in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to remove the Windows Hello facial recognition sign-in option from your account in Windows 11. Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to your Windows 11 devices using a PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint. You'll need to set...

www.elevenforum.com

If that does not work completely reset biometrics.

Resetting the Windows 11 and Windows 10 Hello Biometrics | Dell US

www.dell.com

Thanks for your suggestions! Most grateful!

I've now tried removing facial recognition sign-in and then starting again (but no luck).

I've also tried resetting the biometrics (but also no luck).

I'm not sure if this helps, but at times, when it is trying to search for me, it complains that I am too close to the camera (when obviously, I am not). Would this indicate it's a driver issue?

glasskuter · May 19, 2024

IMO if one has a driver issue it usually works or it doesn’t. Yours seems to work part of the time.

Here is what I would do.
Open Windows Update. Pause WU for 7 days. While there look in update history to make sure that no biometric drivers have been updated recently. I know you use facial recognition but also check for recent driver updates for camera and fingerprint reader (if you have one)
Uninstall the update you think may have affected the biometrics login. Restart and see if it fixed the issue. report back.

glasskuter · May 19, 2024

@Grego If the update you feel caused your problems is KB5037771, I just saw this. In the remarks it says that update cannot be remove normally through settings as most updates can. It has to be removed through DISM. Instructions in the second link.
Another option would be to restore a recent image made before the update if you have one.
You could also do a repair install as the latest iso does not have that update included in it. You would need to be disconnected from the internet until you could pause updates though because WU will immediately install that update.

KB5037771 Windows 11 Cumulative Update Build 22621.3593 (22H2) and 22631.3593 (23H2)

UPDATE 5/29: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/kb5037853-windows-11-cumulative-update-build-22621-3672-22h2-and-22631-3672-23h2.25607/ Microsoft Support: May 14, 2024 - KB5037771 (OS Builds 22621.3593 and 22631.3593) IMPORTANT: New dates for the end of non-security updates for Windows 11, version...

www.elevenforum.com

Ivanti Innovators Hub

EDIT: @hsehestedt has given an excellent suggestion below. He knows his stuff.

hsehestedt · May 19, 2024

What's interesting is that I had the exact same problem with an HP Spectre x360 15-BL012DX several years ago. I had to lookup the Device ID of my camera, then searched the Microsoft Update Catalog for a matching driver, and sure enough there was a new driver never published by HP. That driver continues to work flawlessly to this very day, and I've been using that same driver for several years now.

Grego · May 20, 2024

Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions!

I'll try to go through each one by one and then report back soonest! Have to admit that I'm not exactly familiar with DISM and WCU, but will try my best to figure it out one at a time. This may take some time, though.

Sigh. If only windows updates could leave things well alone.

rpetruzz · May 20, 2024

Grego,
I had this exact problem a couple of months ago. I tried all of the suggestions that everyone has given. Initially I reset biometrics tried to log in. That didn't work. What eventually worked for me was to completely remove all biometric sign in options. I got it down to only a password sign in. Even modifying my pin sign on. Then I went three or four days using my laptop logging in with the password. Then I went back in and set up Windows Hello just like I was doing it for the first time. Adding the pin when requested. Everything has been fine since.

Grego · May 20, 2024

Rpetruzz, thanks for letting me know. Will do that too (if the other kind suggestions don't work for my case) and then report back in a couple of days. My todo list is getting longer.

SoftTaps · Jun 12, 2024

Hi OP, Have you found a solution? I'm experiencing the same issue since the latest update. Saw another post with the same issue but so far no one has posted a solution. Is it drivers?

Grego · Jun 12, 2024

SoftTaps said:
Hi OP, Have you found a solution? I'm experiencing the same issue since the latest update. Saw another post with the same issue but so far no one has posted a solution. Is it drivers?

Unfortunately, no, it was still exhibiting the same behaviour and I had to just give up. I'm not sure if the fault is mine, as I tried my best to follow instructions, but to be frank, I'm just not that tech savvy and perhaps I missed something out. So sorry!

In the end, I had to switch to fingerprint scanning instead of facial scanning. But please feel free to continue using this thread for possible solutions just in case anyone else out there has a similar configuration and is facing the same issue.

Windows 11 - Windows Hello Facial Recognition Behaving Strangely

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