- To set up a fingerprint reader on Windows 11, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, select “Fingerprint recognition,” click “Set up,” click “Get started,” and use the sensor to register your fingerprint.
On Windows 11, you can set up a fingerprint reader to sign in using only your finger, and here’s how. Windows Hello is the name of the feature that Microsoft has chosen to describe the support for more secure ways to sign in to Windows 11 using biometric and Personal Identification Number (PIN) authentication.
This feature allows you to replace a traditional complex and less secure password with a more secure and easy-to-use authentication method, including facial recognition, fingerprint, and PIN to unlock a Windows 11 computer.
This guide will teach you how to configure and remove Windows Hello using a fingerprint reader on Windows 11.
- Enable Windows Hello fingerprint recognition
- Remove Windows Hello fingerprint recognition
- Windows Hello compatible hardware
Enable Windows Hello fingerprint recognition
To unlock Windows 11 using a fingerprint reader, use these steps:
-
Open Settings on Windows 11.
-
Click on Accounts.
-
Click the Sign-in options tab.
-
Under the “Ways to sign in” section, select the Fingerprint recognition setting.
-
Click the “Set up” button to enable the Windows Hello fingerprint feature.
-
Click the Get started button.
-
Confirm your Windows 11 account password.
-
Touch the fingerprint sensor as indicated in the wizard.
-
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 you can use if you encounter problems signing in.
Once you complete the steps, you should be able to lock your device (including using the “Windows key + L” keyboard shortcut) and then use the fingerprint reader to sign in with the finger that you configured.
Remove Windows Hello fingerprint recognition
To remove the Windows Hello fingerprint on Windows 11, use these steps:
-
Open Settings.
-
Click on Accounts.
-
Click the Sign-in options tab.
-
Under the “Ways to sign in” section, select the Fingerprint recognition setting.
-
Click the Remove button.
-
Click the Remove button again to disable the Windows Hello fingerprint option.
-
Confirm the Windows 11 account password.
-
Click the OK button.
After you complete the steps, you can continue signing in with a traditional password. If you have configured Facial recognition or PIN, you must remove those configurations using the same steps to disable the Windows Hello feature entirely on Windows 11.
Windows Hello compatible hardware
If you want to sign in to Windows 11 using your facial recognition or fingerprint, you can find many devices with Windows Hello built-in, such as the Surface Pro 8, Surface Laptop 4, Surface Go 3, and many others.
However, if you have a desktop computer, you can get an external peripheral like the Logitech BRIO webcam with Windows Hello face built-in for around $161. Or you can get a USB fingerprint scanner, such as the Benss, which you can get at Amazon for about $25. Alternatively, you should also consider the Microsoft Surface Keyboard with a built-in fingerprint reader.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.