The Windows Fingerprint Scanner allows you to log into your Windows laptop using your fingerprint. This feature provides biometric account login credentials, which requires credentials to be entered in Windows 10/8.
The fingerprint reader basically works by scanning an image of your fingerprint and then saving a registered copy of it. When you log into Windows 8.1, the fingerprint scanner scans your fingerprint and validates it against the saved version. If it matches, you can access the system.
The built-in fingerprint reader has been observed to have problems when updating drivers or after updating Windows to a newer version. If you encounter such a problem, then this post can help you solve the problem.
Fingerprint reader not working
1] First, physically clean the fingerprint scanner sensor using a tissue or clean cloth, and make sure your fingerprint scanner software is up to date. See if it works now.
2] If you are using Microsoft Fingerprint Reader software , this problem may occur if your fingerprint was not registered correctly, or if there is no Windows password for the Windows account.
Create a password to log into Windows using user accounts. Then uninstall and then reinstall the DigitalPersona Password Manager or fingerprint reader software and re-enroll the fingerprint.
3] A biometric device is the hardware that controls the fingerprint reader. Depending on the model number of your computer, the BIOS has options to enable or disable the biometric device.
If you need to enable this feature, check your BIOS for biometric support:
- Press the power button to start the computer and press the F10 key to open the BIOS setup utility.
- In the System Configuration section, find the Biometric Device option; if it exists, enable it.
- Press F10 to save this setting and restart your computer.
If your BIOS does not have a biometric option, the fingerprint reader is always on.
While it seems logical and beneficial to update your drivers to keep them up to date, sometimes an update can render your fingerprint reader useless. Unless otherwise recommended or recommended, it is best to ignore sensor or fingerprint reader driver updates. But if you’ve updated your drivers and the action disabled your fingerprint reader, it’s advised to fix this issue by rolling back your drivers to earlier versions.
To do this, find “Device Manager” and open it. Then find “Biometric Devices. Expand the list of recognized biometric sensor devices. Fingerprint sensor is listed as the reliability of the sensor or AuthenTec’s Sensor , depending on the model number of your computer.
If there is a biometric entry, then Windows supports the device. If not, you may need to search for your computer’s fingerprint reader driver. You can do this with a simple Internet search or check the specifications for your computer on the manufacturer’s website.
When you find a suitable device, right-click it and select Properties. In the “Properties” window that opens, go to the “Driver” tab.
Then click Roll Back Driver, if available. In some cases it will be so, in others it will not.
If you don’t find the Rollback option, click Delete. A pop-up window should appear on your computer screen asking you to confirm the decision. Check the box next to “Remove the driver software for this device”, then click “OK.”
After uninstalling the driver, turn off your computer. Restart it and open Device Manager again.
Now right click on your computer name at the very top of the device list and select “Scan for hardware changes”. The action is to select the fingerprint scanner and reinstall the original driver for it.
