What Is Windows Hello & How To Set It Up On Your PC

What Is Windows Hello

To be specific, Windows Hello (also known as Microsoft Hello) is a biometrics-based technology to ensure secure access to Windows systems, applications, and online services. It’s a biometric security system which provides users with an alternative facial recognition login to the traditional passwords.

One of the important reasons why Microsoft designs this biometric facial recognition is: it’s more secure, reliable, and user-friendly than the previous logins.

Windows 10 Hello

Windows Hello is a new feature introduced by Microsoft in 2015; it enhances a few shortcomings in Windows 10: security and inconvenience.

Useful Tips On How To Improve Windows 10 Performance.

Windows Hello security:

The biometric authentication features, such as Windows Hello fingerprint, and Apple’s Face ID & Touch ID, work to make your system more secure since the technology they rely on is harder to break.

Windows Hello convenience:

The adding of Windows Hello in Windows 10 makes it easy for you to get instant access to your devices.

• You can make the device recognize your face by using camera.
• You can also log into Windows 10 instantly with the fingerprint reader.

With Windows Hello, you can reduce the login time (3 times faster than a password) and avoid the trouble & embarrassment brought by forgetting your password.

Windows Hello Setup

Not every PC is equipped with the new biometric security system. If you need to access your laptop, tablet, desktop, or other devices, (app, and even websites) faster and more secure, you should make sure it comes with a Hello camera or fingerprint reader. (Click to check PCs with Windows Hello.)

Windows Hello Requirements

As the new method for biometric facial recognition, Windows Hello does have specific hardware requirements. The following devices give support to Windows Hello: Surface Pro, Surface Book, Dell XPS 13 9360, HP Spectre X360 13, ASUS Transformer Mini T102HA, and PCs including fingerprint scanners or cameras, which are able to capture two dimensional infrared spectroscopy.

Performance range:

• The performance range for fingerprint sensors: the false accept rate must be less than 0.002 percent.
• The performance range for facial recognition sensors: the false accept rate can’t be higher than 0.001 percent.

False reject rates:

• For fingerprint and facial recognition scanners with anti-spoofing technology, the false reject rates must be under 10%.
• For fingerprint and facial recognition scanners without anti-spoofing or liveness detection, the false reject rates have to fall under 5%.

How to Setup Windows Hello

In order to get the facial recognition system to work, you should finish the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Start button (usually located in the lower left corner) and click on it to open Start menu.
2. Click on the Settings icon (which looks like a gear).
3. Look for Accounts option in the Windows Settings interface. (If you can’t find it because you are not in the Home screen, you should click Home link at the top left.)
4. Shift to Sign-in options from Your info in the left sidebar.
5. Find the Windows Hello area in the right pane (Sign in to Windows, apps and services by teaching Windows to recognize you).
6. Click on the Set up button under Fingerprint.
7. Click on the Get started button in the Windows Hello setup wizard.
8. Scan your finger on the fingerprint reader as the prompt tells you to do.

Please note:

If Windows Hello isn’t compatible with your device, you’ll see a prompt message in step 5: Windows Hello isn’t available on this device.

That’s all about Windows Hello review. If you find the Windows Hello not working, please click here to see how to troubleshoot (take Surface as an example).