Why you should use Windows Hello to secure your PC

Modern Windows PCs often feature biometric hardware, primarily in the form of Facial recognition (using infrared cameras) or Fingerprint scanning. Both features allow you to use Windows Hello for better and more convenient PC security.

Not only are Face IDs and fingerprints harder to crack than PINs and passwords, they are also much quicker to enter when it comes to unlocking your PC. Registration much faster And You are better protected And You can take advantage of some really cool additional features in Windows Hello.

Read on to learn more about what Windows Hello is, why you should use it, and how to set it up as easily as possible. (This applies to both laptops and desktop PCs!)

What is Windows Hello?

Windows Hello is an operating system feature that allows you to securely log in to your PC without having to enter your Windows account password. It supports biometrics, so you can log in using facial recognition or fingerprint scans (as long as you have the necessary hardware).

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman / IDG

But Windows Hello is not Only to log in. You can also use Windows Hello to unlock certain applications such as password managers. You can access your password vault without your large master password.

And if you’ve completely replaced passwords with passkeys, Windows Hello is doubly useful – it integrates with passkeys in web browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. You can create a passkey for a website that is then secured with Windows Hello, requiring you to authenticate (with your face or finger) to log in.

Related: Here’s how to start using passkeys on Windows

Technically, Windows Hello also includes the PIN login method, but I don’t recommend using it. When security experts talk about Windows Hello, they mostly focus on the more secure biometric options.

Is Windows Hello safe?

First of all, Windows Hello never syncs your facial recognition data, fingerprint data, or even your PIN between your devices or with your Microsoft account. Everything is stored exclusively and completely on your PC.

Windows Hello security is based on the underlying Trusted Platform Module (TPM) hardware found on modern PCs (a required PC component if you want to install Windows 11). The TPM handles the authentication and login process and is also used for other things like encrypting and decrypting your computer’s memory.

Related: What is the Trusted Platform Module? Explained

And again, Windows Hello is separate from your Microsoft account. Even if someone captured your fingerprint, face or PIN, they would do this only You can use it to log in to your Windows Hello-enabled PC and wouldn’t You can access your Microsoft account. (All of this Windows Hello data is stored securely in the TPM so hackers cannot access it.)

Windows Hello is also safe from anyone trying to unlock your PC using facial recognition tricks. For example, Windows Hello can’t be fooled by someone holding up a photo of your face, because Windows Hello facial recognition uses an infrared (IR) camera to ensure it’s a real, live person. That’s why you need a Windows Hello-compatible IR camera to even use Windows Hello facial recognition.

Of course, Windows Hello isn’t perfect. Fingerprint scanners are still vulnerable to James Bond-style attacks, where someone takes your fingerprint from a glass and uses it to log into your PC. (Big company bosses and political dissidents may want to be extra careful.) But it’s more than safe enough for the average citizen, especially since these spy-movie-style attacks require access to both your physical laptop and a carefully duplicated copy of your fingerprint .

Facial recognition vs. fingerprint reader: which method is better?

If your PC only has one or the other, you don’t really have a choice – use whatever Windows Hello method is available to you. If yes boththen you can actually do it use both. But if you just want to use oneThen it ultimately comes down to personal preferences.

I prefer facial recognition, especially on laptops. It works surprisingly well and the experience is seamless. As soon as you open your laptop, Windows scans your face with the IR camera and then logs you in. It’s all so quick – an automatic login without you even having to press anything. Just open your laptop.

And some newer, high-end laptops even have “presence detection” hardware recognizes when you are physically sitting in front of your PC. It then activates automatically and uses the IR camera to sign you in via Windows Hello. A secure way to log into your laptop just by sitting in front of it? It’s as great as it sounds.

Of course, scanning the fingerprint works almost as smoothly, especially if the fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button. In this case, you press the power button to wake up the laptop and then keep your finger on the fingerprint reader to unlock your device.

So again it’s a question of personal taste.

Note: When buying a laptop, be sure to pay attention to the biometric options it offers – whether it has a Windows Hello-compatible IR camera, a fingerprint scanner, both, or neither. We of course mention these features in our laptop reviews here at PCWorld.

How to set up Windows Hello

Typically, Windows will ask you to set up Windows Hello the first time you log in to a new PC. However, you probably skipped this when setting everything up. That’s okay because you can always configure it later.

If you want to set up Windows Hello (or just see what biometric options are available on your laptop), you can do this through the Settings app on Windows 11 or Windows 10.

To configure Windows Hello, open the Settings appchoose Accountsand choose Login options. Below are options for configuring your computer’s available login methods Registration options.

Note: If your PC doesn’t have a certain option like facial recognition or fingerprint scanning, you’ll see a message: “This option is currently unavailable.”

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Here you can also optimize and configure facial recognition and fingerprint recognition. For example, you may want to scan your face in different lighting conditions, train Windows to recognize your face with and without glasses, or add an additional fingerprint.

Some applications will also ask you to authenticate with Windows Hello. With the password manager 1Password, for example, you can quickly unlock your password vault using Windows Hello.

How to add Windows Hello to any PC

Not all PCs come with Windows Hello biometrics. Some laptops simply don’t have Windows Hello hardware, which can be a way to keep costs down on otherwise expensive builds (e.g. gaming laptops).

Additionally, if you build your own desktop PC, you won’t get Windows Hello unless you integrate compatible hardware.

If you don’t have Windows Hello but want it, purchasing a Windows Hello-compatible webcam is the easiest and most effective option. And not just one that has IR technology, but one that’s a high-quality webcam itself, so you’ll look great on video calls and meetings.

Related: The best webcams for Windows Hello

The other option is to find a fingerprint scanner that connects to your computer via USB. Be sure to choose one that specifically states compatibility with Windows Hello! indicates. I’ve personally used this inexpensive USB fingerprint reader from Kensington in the past and can’t complain, even though it’s only $18 on Amazon.

Take the next step with Windows Hello

Windows Hello is anything but mandatory. You can certainly use your PC without it – and like millions of other PC users who have gotten by without biometrics, you’re probably doing just fine.

But biometric PC security is an absolute step forward, not only in terms of protection but also in terms of convenience. The first time you open your laptop or sit down at your desktop PC and automatically log in using facial recognition? It’s almost surreal. After that, it is difficult to enter a PIN every time you log in again.

Whenever I test a laptop and it turns out that the manufacturer has omitted Windows Hello hardware to keep costs down, I think that’s a real shame. It’s just a great feature that makes using Windows PCs much more enjoyable.

I highly recommend you integrate Windows Hello hardware into your next laptop or purchase a compatible webcam for your desktop PC.

Further reading: Is Windows 11’s built-in antivirus enough?