Windows Hello (Face, Fingerprint, PIN) not working – “Something went wrong” since purchase

Since this is a public forum, we will hide your personal identifiable information, and I have sent that image of yours containing your personal identifiable information in a private message so we can work together to resolve the issue. Also, please check your private message in case you want to share another screenshot to avoid leaking your PII by click on the Private Message button as show below:

Hi Hrishik Patel,

Thanks for sharing the screenshot and the details.

From the screenshot, it actually looks like Windows does recognize Windows Hello Face, Fingerprint, and PIN on your device, since all those options are listed. Normally, if a device didn’t support Windows Hello, those options wouldn’t appear at all. The fact that they’re there but all say “This option is currently unavailable – Something went wrong” suggests the issue is more about Windows not being able to initialize the feature properly.

I can see that Q&A Assist has already shared some initial guidance. Please give those steps a try first, and then continue with the additional checks below.

Step 1: Restart Windows Hello–related services and confirm their status

This refreshes the Windows Hello components without removing any data.

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter
2. Find these services:
   • Windows Biometric Service
   • Microsoft Passport
   • Microsoft Passport Container
   • Credential Manager
3. For each one:
   • Make sure the Status is Running
   • Make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic
   • If running, right‑click and choose Restart
4. Restart the PC and check Settings > Accounts > Sign‑in options again

Step 2: Check for work or school account influence

Sometimes account policies can interfere with Windows Hello on personal devices.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school
2. If any account is listed there, try Disconnecting it temporarily
3. Restart the device and test Windows Hello again You can always add the account back later.

Step 3: Test with a new local user account

This helps determine whether the issue is system‑wide or tied to the current user profile.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users.
2. Click Add account > choose I don't have this person's sign-in information >Add a user without a Microsoft account.
3. Enter a username and password > click Next.
4. Sign in with the new account
5. Check Settings > Accounts > Sign‑in options to see if Windows Hello is available there

Please keep me posted on the results, and I’ll gladly assist further if needed.

If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Follow these steps in order to troubleshoot and restore Windows Hello (Face, Fingerprint, PIN):

1. Confirm Windows Hello is configured and updated
   • Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and verify Windows Hello is offered as a sign-in method (Face, Fingerprint, PIN entries present).
   • Install all pending Windows and firmware/driver updates. On Surface devices, open the Surface app → Help & support → Check for updates and complete all updates, then restart and test Windows Hello again.
2. Check biometric hardware and drivers
   • Open Device Manager and expand Biometric devices.
   • If the face or fingerprint sensor is listed, right-click it and select Uninstall device, then restart the PC so Windows reinstalls the driver automatically.
   • If the biometric device is missing or shows an error, install the correct driver from the device manufacturer’s support page and restart.
3. Re-enroll Windows Hello Face/Fingerprint
   • After drivers are healthy, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
   • Under Windows Hello Face and Windows Hello Fingerprint, remove any existing enrollment if shown, then choose Set up to enroll again.
   • For fingerprint: ensure the sensor is clean and dry, and capture multiple angles of the finger. If recognition is unreliable, remove the fingerprint and re-register it, or add another finger.
4. Fix PIN issues and restart biometric service (for Enhanced Sign-in Security devices)
   • If PIN is not working or repeatedly fails, remove and re-add it from Sign-in options under Windows Hello PIN.
   • On devices using Enhanced Sign-in Security, open an elevated Command Prompt and restart the biometric service:
     • Remove the PIN from Sign-in options.
     • Run: net stop wbiosrvc && net start wbiosrvc.
     • Recreate the PIN and test Windows Hello again.
5. Verify security platform state (for Enhanced Sign-in Security)
   • Open System Information (type msinfo32 in Start).
   • In System Summary, confirm Virtualization Based Security is listed as Running.
   • Under Software Environment > Running Tasks, confirm bioiso.exe and ngciso.exe are running. If not, the system may not meet Enhanced Sign-in Security requirements; after driver reinstall and service restart, if biometrics still fail, submit feedback via Feedback Hub.
6. If biometrics still do not work
   • If Windows Hello previously worked and recently stopped, a newly installed app, driver, or update may be the cause. As a last resort, back up data and perform a restore or reset of the PC, then configure Windows Hello again.

These steps address issues related to drivers, biometric services, and system configuration that commonly cause Windows Hello Face, Fingerprint, and PIN to be unavailable or to show “Something went wrong. Try again later.”

References:

• Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security
• Windows Hello common issues and troubleshooting tips
• Troubleshoot problems with Windows Hello on Surface