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Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support. Windows Hello face authentication
In this articleMicrosoft face authentication in Windows 10 is an enterprise-grade identity verification mechanism that's integrated into the Windows Biometric Framework (WBF) as a core Microsoft Windows component called Windows Hello. Windows Hello face authentication utilizes a camera specially configured for near infrared (IR) imaging to authenticate and unlock Windows devices as well as unlock your Microsoft Passport. Key benefits and capabilities of Windows Hello face authenticationThese are the key benefits to using the Windows Hello face authentication:
ScenariosThe two primary scenarios for Windows Hello face authentication in Windows 10 are authentication to log on or unlock, and re-authentication to prove you are still there. Authentication
Re-authentication
How it worksThe Windows Hello face recognition engine consists of four distinct steps that allow Windows to understand who is in front of the sensor:
EnrollmentEnrollment is the step of generating a representation or set of representations of yourself (for example if you have glasses you may need to enroll with them and without them) and storing them in the system for future comparison. This collection of representations is called your enrollment profile. Microsoft never stores an actual image and your enrollment data is never sent to websites or applications for authentication. Most users will likely need to enroll once per device. Additional enrollments are needed for users that:
Benefits of near infraredAfter the release of face recognition with the first Kinect on Xbox 360, Microsoft learned that relying on ambient light to provide a consistent image provided a poor user experience. People live and work in a variety of environments, with an assortment of lighting conditions. Traditional color recognition systems rely on turning up the brightness, exposure, or other settings to create a useable image – all of which expose artifacts that impact the robustness of the system. In contrast, near infrared images are consistent across ambient lighting scenarios, as you can see below.
Using IR also helps with spoofing because it helps prevent the most accessible attacks. For instance, IR doesn't display in photos because it's a different wavelength, and as you can see below, the images the images do not display in photos or on an LCD display. How accuracy is measuredWhen Microsoft talks about the accuracy of Windows Hello face authentication, there are three primary measures used: False Positives, True Positives, and False Negatives.
Accounting for errors in measurement is important, so Microsoft categorizes them in two ways: bias errors (systematic errors) and random errors (sampling). Bias errorsBias errors may occur as a result of not using data that is representative of the environments and the conditions in which the algorithm is used. This type of error can result from different environmental conditions (such as lighting, angle to sensor, distance, and so on) as well as hardware that is not representative if shipping devices. Random errorsRandom errors results from using data that doesn’t match the population diversity that will actually be using the feature. For example, focusing on a small set of faces without glasses, beards, or unique facial features. External camera securityIt's strongly encouraged to run Windows Update constantly and make sure your system is updated
with the latest security updates, including the updates released on July 13, 2021 to improve security when using Windows Hello camera described in CVE-2021-34466. In addition, if you want to disallow the use of external Hello camera completely, you can add an optional registry value in the following path. Windows Biometric Framework API Why is Windows Hello face not available on my laptop?Check for updates and restart your Surface
There may be hardware driver updates that are available or pending a restart. Updating your Surface might fix issues you're having with Windows Hello. To check for updates, select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. Install any updates that you need.
Why is Hello face not working?If some of the system drivers, most probably webcam and fingerprint reader drivers, were corrupted during the upgrade process, Windows Hello may fail to perform. To fix that, try to update the corresponding drivers: Right-click on Windows key and select Device Manager.
How do I enable Windows Hello face we couldn't find a compatible camera?If you are missing the C:\Windows\System32\WinBioPlugIns\FaceDriver folder entirely you need to install the optional feature "Windows Hello Face".. Open Settings -> Apps.. Click 'Optional features'. Click 'Add a feature'. Select 'Windows Hello Face' from near the bottom of the list and Install it.. How do I add Hello face?Configuring Settings for Windows Hello Face Recognition. Click Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. ... . Click Set up under Face Recognition.. Click Get started.. Specify your PIN. ... . To enroll the face, present your face to the camera.. |