Resetting the Windows 11 and Windows 10 Hello Biometrics

Summary: The following article provides information about how to reset Windows Hello. These steps are required if the options gray out after upgrading your Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on a Dell laptop or desktop. ...

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

Table of Contents:

  1. Windows Hello options are unavailable after upgrading the TPM
  2. How to reset Windows Hello

 

Windows Hello options are unavailable after upgrading the TPM

Windows Hello does not run through setup after you upgraded the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on your Dell laptop or desktop.

This article goes through some steps to resolve this.

For more information about Windows Hello, see the following link:

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How to reset Windows Hello

Follow these steps to reset the windows Hello biometrics on your Dell laptop or desktop:

Note: Be aware, these steps reset Windows Hello for every user who is registered on the laptop or desktop.

  1. Open the Services Panel and Stop the biometric service:

    1. Press the Win + R keys together to open a Run dialog box.

    2. Type services.msc.

    3. Select Windows Biometric Service from the left-hand side column.

    4. Right-click it and select Stop from the list that appears.

  2. Backup the old database:

    1. Open Windows Explorer.

    2. Go to C:\Windows\System32\WinBioDatabase.

    3. Copy and paste the .dat files into a new folder that you have created.

  3. Delete the old database:

    1. Open Windows Explorer.

    2. Go to C:\Windows\System32\WinBioDatabase.

    3. Delete the .dat files.

  4. Open the Services Panel and Start the biometric service:

    1. Press the Win + R keys together to open a Run dialog box.

    2. Type services.msc.

    3. Select Windows Biometric Service from the left-hand side column.

    4. Right-click it and select Start from the list that appears.

  5. Register your Biometrics again:

    1. Go to Account Settings.

    2. At the Sign-in options, go through the registration process to re-register your biometrics.

For more information about setting up a PIN for Windows Hello, see the following link:

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Affected Products

Alienware, Dell All-in-One, Dell Pro All-in-One, Dell Pro Max Micro, Dell Pro Max Slim, Dell Pro Max Tower, Dell Pro Micro, Dell Pro Slim, Dell Pro Tower, Dell Slim, Dell Tower, Inspiron, OptiPlex, Vostro, XPS, G Series, G Series, Alienware , Dell Laptops, Dell Plus, Dell Pro, Dell Pro Max, Dell Pro Plus, Dell Pro Premium, Inspiron, Latitude, Dell Pro Rugged, Vostro, XPS, Fixed Workstations, Mobile Workstations, Dell Pro Max Micro XE FCM2250 ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000145172
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 14 Jul 2025
Version:  10
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