Windows Hello Broken by Last Update :(

[rocketboy]

Right after the Dec 17 set of updates (the "type cover update") Windows Hello no longer works reliably. I've never had any issues with Windows Hello up until 2 days ago.

Now, I get the "Turning camera on.." message on boot that never goes away so Windows Hello no longer works. If I manually sign out it seems to work (i.e. I get the animated eye ball and it recognizes me). About 50% of the time it works on a restart, but on a cold boot the camera never turns on.

I have no idea what caused this or how to begin fixing this. Has anyone else experienced it?

 

[boltman2013]

Turn system off (Press power button -or- better yet hold down Power+Vol UP[Two button shutdown] for 20-30 seconds to truly shut off ) and wait a few seconds then press ON (Press power button quick or for 2 seconds) wait 12 seconds while surface boots ..do not use Hibernate nor Sleep.

Repeat do not use Sleep nor hibernate UNTIL they fix that stuff..adjust , adapt and be happy

Maybe also re-train camera to recognize you.

 

[Devhux]

Mine hasn't had an issue. I am using Connected Standby

 

[rocketboy]

Huh...well Boltman's suggestion actually works, but that suggests there's a difference between using the power button and using the shutdown menu option in the OS. How can that be? I've always assumed that using the shutdown option from the OS actually shuts everything down.

To be clear, it's not that Windows Hello doesn't recognize me. It's that the IR camera doesn't seem to initialize on cold start to even scan for a face. Prior to reading the above I actually went and reset the OS. That also fixed everything initially for all cases. No special steps needed! However, once updates started coming in Hello broke again so I'm definitely having trouble with the hardware now that wasn't a problem leaving the factory. :/

The update treadmill continues.

 

[boltman2013]

Huh...well Boltman's suggestion actually works, but that suggests there's a difference between using the power button and using the shutdown menu option in the OS. How can that be? I've always assumed that using the shutdown option from the OS actually shuts everything down.

To be clear, it's not that Windows Hello doesn't recognize me. It's that the IR camera doesn't seem to initialize on cold start to even scan for a face. Prior to reading the above I actually went and reset the OS. That also fixed everything initially for all cases. No special steps needed! However, once updates started coming in Hello broke again so I'm definitely having trouble with the hardware now that wasn't a problem leaving the factory. :/

The update treadmill continues.

I don't know other than Start Shutdown is likely not like shutdown before on a Desktop its some "not off" state. I have good luck with the Power button one press shutdown and One press turn on...IF I am having any issues I then use the 20-30 second two-button shutdown to true OFF. One day they will update it and sleep will work, then I'll use sleep. For now I adapt and just do what works pretty much every time.

 

[Rowenaldo]

Hi,

Yes, my Windows Hello was also broken after the last big update

Exactly the same as you, from cold boot the Windows Hello camera no longer activates (no red light) on first login.

I have to swipe up and use my PIN to get in.

After that, if I go away from my Surface or the screen turns off, when i come back to it, Windows Hello is working fine.

They really need to fix this as soon as possible... Good updates are supposed to fix issues, not create brand new ones. Extremely disappointed in Microsoft's quality control and attention to detail. So many problems/bugs/failings on this journey as a new Pro 4 owner.