Fingerprint reader not working on Windows 11: "This option is currently unavailable"

Reported
Anonymous
2021-11-28T21:29:19+00:00

I recently got a Dell Inspiron with Windows 11 preloaded. The fingerprint reader was working fine at first, but now it appears to not be working with windows hello. The option to add a finger or remove the fingerprint are greyed out and not clickable.

I've seen posts about this issue in Windows 10, but the fixes aren't working for me.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-04-09T08:23:01+00:00

    There could be a few different reasons why your fingerprint reader is not working on Windows 11 and displaying the message "This option is currently unavailable." Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

    1. Check if your device has a compatible fingerprint reader and if it is enabled in your computer's BIOS settings.
    2. Ensure that your fingerprint reader driver is up to date. You can check for updates in the device manager by right-clicking on the device and selecting "Update driver."
    3. Restart your computer and check if the fingerprint reader starts working again.
    4. Disable and re-enable the fingerprint reader in the device manager.
    5. Check if there are any pending Windows updates and install them if there are any.
    6. If none of the above steps work, try resetting your PC to its default settings or performing a clean install of Windows 11.

    If the issue persists, it may be a hardware problem, and you should contact the manufacturer for further assistance or a replacement.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-01-28T13:34:47+00:00

    yep im having a same problem with my Lenovo-IdeaPad 3(15ALC6) Type:82KU

    It was working a year ago.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-12-25T10:32:46+00:00

    I am very curious. What is wrong with this windows 11 because it seems like a beta windows. For God sake. It is full of bugs. Pc freezing, usb unrecognized, unavailable fingerprint. Why Microsoft created it? Windows 10 is superior. This windows 11 is a kind of joke.

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-12-14T10:44:33+00:00

    This is á common issue, I did not find a satisfactory solution, but factory reset works at least.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-11-19T16:25:16+00:00

    We couldn't find a fingerprint scanner compatible with windows Halo fingerprint

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