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

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-04-08T17:33:41+00:00

    I have an HP Envy x360 Convertible 15-dr0xxx which was on Windows 10 when I bought it. When the official "you can now upgrade to Windows 11" came around, I did that - and my fingerprint reader Synaptics WBDI SGX worked just fine.

    Until, one day, it did not. I have had this issue before. After pretty much every Windows update there was a yellow triangle in the device manager. Simple solution: disable device, enable again, and it worked. This time, not so much. First of all, there is no yellow triangle, the device supposedly works as intended.

    The issue I have seems to be with the fingerprint setup in Windows Hello: when I go into the sign-in options in the settings and try to set up the fingerprint, it circles the drain for a bit, then something looking like the reader scanning the fingerprint flashes up for a split second, and then it says "Sorry, something went wrong. Close Window Hello, and then try going through the setup again." Which of course just gets me the same result.

    Anybody any ideas?

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-03-30T07:49:50+00:00

    Have tried all of that friend, nothing seems to work

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-03-30T07:19:04+00:00

    correct

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-03-29T04:45:41+00:00

    Upgraded from Windows 10 to 11, finger print scanner builit-in 'PixelAuth WBF Device' does not work after upgrade to Windows 11. Purchased a 3rd party USB fingerprint scanner 'ELAN WBF Fingerprint Sensor' based on a different chip/driver. Neither work. The ELAN scanner seem to work for one finger, did a single scan attempt then Windows Hello Fingerprint setup reported oops something went wrong and only option is to cancel the attempt to record a finger. After that single scan attempt, has not worked since.

    I have tried every single solution I have found in this thread, as well as via Google that might or implied might be a fix, nothing has worked. I have uninstalled, rolled back, enabled/disabled, rebooted, etc., etc. etc. Nothing works or improves on the situation.

    PixelAuth WBF Device, Driver Date1/26/2021, Version 19.5.37.706

    ELAN WBF Fingerprint Sensor, Driver Date 7/27/2021, Version 3.10.12001.10402

    Hardware

    Device name Link
    Processor AMD Ryzen 7 3750H with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx 2.30 GHz
    Installed RAM 16.0 GB (14.0 GB usable)
    System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
    Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display

    Operating System

    Edition Windows 11 Pro
    Version 21H2
    Installed on ‎3/‎26/‎2022
    OS build 22000.556
    Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.556.0

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-03-24T21:17:54+00:00

    Same thing happened on my Surface Laptop Go. I reinstalled Windows 10 and all works again.. Now that the system updates is looking like it's more officially suggesting upgrading to Windows 11, I was wondering if it is all working now? Anyone tried upgrading again?

    I have the surface laptop Go also.. how did you reinstall the windows 10? That's what I was trying to do, but could not figure out how. Clearly it's an issue with the biometric driver not working with windows 11. With all the geniuses that work for Microsoft, not sure why they haven't figured this out yet...

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