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.

0 comments

208 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2022-01-09T11:22:14+00:00

    I had the exact same issue but my biometric section was visible and status of device was also okay. But I also found the exclamation mark on one of the USB device and it was showing that the device has failed to restart. But I did not uninstalled it. Just right click on the said device> properties> driver and then disable the device and then again enabled it. YOUR PROBLEM IS RESOLVED!!! The exclamation sign will disappear and you will also find fingerprint options in sign in options. Thanks DCHarrison!

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2022-01-07T14:40:42+00:00

    same problem crops up with both my laptops what is the issue

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2021-12-30T13:35:08+00:00

    I have the same issue., and tried most methods. But on my HP elite are multiple accounts and only one of them has that issue.

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2021-12-29T01:41:46+00:00

    In the case of my Dell Inspiron, no "Biometric Device" appears in the device manager, not even the "Biometric Device" heading appears.
    I have found a workaround, though:
    In the device manager, click on "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" near the bottom.
    If you have the same flaw that I had, one of the controllers will have a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark on it signaling a problem with that device. Right-click on it and select the driver tab. Click "Uninstall Device."
    Once you have uninstalled it, you can reboot and windows will reinstall it with the default (older) driver (at least I think this is what it is doing). When you return to the device manager, you should now see the "Biometric devices" heading and if you open it you will see "Goodix fingerprint." When you return to settings, the fingerprint settings will no longer be greyed out and you can set it up. In my case, it reappeared with all my original settings intact.
    Dell, Goodix, and Microsoft are stuck in a death spiral trying to resolve this. Eventually, there will be a new driver or a new update that will fix it.
    Let me know if this helps.

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2021-12-28T22:15:15+00:00

    Mine is completely gone since the last Windows Update.

    HP Envy Laptop 17-cg1xxx

    Is there a way to prevent this from happening every single time??!

    HP states that the most recent update should have made windows hello available for sign in.

    My computer has the Windows Hello - four options...

    they are all currently unavailable

    0 comments