Question

Windows Hello defaults mostly to Fingerprint instead of Face for 1Password

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 6, 2025
2 replies
653 views

Hi,

I'm experiencing an intermittent issue on Windows 11 with Windows Hello authentication in the 1Password app. I have three Windows Hello methods enabled—Face, Fingerprint, and PIN—with Face recognition as my preferred method. However, when 1Password prompts for authentication via Windows Hello, it frequently defaults to Fingerprint instead of Face. Occasionally, Face recognition is offered correctly, but most of the time, Fingerprint is presented without any clear reason.

Other applications using Windows Hello consistently prompt for Face recognition first, without this issue.

I've already tried the following troubleshooting steps without success:

Removed Fingerprint data completely, rebooted, and verified Face was the only biometric method available. After confirming Face was default, I re-added Fingerprint, but the issue persisted.
2. Updated biometric device drivers and firmware to the latest available versions.

None of these steps resolved the intermittent issue. Is there a way to explicitly set Face recognition as the default biometric method within 1Password or Windows Hello?

Thank you for your assistance.

Windows

1P_Dave

1Password Employee

Hello @lukaskurka! 👋

Thanks for reaching out! I've done some testing and, when unlocking 1Password, Windows Hello will use the method that you last used to unlock your device. If you unlock your device using face recognition, do you then see face unlock presented as the default option when unlocking 1Password? See update here.

If you select the "More choices" option when prompted to unlock 1Password using Windows Hello, are you able to choose face unlock there?

-Dave

L

lukaskurkaAuthor

when unlocking 1Password, Windows Hello will use the method that you last used to unlock your device

Unfortunately this is not the behavior I experience. Windows always ask me to use face recognition. It fails only occasionally (sunlight to part of the face) and only then offers other choices. No matter which option is used for Windows login 1Password asks for finger print first.

If you select the "More choices" option when prompted to unlock 1Password using Windows Hello, are you able to choose face unlock there?

Yes, I can select “More choices” and choose face recognition which then works immediately. It also remembers this as default unlock option for 1Password but only for the current Windows login session. Once I sign out and login back (or maybe restart, I don’t use signout often) then 1Passwords asks for finger print as first choice once again.

1P_Dave

1Password Employee

@lukaskurka

Thanks for the reply. I've discussed this with my colleagues and it looks like the previous behaviour that I mentioned isn't consistent, please disregard that post. If you remove only the face recognization option and then add it back do you get prompted for facial recognization as a the default in 1Password?

If you don't then do the other apps that you use still consistently prompt for face recognization as the default? Are you able to share the name of those of those apps?

-Dave

L

lukaskurkaAuthor

In past few days I have upgraded my PC hardware (the only hardware which remained unchanged are the biometric devices - Logitech Brio Ultra HD Camera, Kensington K67977WW VeriMark Fingerprint Key USB and the monitors) and reinstalled Windows from the scratch. The behaviour is the same as before, first offered option is Fingerprint.

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