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Windows Hello opens in background and doesn't function correctly
The last 3 days windows hello (in use with 1 password) doesn't accept input. And somehow caps lock is on even though the keyboard doesn't show it on. I saw that this was an issue a year ago, but it just occurred again with my system. I am on Win 11, with the latest updates, no VPN, using Chrome with the browser extension.
I then get repeated requested to enter my full 1Password credentials. However after an hour, the timeout for 1Password, the same problem occurs.
I have tried un enabling and then re enabling 1Password, to no effect. I also rebooted and then ran a full Microsoft Virus scan, but nothing was found.
Hello everyone,
Thank you for your patience. Our development team has released a fix for the issue in the latest update to 1Password for Windows (8.12.1):
We’ve fixed an issue where Windows Hello prompts could appear behind app and browser windows.
Please update to the latest version of 1Password for Windows: How to keep 1Password up to date
If you're still seeing issues with Windows Hello appearing behind other apps/windows after updating then please let me know by replying to this post.
-Dave
70 Replies
UPDATE: As of this morning, Windows Hello is no longer opening in the background. I booted up my Windows 11 laptop, opened Chrome, went to a site that requires log-in, clicked the little 1P icon next to the username field, and the Windows Hello prompt popped up "front and center." I did not open the desktop app or the browser extension. Thanks, 1P! I'm on 8.12.1
So, it seems that the problem is fixed. Did 1P install an update? (I just checked Settings > About and tried to look at Release Notes, but it goes to a 404: Page Not Found page.)
John
Yes, see this post by Dave from 1password: Windows Hello opens in background and doesn't function correctly | 1Password Community
I can confirm that with update 8.12.1 the issue is solved for me.
Thanks Dave!
- 1P_Dave
Moderator
Hello everyone,
Thank you for your patience. Our development team has released a fix for the issue in the latest update to 1Password for Windows (8.12.1):
We’ve fixed an issue where Windows Hello prompts could appear behind app and browser windows.
Please update to the latest version of 1Password for Windows: How to keep 1Password up to date
If you're still seeing issues with Windows Hello appearing behind other apps/windows after updating then please let me know by replying to this post.
-Dave
What I have found after 1Password v8.12.0 update is that the prompt for the Windows Hello unlocking is no longer brought to focus (using Edge or Chrome extensions) so even it recognizes you (facial unlocking) it is not working. After accepting, a new 1Password window is opened asking for the complete password.
But if you bring the Windows Hello prompt to focus before it recognizes you, the unlocking works.
Anyway, this is very unconfortable and I hope the team can fix it ASAP.
First time working with 1Password with an issue like that...
Yes, exactly what's happening here too.
gcr5 is exactly right...it works, but the prompt lies hidden/underneath...you have to click on the sys icon in the tray to bring it up. It's a solution that gets us past what was broken but only half-way to restoring the functionality/experience we knew prior to this issue.
The Windows Hello prompt opens in the background, and I have to switch window focus to it before I can use it. Is there anyway I can make the prompt open in the foreground, so that I can go straight to scanning my fingerprint without having to change windows?
1P_GemHi VaderIsLukesDad, ausduckz, BrianT, TheFlyingCelt, and JohnInCA, thanks for reporting this, and I apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Our developers are aware of the behaviour where the Windows Hello prompt appears behind other windows, and they are currently investigating.
For the time being, you can do the following:
- Open and unlock the main 1Password desktop app first, then use 1Password in the browser (rather than unlocking 1Password in the browser first).
- If you try to unlock 1Password in the browser and Windows Hello is hidden, click on the flashing icon in your taskbar to focus the prompt.
Issue=DV-445
Hi,
I never unlock the extension first. I always launch the desktop app in order to unlock the extension, yet I see the same behavior to the Windows Hello prompt. Let's hope the Devs will fix this.
Regards
I am experiencing the same issue. In addition, I am constantly getting the popup prompt that says: "1Password is trying to unlock the browser extension. You need to enter your account password before you can use Windows Hello." This did no happen in the past. Windows 11, Chrome, all updates applied. And most current version of 1Password.
- 1P_Gem
Hi JohnInCA, thanks for these details!
The behaviour where the Windows Hello prompt opens behind other windows is a known issue that we're currently investigating. However, the message you've mentioned may be separate from that. Could you confirm whether the message:
“You need to enter your account password before you can use Windows Hello."
Is appearing at the same time as the Windows Hello prompt opening in the background, or whether this is a separate occurrence?
Also, does this message only appear the first time you unlock 1Password after restarting your device, or does it appear every time you unlock?
If this turns out to be a separate situation and it only happens on the first unlock after a restart, try enabling Use your device's Trusted Platform Module to unlock in the desktop app under Settings > Security, as this should stop you from seeing this message.
Thanks!
Same here. Vivaldi browser on Windows 11 pro up to date.
Hi,
I’m seeing a similar issue on Windows 11 Pro 25H2 with Chrome 143 and the 1Password extension. When clicking the 1Password icon, I now first get an “Open 1Password” window, then the Windows Hello prompt appears behind a separate window asking for the 1Password master password. I have to close that window to access Windows Hello. This used to be a single-step unlock before.
See screenshots below:
Though I can only speak for my situation, currently I am left with the feeling that the keyboard issue was caused by 1Password and not the January update, per se, and leaning me to the same conclusion for the out-of-focus Windows Hello authentication window.
Per my other post, I experienced the Shift/Caps Lock issue in another app and, I'm sure, only because I wasn't interacting with 1Password at the time. I was able to reproduce this multiple times via system restores, which initially led me to believe that the root cause was the January Windows Update.
However, after 1P_Dave posted about the keyboard fix and after the fix was installed on my PC, I decided to resume Windows Updates and the January Updates were installed. They're the exact same Windows updates and this time around, no more keyboard issues!
So, same Windows Updates installed, but this time with the new version of 1Password and that can only lead me to conclude that the root cause was 1Password.
Again, this is just my experience on my PC and yours may/will vary, but I am currently left with the conclusion that this mess was caused by 1Password and not Microsoft.
- 1P_Dave
Hello everyone,
Our development team is currently aware of an issue where Window Hello input is disrupted when unlocking 1Password. Improvements were released in 1Password for Windows version 8.12.0 which addressed issues like the apparent triggering of caps lock when the Windows Hello prompt was shown. If you haven't yet updated to 8.12.0 then please do so: How to keep 1Password up to date
That being said, after updating, you may still run into an issue where Windows Hello appears behind apps and browsers when unlocking 1Password. Our development team is currently investigating the issue.
For the time being, you can do the following:
- Open and unlock the main 1Password desktop app first, then use 1Password in the browser (rather than unlocking 1Password in the browser first).
- If you try to unlock 1Password in the browser and Windows Hello is hidden, click on the Windows Hello icon in your task bar to focus Windows Hello:
I'm sorry for the continued inconvenience.-Dave
Hello, I've never had this issue happen before, however since a few days ago this started happening. I have no keyboard input in the Windows Hello form that opens up when I trigger the Chrome Extension. If I focus away it looks like I'm writing in all caps. If I just press and release left-shift, then I can write in the Windows Hello field.
Sorry, still NOT fixed here. When coming out of sleep mode, I click on the 1Password browser extension to unlock, instead of just going to Windows Hello, it gives me a 1Password dialog with an unlock button. Upon clicking that, BOTH the 1Password dialog AND the Windows Hello dialog pop up. It's a mess and it needs to be fixed.
