"You need to enter your account password before you can use Windows Hello."

Hi @WilburPost, thanks for getting back to me with your support ID! A member of the team will be in touch with you there shortly to look into this issue further 😄

ref: HNX-98233-129

@WilburPost If you don't trust Microsoft with Windows if it comes to security, you should probably not be using Windows. How can you use an operating system whose creator you don't trust with security? The creator could do anything! This would get me the creeps.

On the other hand, it may be it's not trust in security you're lacking in Windows but perhaps in understanding how Windows operates. It may be Windows does things you don't understand, and you fear you break something if you use a feature. In this case, you can perhaps seek for courses to get a deeper understanding of Windows. Not just a course for switching on the PC, copying and deleting files, and start apps, but really more about configuring and administering a PC. Get a deeper view on how the several modules of Windows work.

My whole view on Windows changed, once I got Microsoft certification courses for administering workstations and servers, and designing corporate setups - called "Microsoft certified system engineer" at the time. These courses, at the time for Windows 2000, made it totally clear every single item in Windows has a purpose and not a single item is acting randomly. It's deterministic everywhere. If something doesn't work as expected, you can always find an explanation. And a fix, if Windows is designed to work that other way. Always. No, this is no joke. I mean this seriously. Of course, such certification courses are over the top for just a PC user, however there also exist lower level courses for ordinary users to get them better into PC understanding.

Former Member thank you for your explanation. I get what Windows Hello does, but again, I've found Windows 11 so buggy that I don't trust Microsoft to add another security layer to an already unreliable operating system (I'm jaded). Obviously, something is already amiss when 1Password occasionally thinks I have Windows Hello enabled when I don't.

Hi 1P_Gem, the support ID is HNX-98233-129. I haven't implemented any of their suggestions as the issue hasn't come up again.

@WilburPost Windows Hello is a function that provides biometrics authentication in general, and a PIN is the most simple one, available everywhere, even without hardware. It's meant to be a more simple password than your real Windows account password for daily use, for just login and unlocking. The scope of the PIN is also local only, never synced with some cloud (in case you use a Microsoft account to login).

For example, I use a Microsoft account and I have a very long very cryptic generated Windows password. It's unpleasant to enter. But my PC is stationary and my home is secure, so I established a short Hello PIN of 6 digits, and whenever I log in to Windows or unlock the desktop, I only need to enter that pin.

1Password is able to use this convenience and use an established Hello PIN as well. You can avoid entering some long 1Password account password all the time - instead, you use the short Hello pin. If you also activate TPM usage in 1Password, you can extend the time between being asked for the full account password even more.
It helps with convenience (more easy to enter) and increases security (you can choose a more complex account password, because you need to enter it much less).

Hi @WilburPost, thanks for getting back to me! That definitely sounds strange, as the message you've been seeing when unlocking should only appear when Windows Hello unlock is enabled.

When you say that you've already contacted support about this, was this via email? If so, could you let me know your support ID number here so I can connect the dots? It should look something like #ABC-12345-678. Thanks!

The other thing to know is that this doesn't happen after every reboot; it's only occasional. Needless to say, it's alarming when it does happen.

Hi 1P_Gem Thank you for your reply. I followed your directions and the option "Unlock using Windows Hello" is already unchecked, though I never opened this option before.

I contacted 1Password support and they suggested I go ahead and set up a Windows Hello account on my Windows 11 PC, but I don't use biometrics on my PC, so why do that?

The larger concern is that Windows 11 is so problematic that I'm reluctant to set up a Windows Hello account because I'm afraid it will just be another avenue for Microsoft to mess things up. Thanks again for your response.

Hi @WilburPost! It sounds as if you may have the Unlock using Windows Hello setting enabled in the 1Password 8 desktop app. This setting allows you to unlock the 1Password app and extensions using your Windows Hello credentials, such as face, fingerprint or PIN code.

If you would prefer not to use this option, you can disable it by following the steps below:

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard, and click 1Password near the top.
2. Unlock with your usual credentials if prompted.
3. In the top left, click ⋮ > Settings > Security.
4. Uncheck the option to Unlock using Windows Hello.

I hope this helps, but if you have any further questions let me know!