Overview
Audience: Students, Faculty, Staff
Windows Hello is a secure sign-in feature for Windows devices that allows you to log in using a pin, fingerprint, or facial recognition instead of a password. It is used specifically for signing into your Windows device and is the first step in setting up a passkey.
For step-by-step instructions on setting up Windows Hello, see Set up Windows Hello.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is Windows Hello?
Answer: Windows Hello is a passwordless sign-in method for Windows devices. Instead of typing a password to get into your device, you can use:
- A PIN
- Fingerprint recognition
- Facial recognition
Note: Signing in with your face requires a Hello-compatible camera. Signing in with your fingerprint requires your device to have a fingerprint reader.
Question: How is Windows Hello more secure than a password?
Answer: Windows Hello is more secure than a traditional password because your sign-in method is tied to your specific device and cannot be used elsewhere. Unlike passwords, your credentials are not shared or transmitted, which reduces the risk of interception or theft. If you use biometrics, such as facial recognition or a fingerprint, that information stays securely stored on your device and is not shared externally. This approach also helps protect against phishing and password-based attacks. Even a PIN is more secure than a password because it only works on your device.
Question: What are the other benefits of using Windows Hello?
Answer: Other than making signing in more secure, Windows Hello is also faster and easier to use than a traditional password. There is no need to remember and type out a password every time because it quickly unlocks your device with a pin, fingerprint, or PIN.
Question: Is using Windows Hello required?
Answer: Yes. All faculty, staff, and student workers will have to set up Windows Hello if using a Windows machine. Because the university is moving to passkey/YubiKeys as our multi-factor authentication method, Windows Hello will need to be set up on any Windows device with which you’re using passkey to authenticate. Setting up Windows Hello is the first step for Windows PC users in setting up a passkey at the University of Arkansas.
Question: Is Windows Hello the same as a passkey?
Answer: No, but they work closely together. A passkey is a passwordless sign-in credential, while Windows Hello is a way to verify your identity on your Windows device. When a passkey is stored on your Windows device, Windows Hello can authenticate you and complete the sign-in without requiring a password or a separate authentication device.
Question: I'm worried about my biometric data. Where is my information going?
Answer: You can avoid using biometrics by setting up a PIN, but if you do decide to use a biometric, the data used by Windows Hello is stored on the device itself. It is stored in an encrypted format that only Windows Hello can decrypt. No user or process other than Windows Hello has access to this encrypted data.
Question: Can Windows Hello be used on a Mac?
Answer: No, Windows Hello is exclusive to Windows operating systems.
Question: Why does my sign-in screen look different when I log in to my work device versus other devices?
Answer: When you set up Windows Hello, you’re setting it up per device. Because Windows Hello is device bound, you will not use it on another machine unless you set one up there too.
Training
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