Elecom Windows Hello Face Camera

Question

I purchased this Webcam today, S/N 1200729. Windows Hello will not recognize the camera. Device manager tells me that the Elecom 2MP Webcam and the Elecom Face Authentication Cam are both present and operating properly using driver version 10.0.22000.708 dated 6/21/2006, and that this is the latest driver. I am using Win 11 Pro build 22000.co release 210604-162B, the latest version. Windows Hello is set up and can use a PIN, a fingerprint, or a picture to sign in, and all work properly, but it tells me Windows cannot find a camera compatible with Windows Hello Face, and that Windows Hello Facial Recognition is currently unavailable. The light on the camera does not come on, but the computer does tell me with a tone when the camera is plugged in. Elecom says no other driver is necessary. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

Keep me posted on your progress as I will be here to help until the case is resolved.

Answer 2

I tried everything suggested and nothing helped. Today I installed the new Windows 11 22H2 update, and when it was finished Windows informed me that Windows Hello Face Recognition was available. Sure enough, the camera was recognized by Window Hello and I was able to set it up. It now works just fine. Another Windows mystery that will never be solved.

Answer 3

1. Run a Windows Update to check for any drivers from Microsoft. If any are available, install them, then proceed to Step 3
2. Check the Elecom site directly for driver downloads. If there is a driver available, install it. If not, proceed to Step 3
3. Reboot your PC with the webcam connected

If the webcam still isn't detected on as a Windows Hello camera, try the above steps on a different PC to make sure the webcam itself works. I had a similar problem with the Mouse CM02-A on my work laptop today. Works just fine on 1 of my personal desktops. Strangely enough, the Logitech BRIO works just fine on the same work laptop the Mouse failed on.

My guess is the work laptop's group policy blocked the Mouse's driver or something like that.

Answer 4

Windows restore wouldn't help, because there is nothing to restore to. This is a brand new install of the camera- the system never had one before. I went to the first site on the list in the second step you suggested, and it mentions two files, helloface.inf and hellofacemigration.inf and specifies the directory where they should be found. I don't have this directory or either of these files. I found a copy of helloface.inf in another directory, and tried a right click and install, but that didn't help. I have a laptop with a face recognition cam that works, but that machine doesn't have these files or the specified directory, so I wonder if these files are no longer necessary. I tried everything in the second site, but that didn't help. I checked my services and made sure that the Windows Biometric service was running, and it is. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Windows Hello Face optional feature, but that didn't help. sfc/ scannow shows no problems. I tried running the camera troubleshooter, but that didn't help. I'll try other steps later- I don't have any more time to spend on it now.

Answer 5

Hi Martin. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, here to help you.

Here are all possible fixes working for Hello Face recognition, based on helping in many of these cases. You should not have to do them all before one works, but please do them in order and don't skip any unless they clearly don't apply to your system:

1. See if you can System Restore to a point before the problem started:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r...

System Restore is your first line of defense and can take you back to a point before a problem began. If it doesn't help then you can undo it. Read about it first in the tutorial above and then try restoring to just before this started. If System Restore is not enabled on C drive do that now so it's available in the future.

If the problem repeats or System Restore doesn't work then check which Windows Updates were installed at Settings > Update & Security > Windows Updates > Update History, uninstall them there or System Restore again, then immediately check for and block the Updates with the Hide Updates tool explained here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8280-hide-s...

2. Try these fixes for the No Compatible Camera error here:

https://technoresult.com/fix-we-couldnt-find-a-...

https://www.technipages.com/fix-camera-is-not-c...

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/we-couldnt-find-...

((Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro, PC Repair Tool and Reimage ads)

https://www.kapilarya.com/we-couldnt-find-a-cam...

https://www.passfab.com/windows-tips/windows-he...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JNbdaj2zAo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sIWEHxKohY

3. See latest working fixes here for Windows Hello Face Recognition:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/for...

https://windowsreport.com/face-recognition-not-... (avoid ad links)

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Software...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

https://windows10skill.com/windows-hello-could-...

4. Turn off Fast Startup: Go to Settings > System > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings > Choose what Power buttons do > Change settings that are unavailable > uncheck Fast Startup.
5. Reset Facial Recognition and/or Fingerprint Options

https://blog.goptg.com/how-to-reset-windows-hel...

6. Modify Group Policy Settings (for Pro version only)

Updates might have modified some of the crucial settings of Group Policy. Therefore, we would recommend to launch the Group Policy Editor and check/edit the settings related to Windows Hello functionality.

Press Windows key, type gpedit, and press Enter.

Click on Computer Configuration and open Administrative Templates.

Select Windows Components and open Biometrics.

Click on Facial Features and right-click on Configure enhanced anti-spoofing option.

Select Edit and disable the Configure enhanced anti-spoofing feature.

Reboot your PC.

7. Update drivers

If some of the system drivers, most probably webcam and fingerprint reader drivers, were corrupted during the version upgrade process, Windows Hello may fail to perform. To fix that, try to update the corresponding drivers:

Right-click on Windows key and select Device Manager.

Locate the Hello, webcam, and fingerprint drivers individually and right-click on each of them.

Select Remove driver software and wait for the removal to be finished.

Repeat the removal with all Windows Hello related drivers and then reboot your PC.

Once done, open Device Manager, click Action -> Scan for hardware changes.

The system should automatically detect and reinstall the drivers.

8. Go over this checklist to make sure the install is set up correctly, optimized for best performance, and any needed repairs get done: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Start with Step 4 to turn off Startup freeloaders which can conflict and cause issues, then Step 7 to check for infection the most thorough way, then step 10 to check for damaged System Files, and also Step 16 to test a new Local Admin account. Then continue with the other steps to go over your install most thoroughly.

9. Update your drivers and BIOS/UEFI firmware from PC or motherboard maker's Support Downloads web page, using the full model number, Serial Number or Dell Service Tag on sticker. Compare the latest drivers available for download with the ones presently installed in Device Manager reached by right clicking the Start Menu. Make sure you have the latest BIOS or UEFI firmware, Chipset, Display (Video), Sound, USB3, Bluetooth, Network and all other drivers, or else download and install the latest now.

Updating drivers from the Device Manager or Windows Update is rarely enough. The most basic thing we need to learn to maintain a PC is keep the latest manufacturer's drivers installed from their Support Downloads web page.

10. If nothing else works then do a Repair Install, by installing Media Creation Tool, open tool and choose to Upgrade Now. This reinstalls Windows while keeping files, programs and most settings in place, and is also the most stable method to advance to the latest version. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m...

Feel free to ask back any questions. If you'll report back results for each step, including in each link, it can help determine what else we need to try. I will stick with you until it is fixed.

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