How do I fix Windows "Hello" when it stopped working after a recent update?

Question

Windows Hello images no longer appear on my lock screen (other than a standard screen pattern), even though it is turned on in my settings. It used to work fine until a recent Windows update was installed.

Answer 1

Gotcha! Thanks for clarifying, Stephen. You mentioned about Windows Hello which handles and covers PIN, face, or fingerprint sign-in, but the rotating images are controlled by Windows Spotlight. No worries, let's figure this out together.

Try these steps for me.

Step 1. Re-enable Spotlight

Go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.

Under Personalize your lock screen, select Picture (or Slideshow), then switch it back to Windows Spotlight.

Lock your PC and see if Spotlight refreshes.

Step 2. Reset the Spotlight cache

Press Win + R, type %localappdata%\Packages, and press Enter.

Find the folder: Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy.

Open LocalState > Assets and delete everything inside.

Also, in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, reapply Windows Spotlight again.

Step 3. Re-register Spotlight

Open PowerShell as Administrator.

Run this command:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Restart your PC and check the lock screen again.

You can also check and try the steps in this link

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/reset-and-re-register-windows-spotlight-in-windows-11.5248/

Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

If Spotlight still doesn’t load images, then an in-place repair upgrade is the next step. That will refresh all personalization and system files while keeping your apps and data intact. Or if you have a system restore point, you can also do a system restore.

Answer 2

Thanks for bringing this up. I’ll help you sort it out.

Before we proceed, I'd like to ask a few questions.

1. What type of Hello sign-in were you using before (PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition)?
2. Do you see any error message when trying to set it up again in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options?
3. Do you have any third-party security software installed that might affect sign-in?

In the meantime, here’s what you can try:

Step 1. Install pending Windows updates

Go to Settings > Windows Update and install all available updates. Restart.

Step 2. Re-enable Windows Hello

Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

Turn off Hello (PIN, fingerprint, or face), then set it up again.

Step 3. Update biometric drivers

Press Win + X > Device Manager.

Expand Biometric devices and Cameras.

Right-click each > Update driver.

If no update is found, check your laptop maker’s support site (HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc.) for the latest drivers.

Step 4. Reset the PIN/Hello data

Go to C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc

Delete everything inside that folder, and you may need admin rights.

Reboot and set up your Hello method again.

If none of these steps help, the last resort is an in-place repair upgrade of Windows 11, which refreshes system files without removing your apps or data.

Let me know how it goes.

---

Note: Please use the Add a comment section below this message to reply, instead of using the Answer field, so that I’ll be notified of your response.

Answer 3

A simple system restore should work.

Answer 4

Well, I faced the same issue. My laptop is Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 9 model with Windows 11 24H2. I suspect the root cause is the KB5035942 or KB5035349 update. After uninstalling these updates, Windows Hello works normally.