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Windows refuses facial recognition in the dark

17/6/2025

Translation: machine translated

Unlocking with facial recognition in the dark no longer works on Windows. Microsoft has deactivated the function for security reasons. There is an unofficial workaround, but it opens another can of worms.

Windows Hello facial recognition now only works in the light. Thanks to the combination of a colour camera and infrared sensors, it used to work perfectly even in low light or in the dark. However, since an update published in April, this has come to an end. Microsoft writes about this: «After installing this update or a later Windows update, Windows Hello facial recognition will require colour cameras to detect a visible face when logging in to increase security.»

The reason for the deactivation is a security vulnerability discovered by Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, which could have been exploited for Windows Hello spoofing. Microsoft has categorised this as important and patched it.

Users find workaround, but it creates a new problem

As Windows Central reports, some users have found a way to reactivate facial recognition in the dark: If you deactivate the webcam in Windows Device Manager, you will then be waved through the IR sensors again in the dark.

However, the fact that the camera itself no longer works is suboptimal. Whether and how Microsoft will bring the function back in the future is not yet known.

Header image: Martin Jud

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