Score:1

How to enable Windows Hello on stand-alone server

cn flag

Does anyone know how I can enable Windows Hello facial sign-on a Windows 2019 stand-alone server?

I am the administrator of this stand-alone server, and have installed the Windows Biometric Framework, enabled various Windows Hello for Business group policy settings.

I have installed %windir%\system32\WinBioPlugIns\FaceDriver\HelloFace.inf.

These are my group policy settings:

  • Allow the use of biometrics: enabled
  • Allows users to log on using biometrics: enabled
  • Configure enhanced anti-spoofing: disabled
  • Use biometrics: enabled
  • Use Windows Hello for Business: enabled
  • Use Windows Hello for Business certificates as smart card certificates: disabled
  • Use certificate for on-premises authentication: enabled

This stand-alone system does not have any roles installed, besides Storage Services and Hyper-V. There is no Active Directory. I don't see my deployment scenario covered.

So far, I'm unable to see any face sign-on, except the following.

I've tested the Logitech Brio webcam on a stand-alone (not joined to any domain) laptop, and on that laptop, face sign-on works.

Does anyone know what I'm missing?

Sign-on options

cn flag
What cameras are presented on the server in device manager?
chuacw avatar
cn flag
Updated post to add Logitech Brio webcam. That's the only one on the server.
cn flag
Is the device present in device manager? Does it function?
chuacw avatar
cn flag
Yes, the webcam is present in Device Manager and it functions with Google's Chrome when I start meet.google.com.
Score:0
gg flag

In my testing, full camera functionality required a USB 3.0 port. Is your camera plugged into a USB 3.0 port on the server?

You may also need to disable the Windows Hello for Business setting that was enabled in your GPO. As you've probably seen in the deployment requirements for Windows Hello for Business, a standalone server wouldn't work with it enabled: WHfB requires Active Directory, ADCS, ADFS, etc to be configured. "Windows Hello" might still work for you, as long as the server SKU you're running doesn't automatically infer "Windows Hello for Business" whenever Windows Hello settings are invoked.

chuacw avatar
cn flag
Yes, I have multiple USB 3 ports, and it's tested in the sense that on the same server where it didn't work, I ran a VM (Windows 10) that used the webcam and Windows Hello worked in the VM, without even changing the USB port where the webcam was plugged in.
chuacw avatar
cn flag
Curiously, I just tested the webcam with USB 2 port as well on my VM running on the server. In the VM, Windows Hello worked as well. So it doesn't appear that USB 2 or 3 makes a difference.
SamErde avatar
gg flag
Good, that may have been specific to the camera that I tested with.
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