IR Camera No Longer Works for Windows Hello Unless Webcam Is Active – HP Envy 34

[Tcarneiro1980]

I have an HP Envy 34 All-in-One (model 544V3EA#UUZ). Until recently, Windows Hello facial recognition worked even when the webcam was "closed" — presumably using the IR camera alone, without needing the visible camera to be active.

Now, facial recognition only works if the webcam is opened or activated. The IR red lights still turn on, and once the camera is active, facial recognition works perfectly. But the system no longer recognizes me automatically when the camera is idle or closed, as it did before.

I've already tried:

Reinstalling camera and IR drivers

Checking Device Manager (I can’t confirm if the IR camera appears as a separate device)

Looking for updates on HP’s driver page (none found for the camera)

Running Windows Hello setup again (IR briefly goes to black/white, but reverts)

Any idea if a Windows or firmware update changed how the IR module works? Is there a way to restore the previous behavior where Windows Hello uses the IR camera independently of the webcam?

Thanks!

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Tcarneiro1980,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your PC!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Try these steps:

Update Windows and Drivers:

• Ensure that your Windows 11 operating system is up to date.
• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates.
• Update the webcam and IR camera drivers from the HP Software and Driver Downloads page.

Check Camera Privacy Settings:

• Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera.
• Ensure that camera access is turned on.
• Scroll down to allow apps to access your camera and toggle on access for Windows Hello.

Reinstall the IR Camera Driver:

• Open Device Manager (search for it in the Start menu).
• Expand the Imaging devices section.
• Right-click on the IR camera device and select Uninstall device.
• Restart your computer and Windows should reinstall the IR camera driver automatically.

Reconfigure Windows Hello:

• Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
• Under Windows Hello Face, remove your face recognition setup.
• Set up Windows Hello face recognition again by following the on-screen prompts.

Check HP Software:

• Make sure any HP software related to the camera and Windows Hello (such as HP IR Camera driver) is up to date. You may also download the latest drivers from the HP website.

Firmware Update:

• Check if there is a firmware update available for your HP Envy 34. You can find firmware updates on the HP Support page. Firmware updates can sometimes resolve hardware-related issues.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Tcarneiro1980]

Hi, Kuroi Kenshi,

First of all, many thanks for your prompt response and comprehensive explanation. I have tried most, if not all, of the steps that you mentioned. However, I will try them all again to see if I can finally make it work. My only problem is that I cannot find any drivers in the update drivers area. This is difficult to use. There is no specific part to look for drivers only for the webcam and IR.  As I mentioned, I'll try it all again. Let's see what happens. Many thanks once again! 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Tcarneiro1980,

You're very welcome! 😊 Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to try those steps.

I completely understand how frustrating it can be when something that used to work seamlessly suddenly changes, especially when it comes to features like Windows Hello that are meant to make your experience faster and easier.

You're absolutely right; HP's driver pages can sometimes make it tricky to locate specific drivers like those for the IR camera or webcam individually. If you haven't already, I recommend using HP Support Assistant, it can often detect your device automatically and suggest relevant drivers or firmware updates (including hidden ones not listed manually on the support page).

Also, just to clarify, the IR camera is usually bundled under the "Imaging Devices" or "Camera" category in Device Manager and may not be labeled clearly as "IR camera." Look for entries like "RealSense," "HelloFace," or similar.

Let me know how things go after retrying the steps, and feel free to reach out if you need help identifying the correct driver or rollback option, I'm happy to assist further!

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Tcarneiro1980]

Hi, Kuroi,

Good afternoon.

I'm writing to you again as I've been painfully following every step in order to try to fix this issue, but without success. I downloaded every single update and driver, but it seems that the HP page does not recognize it, which led to multiple downloads of the same drivers.

In any event, not only is the IR facial recognition not working, but even the normal facial recognition does not seem to work either.

It is very unfortunate that all of these issues started appearing just days after the expiry of my warranty. And believe me, after paying more than 2000 USD for a computer, this is definitely not what I was looking for.

Is there anything else that I could do?

Thanks,

Thiago

[zoey7886]

@Tcarneiro1980, I see you were interacting with @Kuroi_Kenshi however, he's away for now and I'd love to help you out!

Thanks for your detailed update—and I truly feel your frustration. It's incredibly disheartening when a premium device stops doing something that once felt seamless, especially right after the warranty ends.

From what you’ve shared, it sounds like the IR camera hardware is still engaging (since the red lights activate), but the Windows Hello integration may be failing to trigger it independently without the visible cam. A recent Windows or firmware update may have altered how the sensors interact—especially if the system now requires both visible and IR feeds to authenticate.

Here’s one more thing to try that often gets overlooked:

Try a clean camera calibration reset:

Go to Device Manager → Uninstall everything under Imaging Devices and Biometric Devices (tick “Delete the driver software” if the option appears).

Reboot.

Let Windows auto-reinstall from Windows Update before HP Support Assistant.

Then, reset up Windows Hello Face in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

If that doesn’t bring it back, you might want to check the HP BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure "Camera Privacy" features haven’t been updated or restricted through firmware. A BIOS reset to defaults might help re-enable independent IR behavior.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

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