HP Envy IR camera not supporting windows hello

[Pedro_71]

Windows Hello stopped working some time ago and I have been going in circles looking for a resolution. I am focussed at the moment on getting a driver update for the IR camera. HP support doesn't identify a separate driver so I assume its in the bios. I have the latest, F43 anyway.

The IR camera driver is a microsoft driver dated 2006 and I cant find an update anywhere. 

On the wider front I have removed and reinstalled the biometrics, the ir camera, tried different accounts and got nowhere. Any help much appreciated.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Pedro_71 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

You're clearly doing all the right things—and I can see why this has been such a headache. The IR camera driver dated 2006 is a generic Microsoft fallback, which usually means Windows couldn’t find or install the proper OEM driver. 

For your HP ENVY 16-h0000, Windows Hello facial recognition depends on a working IR camera driver, and it’s not embedded in the BIOS—it’s typically bundled with either Intel or Realtek imaging drivers.

🧠 Why This Happens

• HP doesn’t list a separate IR camera driver for your model, which suggests it’s handled via Windows Update, HP Support Assistant, or Intel’s AVStream Camera driver.
• If the IR camera shows up in Device Manager but uses a 2006 Microsoft driver, it’s likely misidentified or missing its full feature set.

🛠️ Steps to Fix Windows Hello IR Camera

Uninstall the Current IR Camera Driver

• Open Device Manager
• Expand Imaging Devices or Cameras
• Right-click the IR camera > Uninstall device
• Check Delete the driver software for this device
• Restart your laptop

Install the Latest Camera Driver

• Visit the HP ENVY 16-h0000 driver page
• Download the Intel Imaging or Realtek Camera Driver (if listed)
• If not available, try HP Support Assistant to auto-detect missing drivers

Try Intel’s AVStream Camera Driver

• If HP doesn’t offer a dedicated IR driver, download the Intel RealSense Depth Camera Manager from Intel’s site
• This has helped users restore Windows Hello functionality when the IR camera is misidentified

Reset Windows Hello Setup

• Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options
• Remove Face Recognition
• Reboot and try setting it up again

🧪 BIOS Check

Even though you’re on BIOS F.43, it’s worth entering BIOS (Esc or F10 at startup) and checking under Security > Device Configuration to ensure the IR camera is enabled.

Let me know what happens after trying these steps. If the IR camera still won’t cooperate, I can help you dig into hardware IDs or explore alternate driver packages. 

You’ve been persistent—and that’s exactly what this kind of issue needs 💪.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye