My fingerprint scanner stopped working after a update.

[TriniEric]

I have a hp laptop 17t-cn300 that uses windows 11 home. My fingerprint scanner stopped working after an update (I'm not sure which one of the updates) and I've tried installing the latest fingerprint driver, I've installed the latest BIOS and nothing seems to be working. I'm also not seeing fingerprint or biometrics scanner on my device manager. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated because I'm lost at this point.

[Max3Aj]

@TriniEric, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

It sounds like a frustrating situation, especially since the fingerprint scanner has disappeared from Device Manager. This typically indicates a driver or firmware issue, or a hardware detection problem following an update. Here’s a step-by-step approach to troubleshoot and hopefully resolve the issue:

Check if Biometric Devices are Hidden in Device Manager

Sometimes devices can be hidden:

• Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
• Click View and select Show hidden devices.
• Expand Biometric Devices or Other devices.
• If your fingerprint scanner appears faint or greyed out, right-click it and choose Uninstall device, then restart your PC.

Check BIOS Settings

The update may have altered a BIOS setting:

• Restart your laptop and repeatedly press Esc or F10 to enter the BIOS/UEFI.
• Look for Security > Fingerprint Reader or a similar option.
• Ensure the fingerprint reader is enabled.
• Save and exit the BIOS.

Check Windows Biometric Service

Make sure the biometric service is running:

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Find Windows Biometric Service.
3. Right-click and select Properties.
4. Set Startup type to Automatic, and click Start if it’s not already running.
5. Restart your PC.

Reinstall the Fingerprint Driver (Manually)

If HP Support Assistant doesn’t help, try this:

• Go to the HP Drivers page for your model (HP 17t-cn300).
• Look for the Validity/Synaptics Fingerprint Sensor driver (it might be under Driver – Keyboard, Mouse and Input Devices).
• Download and install the latest driver.
• After installation, restart your PC.

Use HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI)

You can test the fingerprint sensor at the hardware level:

• Turn off the PC.
• Turn it back on and immediately press Esc repeatedly, then press F2 for System Diagnostics.
• Choose Component Tests > Input Devices > Fingerprint Reader.
• If the fingerprint reader is not listed, it means it's not being detected at the hardware level.

Use System Restore (if recent update broke it)

If this issue started after a known Windows update:

• Press Windows + R, type rstrui.exe, and hit Enter.
• Choose a restore point before the issue began.
• This won't affect your files, only system settings and drivers.

Try a Clean Boot (to rule out software conflicts)

To eliminate software conflicts:

• Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
• Go to the Startup tab and open Task Manager, then disable all startup items.
• Restart your PC and check if the fingerprint scanner appears in Device Manager.
• If it does, a third-party app might be interfering.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support