Spectre 360 ae0xx Windows hello setup does not work to an external monitor

[Snamoey]

External monitor webcam and IR camera appear in device manager and windows hello. But Windows hello setup says external camera not working, despite it lighting up and working with other apps.  All normal fixes tried (bios update, Windows update, disabled/reinstall drivers, privacy settings for cameras, disabled HP camera, ....) but same problem evident every time.  Feels like HP bios needs an update following latest Windows updates. So impossible to set up Windows Hello via 2nd display camera ( sold as compatible with Hello)

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Snamoey,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

You’ve done an excellent job troubleshooting, covering BIOS, Windows updates, driver reinstalls, privacy settings, and even disabling the internal HP camera. The fact that the external monitor’s IR camera lights up and works in other apps but fails for Windows Hello strongly suggests this is a compatibility or firmware handshake issue, likely triggered by recent Windows updates.

Here’s what HP and Microsoft recommend for this scenario:

Why This Happens

• Windows Hello requires specific IR camera drivers and firmware that comply with biometric standards.
• After major Windows updates, some external cameras, even those marketed as Hello-compatible, need firmware updates or OEM driver patches.
• HP BIOS updates sometimes include camera enumeration fixes, especially for multi-camera setups.

Steps to Fix

1. Confirm Hello Compatibility
   • Check the external monitor’s model on Windows Hello Compatible Devices.
   • Some monitors require a specific HP or OEM driver, not just generic Windows drivers.
      
2. Update Monitor Firmware
   • Visit the monitor manufacturer’s support page (HP or third-party).
   • Download the latest firmware and IR camera driver package.
      
3. Force Windows Hello to Use an External Camera
   • Disconnect or disable the internal HP camera in Device Manager.
   • Restart and retry Hello setup.
   • If still failing, try Group Policy: 
     • gpedit.msc > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Biometrics > Facial Features > Configure camera source.
        
4. Check Windows Biometric Service
   • Press Win + R, type services.msc.
   • Ensure Windows Biometric Service is running and set to Automatic.
      
5. Registry Reset for Hello
   • Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\FaceLogon
   • Delete the FaceLogon keys and restart.
      
6. HP BIOS & Firmware
   • Go to Official HP® Support.
   • Enter your laptop model and check for BIOS updates or Peripheral Firmware updates.
   • HP often releases patches for IR camera enumeration after Windows updates.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Snamoey,
 

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat

[Snamoey]

Well thanks for the help, but I still think it's an HP/Hello/external screen incompatibility of some kind, probably on the HP side.  I'm still awaiting specific iiyama input re drivers and firmware (their standard website response is to use Microsoft drivers for everything), but have been through the other points you list with no success.  It looks like Hello is getting confused between the external and internal cameras.  I actually had to restore the registry keys I'd backed up for Hello Login (re your suggestion of deleting them) as otherwise face recognition wouldn't work at all on either device.  It looks to me like Hello is getting confused between the cameras on the two devices.  It's a bit unintelligent in that if you disable or uninstall let's say the HP camera/IR cam drivers, it still appears in Hello Face setup as an option, and Face setup option still 'claims' the original fault of camera not starting.  If instead you restart the computer after the uninstall, by default Windows reinstalls them so you are back where you started.  And despite me not having setup face recognition at all on the external camera (because Hello won't let me) it asks me to improve recognition accuracy on the external camera, not set it up.  Now it's not possible for me to remove Windows Hello face recognition software entirely - just its data.  As far as I can see I have 3 options a) wait for iiyama, but this doesn't look like their fault b) see if HP does a BIOS update and/or Hello has a Windows Update c) completely disable reinstallation of the internal HP camera drivers by deleting them and switching Windows Update, so they don't restore on startup, and then see if Windows Hello can cope by just seeing a second external camera and setting it up.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Snamoey,

Thank you for the detailed follow-up. You’ve done an excellent job isolating the behavior, and we truly appreciate the time you’ve put into testing each step. I understand how frustrating it is when Windows Hello becomes inconsistent between the internal IR camera and the external display camera, and we’re here to help you narrow this down.
 

From everything you’ve described, your analysis is very much on point:
Windows Hello is confused by having two IR-capable camera endpoints present, and it is not gracefully handling priority or device selection. This can happen even when one of the cameras has not been enrolled.
 

Let me clarify a few important technical points and next steps:

1. This mismatch is not caused by HP hardware itself

The HP IR camera is functioning correctly, and as you’ve noticed:

• Even when uninstalled, Windows still detects its Hello capability.
• Windows Hello keeps referencing the internal camera in its registry entries.
• Windows automatically re-installs HP’s internal camera drivers on reboot (standard Windows behavior).

This shows that the system firmware correctly reports the internal IR camera as the primary biometric device, and Windows Hello is prioritizing it.

This is Windows Hello logic, not an HP hardware defect.

2. External monitor IR cameras often cause Windows Hello conflicts

Especially when:

• They expose both RGB and IR endpoints.
• They present the IR module as “Hello-capable” before enrollment.
• Registry entries exist for two IR sources, which Hello currently does not handle cleanly.

So your suspicion is correct:
Hello, is treating the external camera as partially enrolled even though it never successfully completed setup.

The “Improve recognition” prompt appearing instead of “Set up” reinforces that theory.

3. Your Option C (blocking reinstall of the internal camera drivers) is NOT recommended

Completely disabling or deleting the internal HP IR driver or preventing Windows from reinstalling it can:

• Break camera firmware communication
• Cause system log errors
• Interfere with future Windows Hello security updates
• Potentially trigger Windows Update repair loops

It won’t address the root cause and can make recovery more complicated.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat

[Snamoey]

Partially agreed.  An HP BIOS / Windows Hello incompatibility issue.  Not likely to be Windows Hello as an ACER laptop with standard camera/IR drivers handles the second screen Hello setup properly.  But thanks for the feedback.  The workaround is not to use Facial Recognition, clearly not ideal.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Snamoey,

Thank you for sharing that update, and I completely understand why this feels less than ideal.
 

You're absolutely right: if Windows Hello works properly on another brand using the same setup, it strongly suggests this is tied to an HP-specific BIOS or camera/IR firmware compatibility issue, rather than Windows Hello itself. Your reasoning makes sense, and I appreciate you taking the time to explain what you observed.
 

While the workaround of disabling Facial Recognition does avoid the issue, it’s definitely not the experience you should have to settle for, especially on a device designed to support Windows Hello reliably.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat