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Fix Windows Hello Fingerprint Reader Not Responding After Sleep

The fingerprint reader stops working after sleep when the biometric service crashes or USB power saving disables the sensor. Restart the service and fix power settings.

by@guidox updated:10/26/26 time:10 min level:Intermediate works on:Windows 11 25H2
TL;DR

The fingerprint reader fails after sleep because **Windows Biometric Service** crashes or **USB selective suspend** cuts power to the sensor. Restart the service and disable USB power saving to fix it.

Before you start

Requirements

  • Admin rights
  • PIN or password as backup sign-in method
Step by step

Instructions

01

Confirm the reader works at boot but not after sleep

Restart your PC and sign in with your fingerprint. Then put the PC to sleep and wake it. If the reader does not light up or respond, the issue is the sleep-wake power transition.

02

Restart the Windows Biometric Service

Open **Terminal** as administrator and restart the biometric service. This is a quick fix that restores the reader without a full reboot.

net stop WbioSrvc
net start WbioSrvc
tipIf the service fails to start, check **Device Manager > Biometric devices** for a yellow warning triangle on the fingerprint sensor.
03

Disable USB selective suspend

Open **Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings**. Expand **USB settings > USB selective suspend setting** and set it to **Disabled** for both battery and plugged in.

control powercfg.cpl
⚠ warningThis prevents Windows from cutting power to USB devices during sleep, which is the most common cause of the fingerprint reader not waking up.
04

Update the fingerprint sensor driver

Open **Device Manager**, expand **Biometric devices**, right-click your fingerprint sensor, and select **Update driver > Search automatically**. If Windows finds nothing, download the driver from your laptop manufacturer's support page.

devmgmt.msc
05

Verify after a sleep cycle

Put the PC to sleep, wait 30 seconds, and wake it. The fingerprint reader should light up and accept your fingerprint within 2 seconds. Repeat the test three times.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

Fingerprint option is missing from Settings entirely

The biometric driver is not installed or the sensor is disabled in BIOS. Check **Device Manager > Biometric devices** — if the sensor is missing, enable it in your BIOS/UEFI security settings.

Reader works after sleep but rejects every fingerprint

The sensor calibration was lost during sleep. Go to **Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Fingerprint recognition** and re-enroll your fingerprint.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Does disabling USB selective suspend drain the battery?

Minimally. The fingerprint sensor draws less than 100 mW. The impact on battery life is negligible compared to the display and CPU.

Can I automate the service restart on wake?

Yes. Create a scheduled task triggered by **On workstation unlock** that runs `net stop WbioSrvc && net start WbioSrvc` with highest privileges.

How to undo this

Re-enable **USB selective suspend** in **Control Panel > Power Options > Advanced settings**. Revert the biometric driver to the previous version in **Device Manager > Biometric devices > Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver**.

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