Which Windows sign-in feature uses face, iris, or fingerprint recognition?

Windows Hello is the Windows sign-in feature that uses face, iris, or fingerprint recognition. It provides biometric authentication as an alternative to typing a traditional password, though supported hardware is required for each method.

Face sign-in generally needs a compatible infrared camera, while fingerprint sign-in requires a supported fingerprint reader. Iris recognition was supported on certain hardware and editions of the Windows 10 era. Windows Hello can also use a device-bound PIN, which is part of the same sign-in platform but is not itself biometric recognition.

The feature is easy to confuse with other Windows security names. BitLocker encrypts storage, SmartScreen helps warn about malicious websites and downloads, and Credential Guard protects certain authentication secrets in an isolated environment. Windows Hello instead answers the narrower question of how a person proves their identity when unlocking or signing in to a device.