Whoops! Microsoft just broke Windows Hello with the latest Windows 11 update

There can’t be a silver lining without a cloud, and for all of the problems Microsoft managed to fix with the KB5055523 update for Windows 11, there is the small issue of it causing Windows Hello authentication to stop working for some.

While the problem is limited to users who meet fairly narrow criteria, the impact for those affected is significant. If you’re running System Guard Secure Launch or Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement on Windows 11 and Server 2025, caution is advised.

See also:

• Microsoft releases KB5055523 update to fix a glut of Windows 11 problems
• Microsoft is giving the Windows 11 Start menu a major overhaul -- and you’re going to love it!
• Microsoft listens to users and revises its WSUS driver synchronization deprecation plans

With the release of the KB5055523 update, there are still know issues relating to Roblox and Citrix software, but the Windows Hello problems are new. In the release notes for the update, Microsoft says: “We're aware of an edge case of Windows Hello issue affecting devices with specific security features enabled”.

It continues:

After installing this update and performing a Push button reset or Reset this PC from Settings > System > Recovery and selecting Keep my Files and Local install, some users might be unable to login to their Windows services using Windows Hello facial recognition or PIN. Users might observe a Windows Hello Message saying "Something happened and your PIN isn't available. Click to set up your PIN again" or "Sorry something went wrong with face setup".

The company points out, however: “This issue only affects devices where System Guard Secure Launch or Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement (DRTM) feature is enabled after installing this update. Devices with Secure Launch or DRTM enabled prior to this update, or those with these features disabled, are not impacted by this issue.”

The good news is that there is a workaround -- simply re-enrolling in Windows Hello. For facial recognition, this involves heading to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Facial recognition (Windows Hello), selecting Set up, and following the on-screen instructions. If you prefer to use a PIN, you can just follow the Set my PIN prompt on the logon screen to re-enroll into Windows Hello.

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