Is the Dell XPS 14 (2026) compatible with Windows Hello and biometrics?

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👆The Dell XPS 14 (2026) has all the Windows Hello biometric options you'd expect from a premium laptop. You can log in with your face, your fingerprint, or both.

The Two Options

Face Recognition

The webcam has an infrared sensor that handles Windows Hello face unlock. It's similar to Face ID on iPhones but for Windows. Look at your screen, and you're in.

The IR sensor means it works in low light too. And before you ask, no, someone can't just hold up a photo of you to unlock it. The depth sensing prevents that.

It's fast, usually under a second. The main times it struggles:

• If you dramatically change your appearance (shave your beard, get new glasses)
• Weird lighting directly behind you
• If you're not looking at the camera

Fingerprint

The fingerprint reader is built into the power button, which is a nice touch. Wake the laptop and authenticate in the same motion.

It works reliably most of the time. If your fingers are extremely dry or wet, it might need a couple tries. You can register multiple fingers during setup, so use your dominant hand's index finger and maybe a thumb as backup.

Setting Both Up (Do This)

Here's my actual recommendation: set up both.

Why? Because sometimes one method has issues. Bright light behind you messes with face recognition. Dry winter hands give the fingerprint reader trouble. Having both means you basically never have to fall back to typing your password.

Setup is in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Takes about 2 minutes total.

Where It Actually Works

Beyond just unlocking your laptop:

• Microsoft account stuff
• Password managers (1Password and Bitwarden both support Windows Hello)
• Edge's saved passwords
• Some websites and apps

It's genuinely useful once you're set up. I almost never type my actual password anymore.

The Security Stuff

If you care about how it's secured: your biometric data stays on your laptop. It's stored in the TPM chip (hardware security module) and processed locally. Microsoft doesn't get your fingerprint or face scan.

The system can't be fooled by photos or simple spoofing attempts. The IR camera does depth sensing, and the fingerprint reader uses capacitive touch, not optical scanning.

For Work Laptops

If this is a work machine, IT can set up Windows Hello for Business through Azure AD. Supports FIDO2 keys, conditional access policies, and all the enterprise authentication stuff your company probably requires.

Bottom Line

It works well. Both methods are reliable enough for daily use. Set up both for the best experience. You'll rarely type your password again.