Dell XPS 13 7390 Unresponsive Fingerprint Reader

If you use the fingerprint sensor on your Dell XPS 13 7390 to log in, and it fails to respond, follow these steps for possible solutions.

The fingerprint sensor on your Dell XPS 13 7390 can become unresponsive over time due to oil, dirt, and smudges on the scanner; this may prevent your Dell XPS 13 7390 from accurately reading your fingerprint.

• Power off your Dell XPS 13 7390 to avoid any electrical damage.
• Use a lint-free microfiber cloth like one used for cleaning eyeglasses
• Gently wipe the sensor to remove any dirt, smudges, or oil.
• If needed, slightly dampen your lint-free microfiber cloth with water or isopropyl alcohol. Do not spray any liquid directly onto the sensor to avoid electrical damage.

Allow the sensor to dry completely before attempting to use the fingerprint scanner.

Temporary hardware or software glitches can cause the fingerprint sensor to become unresponsive, and a full restart often clears these issues.

• Completely shut down your Dell XPS 13 7390, unplug any peripherals, and remove power (and battery if removable) for 30 seconds
• Power it back on to clear temporary hardware and software glitches
• A full reboot often restores the sensor when a driver or service hung

Sometimes the fingerprint reader fails because Windows Hello’s biometric profile is corrupted or outdated, and re-registering fingerprints can refresh it.

• Open Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options and try removing and re-adding your fingerprint under Windows Hello to refresh the biometric profile.
•  If Windows reports an error when registering, note the error text  it can indicate whether the problem is software or hardware.

• Outdated or corrupted drivers and missing Windows updates can prevent the fingerprint sensor from working properly, so updating or reinstalling them can restore functionality.
• In Device Manager, find the “Biometric devices” entry.
• uninstall the fingerprint device (right-click → Uninstall device), reboot, and let Windows reinstall the driver, or download the latest driver from Dell’s support site. Also install any pending Windows updates—OS/firmware updates frequently fix sensor compatibility issues.

If the sensor is disabled or not recognized by Windows or BIOS/UEFI, the fingerprint reader may fail, and checking these settings along with running diagnostics can identify hardware or configuration issues.

• In Device Manager confirm the fingerprint device appears (no yellow triangle) and check Properties → Events for errors; if it’s missing, that’s a clue.
• Reboot into BIOS/UEFI to ensure the fingerprint reader is enabled.
• Run Dell SupportAssist/Diagnostics to test the sensor hardware directly.

If none of the previous steps fix the issue, the most likely culprit is a faulty fingerprint sensor module. In this case, the sensor may need to be replaced to restore fingerprint usability.

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