Mini USB Fingerprint Reader for Windows 7,8 & 10 Hello, PQI My Lockey 360° Touch Speedy Matching Multi Biometric fido Security Key

I got spoiled having a fingerprint reader on one of my laptops and then I purchased a USB one for my workstation and came to realize the one big drawback on my HP Spectre x360 was no fingerprint reader. This little guy works perfectly with Windows Hello and makes logging in a snap. On top of that, having Windows Hello enabled gives you easy access to other things that require authentication, such as viewing passwords in Chrome... just tap on the view icon in Chrome and swipe your finger. I wish this was a bit thinner because it does stick out quiet a bit on my Spectre, but I like the silver and it blends in really well and I like that it lights up green when it is ready for input. I initially had some issues at first during setup because Windows 10 found the drivers and said it installed correctly and it showed up in Device Manager, but Windows Hello wasn't recognizing a device... but a reboot solved that and everything works as it should.

Very nice and quick. I had wondered if it would work with Windows 7 Professional and I've tested it and found that it works. If you have standard accounts versus administrator accounts, it takes a small amount of extra effort but I wouldn't describe it as difficult. The management software that is not available after the driver is installed is available from the vendor's web site. They don't identify it as such but the software that they supply to allow file encryption/decryption also contains the fingerprint management software that Windows is looking for. For the low cost, this is a good solution. Just bear in mind that unlike Smart Cards, biometric devices such as fingerprint readers can be used to login to Windows as an alternative to a normal password. This is very useful if you need to enforce complex password rules which often involve long passwords. Instead of making typos and repeated attempts to log in, the fingerprint reader logs the user in much faster. Fingerprint readers have stronger support in Windows 10 and a standard user can easily register their fingerprint(s) without much fuss.

After using the PQI fingerprint reader for a few weeks, I can say that it is really snappy and fast and unlocks my computer in under a second. The packaging it came in was really good, but the actual USB itself is made using really high quality components and has an exceptional build quality. It is extremely small, so it's very portable and can be almost forgotten once it is plugged in. I must say that I absolutely love this product and would definitely consider purchasing one for each computer or laptop I have as it makes my life a heck of a lot easier. The software that automatically downloads once you plug it in is really good as it allows you to register up to 10 fingerprints and identify each by selecting a finger on your right or left hands. Overall, I would say that PQI's fingerprint sensor is really good, has a phenomenal build quality, nice aesthetic looks as well as the top of the line performance it delivers.

Even though my Windows 10 laptop has a built-in fingerprint reader, it is only accessible with the lid open. I use an external monitor and keep the lid closed, so it was a hassle to open the lid each time I wanted to log in. This fingerprint reader was plug and play and had no issues installing. Windows recognized it instantly and I simply went to settings, added another fingerprint, and used this USB reader to set it up. (I am not sure if it would have recognized my saved fingerprint that I setup with the built-in reader or not). Now when I press a button on my keyboard to wake my computer from sleep mode, I can keep the lid closed and use this USB reader to quickly login. It's fast, accurate and works better than the built-in reader as well.

The installation of the fingerprint reader was smooth and without any glitches on an Acer fairly new laptop running the latest version of Windows 10 (2004). It took quite a while to do the initial scan of my fingerprint. I elected not to scan a second finger due to time constraints. I've been using the scanner for several weeks now with mixed results. My guestimate is that the scanner successfully recognizes my fingerprint at most 40% of the time. Generally, I end up typing in my password. Using this scanner is an exercise in frustration. Really I am thinking of selling on eBay or Craigslist and finding a better scanner. The lower cost may be one reason to explain it's poor performance. I use fingerprint scanning on my Android phone with over 99% fast login ever time. My expectations were set too high from my experience using the fingerprint scanner on the phone, I surmised I'd have an equally easy time with this product. Alas, this hasn't been the case. To say that I've been less than happy with my purchase would be an understatement. I will rescan my fingerprint as the first opportunity and give this product one more chance to work. Otherwise, it's off to the flea market.

Pros: Fast fingerprint reading Compact form factor No issues getting it to work with Windows Hello on Windows 10. Windows 10 already had a driver and it worked immediately. Cons: Fingerprint recognition is poor. Immediately after training it, it works great but after that, it doesn't recognize fingerprint. Just washed and dried your hands? Doesn't work. A little bit of extra skin oil on your hands? Doesn't work. Wipe your hands with a cloth and remove even a tiny bit of oil? Doesn't work. Just washed your hands and there's no oil on your finger and your finger is dry? Doesn't work. Even trying it under the same conditions on different days doesn't work. It's basically useless beyond the 10 minutes after you train it. I'm guessing all of these positive reviews were made within that period of time. I even made of habit of training my finger every single time it didn't recognize it. Slightly wet, slightly oily, slightly dirty, different levels of dampness, different angles. It didn't help. I reached the 10 fingerprint maximum on Windows 10 all using the same finger. Total garbage. Any smartphone fingerprint reader I've used is better than this. My phone has no problems reading my fingerprint. My phone only fails if my hand is really wet. This fingerprint reader by PQI is far too sensitive to be useful.

I bought this to use on my custom desktop computer. I plugged it in, the driver installed automatically, and then when I went to setup Windows Hello, it worked flawlessly. Enpass Password Manager can use Windows Hello and so far it works amazingly. Instead of typing a pin or password to login to Windows, I tap my finger. Same for my password manager, don't skip a beat. I highly recommend this device and will be obtaining more of these for other devices. Oh, and I tested this on my Surface Pro 3 and Surface Book and worked great (Surface Book doesn't need it due to facial recognition). Once you start using this, it's too hard to go back to typing in pins or passwords. I've registered my finger multiple times (in different parts and angles) to ensure that no matter how I touch it, it will work and so far, unless I completely miss it, it has worked. I stuck mine in a top facing USB port which is right next to where my mouse sits.

This is the best mini Fingerprint reader you can buy. I have bought and tried others but this one is the best so I bought 2 more for my laptop and desktop. Yes, you can use it on a desktop. You just make the desktop think it is a Hello on Win 10 with no problems. I haven't tried on Win 7 or Win 8.1 but it may work. It also works on my desktops, LastPass, password manager. You use it as a multifactor option for security pruposes. The next time you sign into LastPass, you mouse click your LastPass icon and touch your fingerprint reader. No more typing in your username and password. The only thing is you have to have Premium LastPass which is only $20 a year with call in support if you need it. This reader picks up the edge of your finger or thumb print so you rarely have to press it a second time. I have tried the Idol mini Reader and it is a no go.