Fix for Windows Hello Face (IR camera) failing after a Windows Update.
This script resets the corrupted Windows Hello container (NGC folder) so Face recognition and PIN sign-in can be reconfigured properly.
Download the script directly from the repository:
https://github.com/AgentHackerYT/Reset-NGC/blob/main/Reset-NGC.bat
Click "Raw" → then Save As → save the file as:
Reset-NGC.bat
Make sure the file extension is .bat and not .txt.
After certain cumulative or feature updates, Windows Hello may stop working. Common symptoms include:
- “We couldn’t find a camera compatible with Windows Hello Face”
- Windows Hello Face option disappears
- Face recognition fails instantly
- PIN setup errors after update
- IR camera works in Device Manager but Hello won’t initialize
In many cases, the issue is caused by corruption in:
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc
Resetting this folder forces Windows to rebuild the authentication container.
- Requests Administrator privileges
- Takes ownership of the NGC folder
- Grants administrative permissions
- Deletes the folder
- Prompts for reboot
After reboot, Windows recreates the container and you can set up PIN and Face again.
- This removes your Windows Hello PIN.
- This removes biometric enrollment.
- You must set up sign-in again after reboot.
- Run only as Administrator.
This does NOT fix:
- Missing or broken IR camera drivers
- Disabled camera in BIOS
- TPM hardware failure
- Physically damaged hardware
If the camera is missing in Device Manager, fix the driver first.
- Download
Reset-NGC.bat - Right-click → Run as Administrator
- Accept UAC prompt
- Let the script finish
- Reboot when prompted
- Go to Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options
- Set up PIN
- Re-enable Face recognition
Use this tool if:
- Windows Hello stopped working immediately after a Windows Update
- IR camera is still detected in Device Manager
- Windows Biometric Service is running but Hello fails to initialize
- PIN setup throws errors after update
Windows Hello stores cryptographic keys and biometric trust data inside the NGC folder.
After some updates, the trust relationship between:
- TPM
- Windows Hello
- Biometric services
- Camera drivers
can break.
Deleting the folder forces Windows to regenerate the authentication container and rebind it correctly.
The script only uses built-in Windows commands:
- takeown
- icacls
- rd
- shutdown
No registry edits. No external downloads. No network activity.
Review the script before running it.
For transparency, we’ve submitted the script to VirusTotal:
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/c303a80f761be4d652fb3e977e4454181511370e0a23218a90e625713d43556e
VirusTotal aggregates results from multiple antivirus engines. A clean report indicates no detections across those engines at the time of scanning.
Users are encouraged to review scripts before running them, as a best practice.
Some antivirus or security scanners (e.g., VirusTotal) may flag this script due to the actions it performs:
- Modifies folder permissions and ownership
- Stops/starts Windows services
- Deletes Windows Hello container
These behaviors are necessary for the repair and do not indicate malware. Use the script only on your own system.
MIT
Pull requests and improvements welcome. PowerShell version, logging support, and enterprise enhancements are encouraged.