A fingerprint reader, which is a biometric device, is intended to give you quick, convenient access to your computer. Fingerprint ...

A fingerprint reader, which is a biometric device, is intended to give you quick, convenient access to your computer.

Fingerprint readers vary in security capabilities and it might not be appropriate to use your fingerprint reader to protect data that you wish to keep private, such as personal financial information, or to access sensitive resources, such as corporate networks. You can contact your fingerprint reader provider or fingerprint software provider for additional information regarding the appropriate use of your device.

You can best protect private and sensitive information on your computer by using technologies that leverage hardware security devices, such as Trusted Platform Modules and smart cards, to enable the secure encryption of your data, and by limiting access with a strong password that you memorize, store in a secure place, or otherwise keep private in a manner that works for you, regardless of whether you use a fingerprint reader. You can also encrypt your data. Some editions of Windows include Encrypting File System to encrypt individual files and folders and BitLocker Drive Encryption to encrypt drives.