Windows Hello for Business Deployment Prerequisite Overview

This article lists the infrastructure requirements for the different deployment models for Windows Hello for Business.

Azure AD Cloud Only Deployment

• Windows 10, version 1511 or later, or Windows 11
• Microsoft Azure Account
• Azure Active Directory
• Azure AD Multifactor Authentication
• Modern Management (Intune or supported third-party MDM), optional
• Azure AD Premium subscription - optional, needed for automatic MDM enrollment when the device joins Azure Active Directory

Hybrid Deployments

The table shows the minimum requirements for each deployment. For key trust in a multi-domain/multi-forest deployment, the following requirements are applicable for each domain/forest that hosts Windows Hello for business components or is involved in the Kerberos referral process.

Requirement	Cloud trust (Preview) Group Policy or Modern managed	Key trust Group Policy or Modern managed	Certificate trust Mixed managed	Certificate trust Modern managed
Windows Version	Windows 10, version 21H2 with KB5010415; Windows 11 with KB5010414; or later	Windows 10, version 1511 or later	Hybrid Azure AD Joined: Minimum: Windows 10, version 1703 Best experience: Windows 10, version 1709 or later (supports synchronous certificate enrollment). Azure AD Joined: Windows 10, version 1511 or later	Windows 10, version 1511 or later
Schema Version	No specific Schema requirement	Windows Server 2016 or later Schema	Windows Server 2016 or later Schema	Windows Server 2016 or later Schema
Domain and Forest Functional Level	Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain/Forest functional level	Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain/Forest functional level	Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain/Forest functional level	Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain/Forest functional level
Domain Controller Version	Windows Server 2016 or later	Windows Server 2016 or later	Windows Server 2008 R2 or later	Windows Server 2008 R2 or later
Certificate Authority	N/A	Windows Server 2012 or later Certificate Authority	Windows Server 2012 or later Certificate Authority	Windows Server 2012 or later Certificate Authority
AD FS Version	N/A	N/A	Windows Server 2016 AD FS with KB4088889 update (hybrid Azure AD joined clients), and Windows Server 2012 or later Network Device Enrollment Service (Azure AD joined)	Windows Server 2012 or later Network Device Enrollment Service
MFA Requirement	Azure MFA tenant, or AD FS w/Azure MFA adapter, or AD FS w/Azure MFA Server adapter, or AD FS w/3rd Party MFA Adapter	Azure MFA tenant, or AD FS w/Azure MFA adapter, or AD FS w/Azure MFA Server adapter, or AD FS w/3rd Party MFA Adapter	Azure MFA tenant, or AD FS w/Azure MFA adapter, or AD FS w/Azure MFA Server adapter, or AD FS w/3rd Party MFA Adapter	Azure MFA tenant, or AD FS w/Azure MFA adapter, or AD FS w/Azure MFA Server adapter, or AD FS w/3rd Party MFA Adapter
Azure AD Connect	N/A	Required	Required	Required
Azure AD License	Azure AD Premium, optional	Azure AD Premium, optional	Azure AD Premium, needed for device write-back	Azure AD Premium, optional. Intune license required

Important

• Hybrid deployments support non-destructive PIN reset that works with certificate trust, key trust and cloud trust models.

  Requirements:

  • Microsoft PIN Reset Service - Windows 10, versions 1709 to 1809, Enterprise Edition. There is no licensing requirement for this service since version 1903
  • Reset above lock screen (I forgot my PIN link) - Windows 10, version 1903

• On-premises deployments support destructive PIN reset that works with both the certificate trust and the key trust models.

  Requirements:

  • Reset from settings - Windows 10, version 1703, Professional
  • Reset above lock screen - Windows 10, version 1709, Professional
  • Reset above lock screen (I forgot my PIN link) - Windows 10, version 1903

On-premises Deployments

The table shows the minimum requirements for each deployment.

Key trust Group Policy managed	Certificate trust Group Policy managed
Windows 10, version 1703 or later	Windows 10, version 1703 or later
Windows Server 2016 Schema	Windows Server 2016 Schema
Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain/Forest functional level	Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain/Forest functional level
Windows Server 2016 or later Domain Controllers	Windows Server 2008 R2 or later Domain Controllers
Windows Server 2012 or later Certificate Authority	Windows Server 2012 or later Certificate Authority
Windows Server 2016 AD FS with KB4088889 update	Windows Server 2016 AD FS with KB4088889 update
AD FS with 3rd Party MFA Adapter	AD FS with 3rd Party MFA Adapter
Azure Account, optional for Azure MFA billing	Azure Account, optional for Azure MFA billing

Important

For Windows Hello for Business key trust deployments, if you have several domains, at least one Windows Server Domain Controller 2016 or newer is required for each domain. For more information, see the planning guide.