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No. KDE did not announce a native fingerprint manager for Plasma 5.21. The feature was announced with Plasma 5.24 on February 8, 2022, a year after Plasma 5.21’s February 16, 2021 release announcement. If you want Plasma’s built-in fingerprint settings, look for a distribution package that includes Plasma 5.24 or later and supports your fingerprint reader.
What Plasma 5.21 included—and what it did not
KDE’s Plasma 5.21 announcement, published February 16, 2021, described changes including a redesigned application launcher, visual updates, a new System Monitor, firewall settings and Wayland improvements. It did not announce fingerprint authentication or a fingerprint manager.
That distinction matters: installing Plasma 5.21 does not, by itself, give you the fingerprint manager described in KDE’s later release information. The title’s attribution to 5.21 is incorrect.
When KDE added the fingerprint manager
KDE announced fingerprint authentication with Plasma 5.24 on February 8, 2022. Its Plasma 5.24 announcement says users can enroll up to 10 fingerprints and use them to unlock the screen, authenticate when an application requests a password, and authenticate sudo commands in a terminal. The 5.24 changelog lists the change as “Add fingerprint manager” under user settings.
#1 Best Overall
- Designed for Windows 10: Supports Windows Hello Authentication
- Fast Fingerprint Authentication
- Documents/Folder Encryption
- 360° Fingerprint Recognition | Multi-Fingerprint Registration
- [24/7 Customer Support] Please send a message directly to our store to assist you if you are encountering any difficulty with using this item. Our team is always here happy to assist you. Kindly see the product description below for the troubleshooting instruction with installing the driver for this device.
| Release | Announcement date | Fingerprint feature stated by KDE |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma 5.21 | February 16, 2021 | No fingerprint manager announced in the release announcement. |
| Plasma 5.24 | February 8, 2022 | Fingerprint enrollment and authentication for screen unlock, application password prompts and terminal sudo commands; up to 10 fingerprints. |
What to check before trying fingerprint login
Plasma’s release announcement does not guarantee that the feature is available on every Linux distribution or works with every reader. KDE cautioned that 5.24 packages might not yet be available for all distributions when the release was announced. Current availability therefore depends on your distribution’s Plasma packages and support for your specific fingerprint reader.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 【Desktop USB Fingerprint Reader for Windows 11 Hello】Unlock your Windows 10/11/12 PC or laptop instantly with a single touch on this compact USB Fingerprint Reader. Password free login; enjoy native biometric authentication through Windows Hello without extra software, delivering fast, secure access every time. 360 degree touch One-Touch Lock with Enhanced Security
- 【360 Degree Touch USB Fingerprint Reader Plug and Play】 Featuring true Plug & Play functionality, our portable fingerprint scanner boasts over 95% system compatibility with genuine Windows devices. Just plug it into any standard USB port of your laptop or desktop to start using it immediately. For individual non-genuine system devices, a simple manual driver update can solve the adaptation problem, bringing ultra-convenient use for all Windows users.AES256 encryption /file encryption
- 【Touch Control RGB Light & 5FT Cable】USB Fingerprint Reader equip 38 Flowing RGB lighting effects, Gently touch to power on/off or effortlessly adjust the soothing breathing light, effect Elevate your desktop aesthetics. Windows Hello Fingerprint Scanner with 5FT/1.5M long usb cable, allows you to conveniently place the reader anywhere on your desk, Long Cable USB Fingerprint Reader for Desktop Computer and laptop
- 【FIDO-Certified & Multi-Purpose Security】 Beyond Windows Hello, this scanner functions as a FIDO U2F/FIDO2 certified security key. Use it to strengthen the login security for your favorite websites and applications like Google, Facebook, Dropbox, and Microsoft accounts, offering robust two-factor authentication (2FA) against phishing attacks.Desktop Wired Biometric Fingerprint Scanner FIDO2 Passkey for anywhere
- 【Microsoft-Certified Security & Accuracy USB Fingerprint Login】 Adopting professional biometric recognition technology, our USB Fingerprint Login for Windows Hello supports ultra-high-precision identification with a 0.001% false acceptance rate and 0.1% false rejection rate. It strictly follows Windows Biometric Framework standards, realizing military-level security protection for your computer login, file encryption and website password encryption to fully guard your private data. Mini Portable USB Fingerprint Dongle Windows Hello Password Free
Rank #3
- Windows Hello for Windows 10/11 - Only works with Windows Hello on Windows 10/11 PCs and laptops. Plug the USB fingerprint reader into your computer and sign in with one touch. Not compatible with Mac, macOS, Linux or Chrome OS.
- Plug-and-Play Fingerprint Login - No extra app is needed on most genuine Windows systems. Insert the USB fingerprint scanner, set up fingerprint sign-in through Windows Hello, and unlock your PC without typing long passwords every time.
- Fast 0.5s 360° Recognition - Capacitive fingerprint technology supports quick authentication in about 0.5 seconds. 360° touch recognition helps read your fingerprint from different angles for faster, smoother daily login.
- Compact Scanner for PC & Laptop + Multi-User Support - Small, lightweight USB design works well for desktops, laptops, office PCs and shared home computers without built-in fingerprint sensors. Supports multiple Windows accounts and up to 10 fingerprints per user account. Smart-ID security helps protect saved passwords and encrypted folders with fingerprint access.
- Important Notes — Please Read Before Purchase - Support for Win10/11 32/64 bit original system. Not fit for the streamlined version. The Lite version has trimmed the biometric component, the fingerprint login device will not be able to recognize the Hello fingerprint option.It merely supports Windows Hello, does not fit for encrypting USB drives/files, and can merely support Windows system.It is recommended to prioritize plugging into the USB 2.0 interface of the motherboard. USB 3.0 docking stations are prone to power supply/interference and unstable recognition.
Rank #2
- Certified to Microsoft’s highest fingerprint security standards (ESS & SDCP) for robust, hardware-isolated authentication. Supports next-gen Windows features, including Copilot Recall and Windows Hello with ESS support.
- Windows Hello ready for fast, password free fingerprint login to Windows and Microsoft 365 accounts
- On device fingerprint storage keeps biometric data securely within the key. Supports privacy regulations (GDPR, BIPA, CCPA) through on device biometric processing; TAA compliant.
- Reliable wired USB fingerprint authentication with USB C and USB A compatibility for desktop PCs.
- Consistent, all condition 360° fingerprint recognition.
- Check which Plasma version your distribution currently provides; Plasma 5.21 is not the release in which KDE announced the manager.
- Confirm that your distribution supports your exact fingerprint-reader model, whether it is built into the computer or connected externally. KDE’s announcement does not certify particular models.
- Look for fingerprint enrollment in your system’s user settings after confirming the relevant Plasma version and hardware support.
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