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Microsoft 'Modern Keyboard' Sports Built-in Fingerprint Scanner

With the $130 Modern Keyboard, unlock your machine with a touch.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Does it irritate you every time you have to type in your password to unlock your computer? Microsoft feels your pain and wants to give you back those precious seconds.

The company this week unveiled the Modern Keyboard, which has a "hidden" fingerprint scanner, so you can easily unlock your machine just like you would your Touch ID-enabled iPhone. The keyboard lets you "bring Windows Hello fingerprint authentication to any Windows 10 device," Microsoft said.

In other words, "you are the password."

Windows Hello, introduced in 2015, lets you unlock your Windows 10 device with your fingerprint, face, or iris. The feature already works with Microsoft's Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, and most PCs with a fingerprint reader or webcam, but this new keyboard makes the feature more widely accessible.

Microsoft may have found some inspiration for this keyboard from Apple's MacBook Pro, which also sports a fingerprint scanner built in the keyboard. On Microsoft's Modern Keyboard, which can be connected with a wire or used wirelessly, the fingerprint scanner is located to the right of the Alt key, and it looks exactly the same as all the other keys. Microsoft says it also feels just like any other key, offering a "flawless typing experience."

"Our vision was to blend the Fingerprint reader into a keyboard, so it would appear to be any other key," Microsoft wrote. Mission accomplished. Once you get it set up, you can simply place your finger over the Fingerprint ID key and your computer will greet you.

Meanwhile, Redmond also this week introduced a Modern Mouse, which does not sport a fingerprint scanner, but matches the look of the Modern Keyboard.

Redmond says the Modern Keyboard and Mouse are both "coming soon." The Modern Keyboard will set you back $129.99 and the Modern Mouse is priced at $49.99.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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