Face Profiles

4 min read Updated Sep 23, 2026

Introduction

Face Profiles are the core of GuacamoleID's biometric authentication. Each profile stores your facial biometric data, allowing the application to recognize you and grant access to your computer. You can create multiple profiles to improve recognition accuracy in different lighting conditions.

Understanding Face Profiles

A Face Profile contains:

  • Display Name: A friendly name to identify the profile (e.g., "Office Lighting", "Home Setup")
  • Biometric Embeddings: Mathematical representations of your facial features
  • Profile Status: Active or inactive state
  • Primary Flag: Whether this is your default profile

Profile Types

GuacamoleID supports different types of face registration to ensure reliable recognition:

RGB Profile (Standard)

The standard profile captured using your regular webcam in normal lighting conditions. This is the most common profile type and works well in typical office or home environments.

Low-Light Profile

Optimized for darker environments where standard recognition might struggle. If you frequently use your computer in dimly lit rooms, creating a low-light profile can significantly improve recognition.

IR Profile (Infrared)

For devices equipped with infrared cameras, IR profiles provide the most reliable recognition regardless of ambient lighting. IR profiles work in complete darkness and are more resistant to spoofing attempts.

Creating a New Profile

  1. Open GuacamoleID and access the User List from the Quick Menu
  2. Click the Add User button at the bottom of the window
  3. Choose your registration method:
  4. RGB Registration: For standard webcam capture
  5. Low-Light Registration: For dark environment optimization
  6. IR Registration: For infrared camera capture (if available)
  7. Position your face within the frame, looking directly at the camera
  8. Follow the on-screen instructions to capture your facial data
  9. Enter a Display Name for the profile
  10. Click Save to create the profile

Managing Your Profiles

Viewing Profiles

Access your profiles through the User List in the Quick Menu. Each profile displays: - Profile name and type - Registration date - Active/Inactive status - Primary profile indicator

Setting a Primary Profile

Your primary profile is used as the default for face matching. To set a primary profile:

  1. Open the User List
  2. Select the profile you want to make primary
  3. Click Set as Primary

Only one profile can be primary at a time. Setting a new primary automatically removes the primary flag from the previous one.

Activating/Deactivating Profiles

You can temporarily disable profiles without deleting them:

  1. Select the profile in the User List
  2. Click Deactivate to disable or Activate to enable
  3. Deactivated profiles won't be used for face matching

Deleting Profiles

To remove a profile permanently:

  1. Select the profile in the User List
  2. Click Delete
  3. Confirm the deletion

Note: You cannot delete your only active profile. Ensure you have at least one active profile before deleting others.

Profile Limits

The number of profiles you can create depends on your subscription tier:

Tier Maximum Profiles
Free 1 profile
Basic 2 profiles
Pro 5 profiles
Enterprise Unlimited

Cloud Sync

If you have biometric sync enabled, your profiles can be synchronized across multiple devices:

  • Upload: Local profiles are uploaded to the Guacamole cloud
  • Download: Profiles from other devices become available
  • Organization Sharing: In enterprise environments, authorized profiles can be shared

To enable cloud sync: 1. Log in to your Guacamole account in the desktop app 2. Go to Settings > Account 3. Enable Biometric Sync

Best Practices

  1. Create Multiple Profiles: Register profiles for different lighting conditions (office, home, low-light)
  2. Update Regularly: Re-register profiles if you significantly change your appearance (new glasses, facial hair)
  3. Use IR When Available: IR profiles provide the most reliable recognition
  4. Keep One Primary: Always have one primary profile active for consistent authentication
  5. Test After Creation: Verify new profiles work correctly before relying on them

Troubleshooting

Profile Not Recognizing Me

  • Ensure adequate lighting matches your profile type
  • Check that the camera lens is clean
  • Try creating a new profile in your current lighting conditions
  • Verify the profile is active and set as primary

Too Many Failed Recognitions

  • The lighting conditions may have changed significantly
  • Create a new profile for your current environment
  • Consider enabling low-light mode if in a darker setting

Cannot Create New Profile

  • Check your subscription tier for profile limits
  • Ensure you have a working camera selected
  • Verify camera permissions are granted to GuacamoleID