Android Enthusiasts
Q&A for enthusiasts and power users of the Android operating system
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1
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Is there a way to have biometric-only access on Android?
Biometric (fingerprint) authentication can always be bypassed by a PIN. Thieves are asking for the PIN when robbing you, with a gun pointed to your head. How to make Android secure in this case? Biometric only access is the only way to prevent such problems
Biometric (fingerprint) authentication can always be bypassed by a PIN. Thieves are asking for the PIN when robbing you, with a gun pointed to your head.
How to make Android secure in this case? Biometric only access is the only way to prevent such problems
Poperton
(112 rep)
Dec 11, 2024, 01:19 PM
• Last activity: Dec 27, 2024, 01:15 AM
0
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0
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58
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How to set up fingerprint confirmation for deletion (or modification) of anything on the phone
A number of things can be deleted unwantedly in households where people share a phone or have a person taking care of another person and as such grab a hold of their phone, regularly. I wonder whether there is a way to set up, globally, fingerprint confirmation for all deletions of anything on the p...
A number of things can be deleted unwantedly in households where people share a phone or have a person taking care of another person and as such grab a hold of their phone, regularly.
I wonder whether there is a way to set up, globally, fingerprint confirmation for all deletions of anything on the phone (and requiring fingerprint confirmation to remove such support if desired). This could be a solution to the problem.
I am tired of having WhatsApp messages, emails, documents, and other files on the system and in the cloud removed unwantedly, just to get back to that later, and find it is not there.
Where can I find this solution in the settings?
Joselin Jocklingson
(855 rep)
Nov 15, 2024, 02:02 PM
• Last activity: Nov 15, 2024, 03:25 PM
0
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0
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54
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Is it possible that a phone password was activated without a lock screen?
Someone I know with an Samsung S23 gave someone their phone at a store to help them log in to the store’s app and subsequently they had a fingerprint Lock Screen turned on on their phone that they didn’t want (yes I know not having a secured Lock Screen is a bad idea but it’s not my phone). They wan...
Someone I know with an Samsung S23 gave someone their phone at a store to help them log in to the store’s app and subsequently they had a fingerprint Lock Screen turned on on their phone that they didn’t want (yes I know not having a secured Lock Screen is a bad idea but it’s not my phone). They wanted to turn it off but it was asking for a password they didn’t know or remember setting.
What is unclear to both of us is whether this password would have been created today or if it could have been set up when the phone was first set up.
I am not personally an Android user so I have no idea how it works.
When you set up a (Samsung) Android phone is it even possible to set a lock screen password without having a protected lock screen activated?
Plus, if it does retain a lock screen password like that, if you then activated a lock screen protection wouldn't it ask you first to confirm that password?
e.g. on iPhones if you turn off your device passcode you would have to set a new passcode if you wanted to re-enable it / biometric unlocking.
shim
(121 rep)
Nov 15, 2024, 01:03 AM
3
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0
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901
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Fingerprint unlock and password multiple-attempt security
I have noticed that fingerprint unlocking on Android is pretty insecure. If you make 5 failed attempts (which is quite a lot), the phone just disables the scanner for 30 seconds and then re-enables it. I would like to reduce the number of attempts before disabling the scanner, and then set it to req...
I have noticed that fingerprint unlocking on Android is pretty insecure. If you make 5 failed attempts (which is quite a lot), the phone just disables the scanner for 30 seconds and then re-enables it. I would like to reduce the number of attempts before disabling the scanner, and then set it to require the password before unlocking. Google searches for this have revealed many pages of results of people wanting to make their phones _less_ secure by increasing the number of attempts or disabling the horrific 30 second waiting period, but am I the only one concerned that it is pretty insecure as it is? I don't want to have to disable fingerprint unlock, as I have a very secure password set that would be a bit of a pain to enter every time I unlocked my phone.
Likewise with passwords, the "Automatically wipe after x failed password attempts" option seems to have disappeared from my phone as of the Oreo update, and there is a fixed 30 second waiting period every 5 attempts, which means that with a reasonable pool of guesses, anyone could brute force my password with enough tries.
How can I reduce the number of attempts required before disabling the fingerprint scanner and then set it to require my password before unlocking?
Joel Croteau
(161 rep)
Nov 21, 2017, 01:42 AM
• Last activity: Sep 20, 2024, 09:29 AM
2
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1
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219
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Screen goes black after fingerprint touch, but only when I'm out walking
Occasionally when I'm out for a walk I take my phone out of my pocket to look something up. As soon as I touch my finger to the fingerprint icon, the screen goes black. It'll stay black for several minutes, though the phone vibrates when I touch the screen. This happens maybe 10% of the time. It onl...
Occasionally when I'm out for a walk I take my phone out of my pocket to look something up. As soon as I touch my finger to the fingerprint icon, the screen goes black. It'll stay black for several minutes, though the phone vibrates when I touch the screen. This happens maybe 10% of the time.
It only happens when I'm out walking. I had considered it may be related to the sun, but it never happens on the back porch. Perhaps it has something to do with being out of wifi range, but I don't think it's happened when I've been traveling (though I walk more than I travel so there is some sampling bias). The phone doesn't come back to life immediately when I get home. It takes a few minutes.
Once it's gone black, pressing the power button does not energize the screen.
There are errors in logcat, but they seem identical between the successful unlocks and the black screen unlocks.
UPDATE: I was able to rewind in my podcast by tapping at the screen. So it seems the screen unlocks but is black.
Dan Stahlke
(81 rep)
Aug 8, 2024, 03:58 PM
• Last activity: Sep 8, 2024, 01:21 PM
1
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2
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324
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How does WhatsApp use my mobile fingerprint in their app?
How does WhatsApp access my fingerprint? WhatsApp did not ask permission to use my fingerprint. Then how do they use my fingerprint for unlocking?
How does WhatsApp access my fingerprint?
WhatsApp did not ask permission to use my fingerprint.
Then how do they use my fingerprint for unlocking?
Nagaraj Juro
(123 rep)
Mar 6, 2020, 12:24 PM
• Last activity: Sep 6, 2024, 03:22 PM
1
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0
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15
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Can outside app knows our finger print?
Some apps, like tokopedia, shopee, and so on offer using fingerprint for more convenient login in phone. Is my fingerprint private and only on the phone or can those app store my finger print somewhere else?
Some apps, like tokopedia, shopee, and so on offer using fingerprint for more convenient login in phone.
Is my fingerprint private and only on the phone or can those app store my finger print somewhere else?
Andri Timur
(11 rep)
Sep 6, 2024, 01:54 PM
• Last activity: Sep 6, 2024, 03:13 PM
5
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2
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Where does Android store fingerprint data?
I am looking for the files that correspond to the recorded fingerprints on my Nexus 6P and a way to "reset" the fingerprint system. Something similar to how Android stores lock screen settings (pattern etc.) under `/data/system/locksettings.db*`, and you can remove the lock screen by deleting these...
I am looking for the files that correspond to the recorded fingerprints on my Nexus 6P and a way to "reset" the fingerprint system. Something similar to how Android stores lock screen settings (pattern etc.) under
/data/system/locksettings.db*, and you can remove the lock screen by deleting these files (if you have root access).
The reason I am asking is because after a TWRP restore on a new Nexus 6P, my fingerprint hardware is not working anymore. The error message is **Fingerprint hardware not available**. Also see this question: https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/146010/fingerprint-hardware-not-available-after-twrp-restore
All five previously recorded fingerprints show up on the settings UI, but I am not able to delete them by clicking "Delete".
friederbluemle
(368 rep)
Nov 8, 2016, 01:04 PM
• Last activity: Jul 20, 2024, 03:23 AM
2
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1
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1022
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Using fingerprint authentication only for contactless payment (especially Google Pay)
I'm using a recently bought Samsung Galaxy S23FE. I mostly bought it because my previous phone didn't have NFC and couldn't be used for contactless payment. What I'd like to do, is to use the fingerprint sensor to authorize payments, and *only* for payments. I haven't found how to make either Google...
I'm using a recently bought Samsung Galaxy S23FE. I mostly bought it because my previous phone didn't have NFC and couldn't be used for contactless payment.
What I'd like to do, is to use the fingerprint sensor to authorize payments, and *only* for payments. I haven't found how to make either Google Pay itself or the phone's payment feature require fingerprint. The only thing I found is to have it require unlocking the phone (for which I _don't_ want to use fingerprints).
So right now I have to type my unlock code everytime I use my phone to pay, which is much less practical than tapping my finger on the reader.
Is it even possible to do what I'm looking for? If it is, how can I do it and what did I do wrong?
Nathan.Eilisha Shiraini
(121 rep)
Jun 13, 2024, 07:08 PM
• Last activity: Jun 25, 2024, 03:12 PM
4
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1
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270
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Fingerprints need to be re-registered every few days
This has happened on every Android phone I've had including my current phone, a Pixel 7 Pro. My **fingerprint unlock** stops working after a few days and I have to reregister my fingerprints to get it to work again. Not specific to any one finger, happens on all fingers. It is not forgetting the fin...
This has happened on every Android phone I've had including my current phone, a Pixel 7 Pro. My **fingerprint unlock** stops working after a few days and I have to reregister my fingerprints to get it to work again. Not specific to any one finger, happens on all fingers. It is not forgetting the fingerprints, they are still showing as saved. I think the subtle variations in dryness of my skin from week to week cause them to become invalid but I am not sure.
Note that this is not affected by my fingers being wet or dry. I have also tried registering my fingerprints when my skin is at different levels of dryness (e.g. summer and winter profiles), but that does not seem to solve the issue either.
What are the possible causes, and how to fix it?
Nathan Owen
(41 rep)
Dec 12, 2022, 05:17 PM
• Last activity: Apr 20, 2024, 02:38 AM
1
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1
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2932
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MAM and Android: fingerprint option never shown
We're trying to configure Intune so that people with Android devices can access their corporate email through Outlook for Android. In the Access Requirements blade (dashboard > client apps- app protection policies > intune app protection - properties), we've activated PIN (including simple PINs) and...
We're trying to configure Intune so that people with Android devices can access their corporate email through Outlook for Android. In the Access Requirements blade (dashboard > client apps- app protection policies > intune app protection - properties), we've activated PIN (including simple PINs) and fingerprint for accessing the apps.
Whenever a user tries to access the corporate email through Outlook, it's prompted to install the Intune app (company portal app) from the store. After doing that, the user is asked for a PIN after setting up the corporate email account in Outlook. After the specified timeout, the user will be asked for a PIN again. However, the app never allows the users to use fingerprints to unlock the app. It will only allow the user to enter the PIN.
The Intune portal seems to imply that I should be able to use a fingerprint (instead of a PIN) to access the mail, but we've tried it on a couple of Android Devices (OnePlus 3T and 5T) and the fingerprint option is never shown.
Any ideas on what's happening?
Thanks.
Luis Abreu
(153 rep)
Feb 7, 2019, 03:12 PM
• Last activity: Jan 20, 2024, 03:08 PM
0
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0
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207
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Samsung Galaxy A53 doesn't show fingerprint on lock screen when no app is running
I have a Samsung Galaxy A53 and I did a fingerprint on it. When there is no application opened and it enters the lock screen, I don't see the option to put my finger to open it, and I have to write down the PIN code that I chose. [![][1]][1] But if I'm opening a certain application, it doesn't matte...
I have a Samsung Galaxy A53 and I did a fingerprint on it. When there is no application opened and it enters the lock screen, I don't see the option to put my finger to open it, and I have to write down the PIN code that I chose.
But if I'm opening a certain application, it doesn't matter which one, WhatsApp or something, and the device goes to the lock screen through the button on the side, or if a minute passes, the fingerprint icon appears, and if I put my finger on it, it opens.
I searched in the settings and Google and didn't find anything about it.
But if I'm opening a certain application, it doesn't matter which one, WhatsApp or something, and the device goes to the lock screen through the button on the side, or if a minute passes, the fingerprint icon appears, and if I put my finger on it, it opens.
I searched in the settings and Google and didn't find anything about it.
mikuzan
(1 rep)
Jan 3, 2024, 07:48 AM
• Last activity: Jan 3, 2024, 04:27 PM
7
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3
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4307
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Use fingerprint in apps but not device unlock
On my Samsung Galaxy A14, I could configure my fingerprint for use within apps (such as banking and qualified electronic signature apps) but not for unlocking my phone. This is my preferred setup as I do not want to be able to unlock my phone solely with a fingerprint. However, on my new Fairphone 4...
On my Samsung Galaxy A14, I could configure my fingerprint for use within apps (such as banking and qualified electronic signature apps) but not for unlocking my phone. This is my preferred setup as I do not want to be able to unlock my phone solely with a fingerprint.
However, on my new Fairphone 4, which runs a closer-to-stock version of Android 13, I can't seem to locate an option for this. Surely, there must be a way to achieve this, **somehow**?
elaforma
(173 rep)
Oct 15, 2023, 12:13 AM
• Last activity: Nov 28, 2023, 07:04 PM
8
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1
answers
11780
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Allow fingerprint unlock but require password after a certain time limit
Currently with a Samsung Galaxy S8, but I believe this is common to other devices, I can setup fingerprint unlock which requires a password when the device starts up or if I fail to scan my finger correctly a few times. I would like to add another limitation: allow fingerprint unlock but require a p...
Currently with a Samsung Galaxy S8, but I believe this is common to other devices, I can setup fingerprint unlock which requires a password when the device starts up or if I fail to scan my finger correctly a few times.
I would like to add another limitation: allow fingerprint unlock but require a password unlock every x minutes/hours or some other configurable time limit.
A somewhat silly scenario to illustrate the need: suppose I fall asleep on the train, I don't want anyone to be able to scan my finger and unlock my phone. I still want the comfort of unlocking the phone with my finger while knowing that after a while it will lock itself and require a password.
Is there a setting I'm missing or an app that can do that?
Following @beeshyams's answer, here are my current settings.
Alex
(81 rep)
Jan 29, 2018, 10:01 AM
• Last activity: Oct 20, 2023, 02:09 AM
10
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3
answers
3007
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Use fingerprint to unlock the lock screen after booting Pixel 6
## Background I am trying to unlock my Google Pixel 6. Due to an accident, I lost much of my memory and in turn, forgot the lock screen PIN code for my phone. I have, however, also activated fingerprint detection for unlocking my phone. Now, the issue is that the device ran out of battery while I wa...
## Background
I am trying to unlock my Google Pixel 6. Due to an accident, I lost much of my memory and in turn, forgot the lock screen PIN code for my phone. I have, however, also activated fingerprint detection for unlocking my phone.
Now, the issue is that the device ran out of battery while I was in a coma, and upon trying to use my fingerprint to unlock the device, I received the following message:
[
](https://i.sstatic.net/nK3re.jpg)
> PIN required after device restarts
I have tried remembering the PIN for the past few months, however, I frankly cannot remember. As I have important data stored on the device locally (that is not backed up as far as I can recall), a factory reset is not really an option for me.
## Question
Is there any way of enabling the fingerprint sensor on a Pixel 6 to unlock the phone (via adb or similar) or any other means of unlocking the device without wiping all data?
](https://i.sstatic.net/nK3re.jpg)
> PIN required after device restarts
I have tried remembering the PIN for the past few months, however, I frankly cannot remember. As I have important data stored on the device locally (that is not backed up as far as I can recall), a factory reset is not really an option for me.
## Question
Is there any way of enabling the fingerprint sensor on a Pixel 6 to unlock the phone (via adb or similar) or any other means of unlocking the device without wiping all data?
creativecreatorormaybenot
(311 rep)
Sep 16, 2023, 11:03 AM
• Last activity: Sep 20, 2023, 03:11 PM
2
votes
1
answers
609
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Why does the fingerprint sensor trigger the screen?
When I touch the fingerprint sensor while I watch YouTube in the app it activates the controls on YouTube, like I was tapping the screen. Somehow the YouTube app and maybe other apps listen to the event of the fingerprint sensor and reacts to it. This is very annoying to me since the fingerprint sen...
When I touch the fingerprint sensor while I watch YouTube in the app it activates the controls on YouTube, like I was tapping the screen. Somehow the YouTube app and maybe other apps listen to the event of the fingerprint sensor and reacts to it. This is very annoying to me since the fingerprint sensor is in an easy to reach place so it happens often. This is reproducible on different phones and android versions. Is there a way to disable this behavior somehow?
Ádám Bozzay
(121 rep)
Dec 24, 2022, 12:24 PM
• Last activity: Feb 7, 2023, 04:52 PM
2
votes
0
answers
227
views
Disabling fingerprint sensor on Oukitel WP6
I want to completely disable the fingerprint sensor on my Oukitel WP6, rooted, running CAOS (modified Android). That means not just unlocking phone with fingerprint, but completely killing that sensor. Reason being is that many apps use that sensor as a button to perform some action, and it is very...
I want to completely disable the fingerprint sensor on my Oukitel WP6, rooted, running CAOS (modified Android). That means not just unlocking phone with fingerprint, but completely killing that sensor. Reason being is that many apps use that sensor as a button to perform some action, and it is very difficult not to touch that button accidentally.
I've been reviewing this post as reference to disable the fpc driver, but for some reason, I can't get access to /sys (permission denied), even though my phone is rooted, and I tried several different terminal apps, giving them full permissions (trying on Termux right now). Also, the instruction there for making this change permanent is very complicated, a bit beyond my capability.
I also tried hardware solution - taping that sensor. It still works unfortunately. I disassembled the phone, but I don't see any obvious point where to unsolder it's connections.
Any suggestions?
Justin8051
(121 rep)
Dec 28, 2022, 07:14 PM
2
votes
0
answers
41
views
Fingerprint will not open
My passwords are kept in passwords.google.com. When I am on my Samsung 52 and I need one of my passwords, and I go to Google Password Manager to get it, Android asks me to "verify it's [me]." I understand that I need to get past "use [my] screen lock" so Google knows it's me. I want to use my finger...
My passwords are kept in passwords.google.com. When I am on my Samsung 52 and I need one of my passwords, and I go to Google Password Manager to get it, Android asks me to "verify it's [me]." I understand that I need to get past "use [my] screen lock" so Google knows it's me. I want to use my fingerprint to authenticate, but when I click on the "Continue" button, it says "Screenlock didn't work." I can click on the "Try Again" button, but screen lock doesn't work again, and I get caught in an endless loop of being denied. (There is login with password option, but my password is long and very random and very slow and tedious to type.) This is very frustrating and keeps me from getting my passwords stored by Google on my Google phone. What is the solution/fix for this?
user380444
(21 rep)
Oct 17, 2022, 09:09 AM
0
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0
answers
475
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can't adb into phone with broken screen and lock pattern
i accidentally dropped my Pixel 6a on the counter a little hard. it landed flat on it's back. no physical damage. but the screen froze up. i pressed the power button to try and lock the screen (which it did), but when i pressed the power button again to unlock it, the screen stayed black. figured ma...
i accidentally dropped my Pixel 6a on the counter a little hard. it landed flat on it's back. no physical damage. but the screen froze up. i pressed the power button to try and lock the screen (which it did), but when i pressed the power button again to unlock it, the screen stayed black. figured maybe the phone just froze up. held down the power button for about 15 seconds to see if force rebooting it would work. nope. guessing the screen or something got damaged. replacement is on it's way, but is there any way to recover stuff from it that wasn't cloud-synced or backed up? i tried
adb, but it's not showing up when adb devices is ran. when i plug the phone in, it vibrates, so i know it's working and on. but i'm guessing since i can't authorize abd on the phone (if i remember right, a popup happens) i can't interact. usb debugging was turned on a long time ago, as i used adb on it several times recently. phone has a pattern lock and fingerprint lock. i tried a usb-c to hdmi cable, but nothing shows up on the monitor (nor when i plug it into my Pixel 4a 5G, but it does work on an android tablet i have, so i'm guessing the phone doesn't natively support it)
crookedleaf
(101 rep)
Sep 29, 2022, 07:55 PM
1
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0
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1822
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Increase number of fingerprint attempts
Is there any way to increase the number of allowed fingerprint attempts before PIN etc is demanded? I'm comfortable using adb shell if necessary.
Is there any way to increase the number of allowed fingerprint attempts before PIN etc is demanded? I'm comfortable using adb shell if necessary.
Sam
(111 rep)
Aug 8, 2022, 02:27 PM
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