Every time I have a negative opinion here I get down voted but I still want to share my personal experience and see if anyone else has this.
I’ve had 3 different flagship galaxy phones over the years since the first one with the feature. I don’t use screen protectors and even without them, the fingerprint sensor accuracy just slowly gets worse and worse over time to unlock the phone.
My fingerprint works great for a couple weeks but slowly becomes less reliable. After a handful months it drops to maybe 1 out of 5 times success to unlock my phone. If I delete the fingerprint and add it back, it kinda restarts the whole thing, but it seems like the period of it working decently degrades faster as the phone gets older.
But here’s the part that puzzles me. Notice I specifically said unlocking my phone? For some reason, it’s the only thing affected by this. All my banks, investing, MFA, and more, all those apps that need a fingerprint to use? Works almost every time the first try.
Clearly the issue can’t be how I’m using it, because then why wouldn’t all the apps have similar issues. Clearly it isn’t the physical sensor wearing out, because then why would all the other apps work as good as they do?
I feel like there has to be a software bug involving Samsung’s lock screens and the fingerprint. But I also wish Samsung would just add the sensors needed for secure face unlock. Not sure why Android continues to shun that.
I never had any issues. My Galaxy S5, which I haven’t used since 2016, still recognizes my finger without any issues. My S7 and my current S10 haven’t had any issues either.
Mine is 99% accurate but i don’t use a screen protector.
I once unlocked my phone with my palm.
I find the screen gets dirty even when it’s not easy to see and then the damn reader doesn’t work. Wipe it down and it’s back to normal.
I realize ive experienced this also, now that you mention it.
I notice that pressing a little harder often helps.
I also program more than one finger. In my case, it’s my thumb, but recorded from different angles as though they are different fingers as in “thumb tip”, “thumb right side”, etc.
One thing I also notice is that if my finger is sweaty vs super dry, it makes a difference, so I might consider registering my finger in different conditions like that as well, though I have not tried that yet.
This sounds like a PEBKAC or Level 8 program. When registering a fingerprint, you are supposed to move it around each time. Not a little bit but reposition it entirely.
So then why does it work great inside all apps that require a fingerprint and the issue is only when unlocking the phone?
I would be more concerned why it /does/ work in those apps.
You and I are on the same boat. I have a screen protector, the one everyone recommended that use the liquid and light to adhere it to the screen. I have 3 saved fingerprints of the same finger. At times it’s off and other times it just works. But like you mentioned, on ALL my banking apps or apps that require fingerprint, it works flawlessly. I am going to change out my screen protector this weekend and before I do, I will try without it. I am also going to try another screen protector. This IMBZBK isn’t the best at sticking to the screen.
Maybe some there are some phones that get this problem? My Note20 Ultra, Base S22 and S23 Ultra never had a problem with the fingerprint scanner. Have not used a screen protector for my Note20U and S23U, but used a screen protector for my base S22.
I just don’t understand why we need the under screen finger print sensors to begin with. Besides the fact that they look cool. The one on the Fold 5 would be better imo.
With my S22 Plus last year, there were no issues at all. 99% of the time, I can unlock the phone at first try. With S23 base now, there’s a lot of times that I get 5 times incorrect fingerprint error and has to do the pattern unlock. I have to go to Settings > Biometrics to delete and re-register my thumb.
And yeah, as with other apps using biometric to unlock or verify, no issues at all.
Good to know I’m not the only one. Thought something wrong with my phone or my thumb.
Make sure your screen doesn’t have moisture on it. That’s the only time this happens is when my screen has moisture from being in my pocket.
I don’t have this issue with or without my protector. I put in my fingerprints the day I got my S22 and it’s instant every time.
I never had a single issue with it. On my S22 Ultra, I never had a single issue with it. I’m not one to keep phones for years though. I will say I still prefer the button sensor on my Z Fold 5 over the in screen ones.
My fingerprint works great for a couple weeks but slowly becomes less reliable. After a handful months it drops to maybe 1 out of 5 times success to unlock my phone. If I delete the fingerprint and add it back, it kinda restarts the whole thing, but it seems like the period of it working decently degrades faster as the phone gets older.
But here’s the part that puzzles me. Notice I specifically said unlocking my phone? For some reason, it’s the only thing affected by this. All my banks, investing, MFA, and more, all those apps that need a fingerprint to use? Works almost every time the first try.
I experience all of this on my S23 Ultra, exactly as you’ve described it. And I also don’t use a screen protector.
S21 Ultra here. I’ve never had this issue, mine still works just as well as it did when I got it. However, it seems like there are a couple people here with this. Hope you can figure it out!