Fingerprint sensor on Moto Z Play crap?

[nickname303]

Hey everyone. I bought a Moto Z Play a year ago after reading the good reviews and the fact its good value for money. In these reviews that I saw, they all said that the fingerprint sensor is fine. Is it just me, or is the fingerprint sensor annoyingly crap though? Right from the start I found that sometimes the sensor wouldn't read my fingerprint the first time, but didn't think too much of it and kinda assumed that this is how fingerprint technology is (this is the first phone I've had that has a fingerprint sensor). Its never got any better (seems to be getting worse if anything), in fact its getting so annoying now after a year of putting up with it that I've nearly thrown the damn thing across the room a couple of times in frustration. Its getting to the point where I feel like getting a new phone, even though this phone is fine apart from the damn fingerprint sensor. I've tried scanning different fingers, rescanned my fingers god knows how many times, made sure the sensor is clean, but it still regularly takes three or four attempts to unlock the phone now. It makes me unlock with the pin sometimes as it takes too many unsuccessful attempts to unlock it with the fingerprint. Am I doing something wrong? Are they all crap? If this is how all fingerprint technology is you can keep it!

 

[Scott337]

My wife and daughter have had no issues with their Moto Z Play fingerprint sensor, and I've had no issues with my Z Force. Maybe the sensor itself is defective on your phone?

 

[nickname303]

Yeah that's kinda what I'm thinking. A few unsuccessful attempts to unlock is to be expected every now and again I would guess, but when I regularly have to try it 3,4,5 times to unlock it its driving me crazy!

 

[Tim Owen]

Yeah that's kinda what I'm thinking. A few unsuccessful attempts to unlock is to be expected every now and again I would guess, but when I regularly have to try it 3,4,5 times to unlock it its driving me crazy!

Have you tried deleting and rescanning your finger? I make sure mine can read all parts of my finger. Maybe your fingerprint has changed

 

[xeene]

When your skin dries out in winter time, finger readers have harder time reading your prints.

 

[telrod11]

Biometric sensors with touch will get dirty after time. ALthough, I've not had any issues with mine, other than wet or sweaty hands, if I did, I'd take an alcohol pad and scrub teh sensor. (Turn your phone off before doing this, just in case)

Also, I have 4 fingers enrolled on mine. Thumbs and index fingers.

You might try that..

 

[nickname303]

Have you tried deleting and rescanning your finger? I make sure mine can read all parts of my finger. Maybe your fingerprint has changed

Yes, I've tried rescanning my finger many times

 

[nickname303]

When your skin dries out in winter time, finger readers have harder time reading your prints.

It's the same in the summer too though

 

[nickname303]

Biometric sensors with touch will get dirty after time. ALthough, I've not had any issues with mine, other than wet or sweaty hands, if I did, I'd take an alcohol pad and scrub teh sensor. (Turn your phone off before doing this, just in case)

Also, I have 4 fingers enrolled on mine. Thumbs and index fingers.

You might try that..

Yeah, I've always had 5 different fingers scanned, but still doesn't help, they all have about the same failure rate. I've tried running the sensor to clean it too, although I didn't use an alcohol wipe, just a cloth

 

[Morty2264]

I too would point towards a defective scanner. It is normal and even expected for the scanner to sometimes not take your fingerprint if your finger is a little wet or sweaty - or if the scanner itself is a little dusty or dirty - but for you to struggle with it for over a year leads me to believe something is wrong with it.

Also, have you decided to get a new phone, OP?

 

[jeffrok]

my Z Play FPS works fine.. if it isn't, it's because my dirty fingers smudged it.. wiping it dry and trying again seems to fix it every time.

 

[kbz1960]

Mine works fine unless my fingers are wet. Then drying does the trick, finger and phone.

 

[AllenRulz]

There has been issues on mine where the sensor doesn't even recognize my finger. No vibrate at all meaning it doesn't even know its there. So I have to do my normal password lol. But it's just random when it does it.

 

[kbz1960]

There has been issues on mine where the sensor doesn't even recognize my finger. No vibrate at all meaning it doesn't even know its there. So I have to do my normal password lol. But it's just random when it does it.

I'm getting the same since Oreo.

 

[xeene]

Try restating the phone.

 

[kbz1960]

Try restating the phone.

Yes that works but it happens too much.

 

[Savbers]

I've had no problems with my fingerprint sensor. Way more accurate than my previous S7.