Fingerprint Scanner is WORTHLESS

ILowry82

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This is my first Samsung phone. I have to say that this fingerprint scanner is horrible. I get an error about as many times as I get a successful read. It takes 2-3 attempts to unlock the phone most of the time. I've even set my thumb as two different fingers. I've most recently had the iPhone 6S plus and the nexus 6P. With both those phones I rarely got an error when scanning my fingerprint. You'd think that since the Note 7 is the 6th device that has has a fingerprint scanner that they would have gotten it to work as well as the other phones on the market.
 

scorpiodsu

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This is my first Samsung phone. I have to say that this fingerprint scanner is horrible. I get an error about as many times as I get a successful read. It takes 2-3 attempts to unlock the phone most of the time. I've even set my thumb as two different fingers. I've most recently had the iPhone 6S plus and the nexus 6P. With both those phones I rarely got an error when scanning my fingerprint. You'd think that since the Note 7 is the 6th device that has has a fingerprint scanner that they would have gotten it to work as well as the other phones on the market.

That's odd because I've found the scanner to be very quick on the note 7 and we'll as the galaxy s models this year. Way better than last year's models and comparable the iPhone scanner. I wonder if there's something going on with your device that you are having issues. Sounds like you did what I would have done by setting up the same finger as multiple prints. Let me ask you, have you tried setting up your index finger and see how that works? Just to see if you experience any improvement. Might be worth a try.
 

seacow1500

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Jun 20, 2012
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I had a problem but deleted my first thumb print and redid it. When I set up my new one I put my thumb in different angles and now it works great.
 

Jona005

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The fingerprint scanner worked just fine for me on my Note 7. Make sure you are placing every part of your fingerprint on the home button during programming/setting up a fingerprint.
 

toenail_flicker

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This is my first Samsung phone. I have to say that this fingerprint scanner is horrible. I get an error about as many times as I get a successful read. It takes 2-3 attempts to unlock the phone most of the time. I've even set my thumb as two different fingers. I've most recently had the iPhone 6S plus and the nexus 6P. With both those phones I rarely got an error when scanning my fingerprint. You'd think that since the Note 7 is the 6th device that has has a fingerprint scanner that they would have gotten it to work as well as the other phones on the market.
Works amazingly well here. Do I always have my finger in the right position? No. But that's my fault and not the reader. Much better than the one on the N4.
 

trmiv

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It works fine if you set it up correctly. . When I first setup my Note 5, I had a lot of issues with that sensor. I found it helped me to kind of look at how I use the phone for a day first. Turned out the position I had my thumb in when I set it up was vastly different from how I typically unlocked the phone. With this thin, long sensor you have to be more careful with how you set it up. When I watched my thumb was usually more sideways, but I set it up and didn't turn my thumb that direction often. So I set it up again with mainly my thumb sideways, but also included a few straight on. After that I've had no issues. I used the same technique with I got my Note 7 and found it to be even faster and more accurate than the Note 5.
 

boufa

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Not to pick on the OP, but this is an example of no-win engeneering. No matter how easy and fool proof you make something, there will always be someone who can't figure out how to use it.

The fingerprint on the Note 7 (and several other recent Samsungs) is as seamless as can be. Just a slightly longer press of the home button, and it unlocks like magic. I can do it in one move..press home to turn on the device, and it unlocks before I can let go of the button.
 

team420

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Comparing it to my note 4, it's 10,000 times better. I rarely get an error with the n7 scanner. Like post above... my phone isusually unlocked instantly
 

ajb1965

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This is my first Samsung phone. I have to say that this fingerprint scanner is horrible. I get an error about as many times as I get a successful read. It takes 2-3 attempts to unlock the phone most of the time. I've even set my thumb as two different fingers. I've most recently had the iPhone 6S plus and the nexus 6P. With both those phones I rarely got an error when scanning my fingerprint. You'd think that since the Note 7 is the 6th device that has has a fingerprint scanner that they would have gotten it to work as well as the other phones on the market.

I had a terrible time initially with my S7 Edge, so I deleted all my fingerprints and did them all again. After that I had very few issues. I had no issues with FP on my Note 7. Have you tried deleting and adding your fingerprints back in?
 

pinkvikchick

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I wouldn't say HORRIBLE but my note 5 and edge 7 were a little better...one good thing came out of my experience, when the fingerprint scanner doesn't work, it goes right to the iris screen and I do the laser stare and viola! Unlocks, and I look all cool :)
 

dstrauss

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This is my first Samsung phone. I have to say that this fingerprint scanner is horrible. I get an error about as many times as I get a successful read. It takes 2-3 attempts to unlock the phone most of the time. I've even set my thumb as two different fingers. I've most recently had the iPhone 6S plus and the nexus 6P. With both those phones I rarely got an error when scanning my fingerprint. You'd think that since the Note 7 is the 6th device that has has a fingerprint scanner that they would have gotten it to work as well as the other phones on the market.

I had both the 6 Plus and 6s Plus, and my GN7 fingerprint scanner is every bit as accurate as either of my iPhones. Maybe you should get that checked (while you wait for your replacement).
 

antman451

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I've been really impressed with the fingerprint scanner (my first one). I set up both thumbs and index fingers right out of the box, and even though I've noticed I use the phone with my thumbs at a different angle than my setup, it works awesomely. Just like pushing the home button to unlock; so fast.
 

dlgus

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This is my first Samsung phone. I have to say that this fingerprint scanner is horrible. I get an error about as many times as I get a successful read. It takes 2-3 attempts to unlock the phone most of the time. I've even set my thumb as two different fingers. I've most recently had the iPhone 6S plus and the nexus 6P. With both those phones I rarely got an error when scanning my fingerprint. You'd think that since the Note 7 is the 6th device that has has a fingerprint scanner that they would have gotten it to work as well as the other phones on the market.

Now that is interesting...I have been very pleasantly surprised by how well the fingerprint scanner works...MUCH better than on my N4, or my roommate's N5.
 

Almeuit

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Really? I would re-do your fingerprints. This works as good as the iPhone I used in the past.
 

CincyGuy

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I've had 50/50. Half the time I press the button to wake it up and then it unlocks immediately, the other half it says no match and I have to lift my thumb and touch again. I have rescanned my thumb about 5 times from different angles, and currently have two sets of fingerprints saved for the same thumb. Doesn't matter, I'm returning it for a refund anyways, going back to my 6p and waiting to see what the Pixel phone brings.
 

JeromeM

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I set mine up multiple different ways even sideways as that's how I hold the phone and unlock it but I would say more than 50% of the time it doesn't work.

Also being my first Samsung with fingerprint it's extremely annoying to have to press the home button to "wake it up" then wait for it to scan my finger.
 

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