Help me figure out the Galaxy S7 fingerprint lockscreen situation

[Reverend Gillis]

Hey guys,

I had an iPhone for about six months before selling it so I could get this GS7. Having been on Android for 5 years prior, I missed that eco-system. Even though I'm glad to have returned to the world of Android, there are a few things I miss about the iPhone, one of them being the ability to unlock the phone everytime with my fingerprint. With my GS7, the fingerprint only unlocks the phone about a fifth of the time, usually when I haven’t unlocked it in a while. Otherwise, I have to swipe up on the main screen, which is dumb. I’ve already pressed the button to unlock it, and now it needs me to swipe?

Moreso, when I unlock the phone with the power button to see the notifications, I tap twice on a message to get to respond, but the phone tells me I need to swipe to unlock. This is incredibly frustrating. Why can’t I just tap the thing twice, like I can on stock Android?
Does anyone know how to turn off the swiping that apparently is necessary? I went to the lock screen settings, and the security is set to fingerprints, yet I still have to swipe. This is, honestly, totally counter-intuitive and besides the totally random battery issues, one of my biggest gripes with this device. I want to love it, but I can’t right now. Help me out, guys. Thanks

 

[migo1980]

I just press and hold once and it unlocks for me without needing to swipe.

 

[jls1986]

Fingerprint unlock works for me every time, pretty quickly too.

 

[justafew]

So that's the way it works, which I agree can be frustrating. That's mainly due to the fact that Apple sets the phone to lock immediately once the screen turns off if you use Fingerprints. With your Samsung, the default is usually set to 10 minutes before it locks.

Go to Settings, Lock screen and security and choose Secure Lock Settings. Look at the Secured lock time and change it to "Instantly with the power key" or maybe choose the 15 seconds if you don't always turn the screen off with the Power button. Once the screen turns off, 15 seconds later the device will lock.

This will more closely resemble what you had with the iPhone each time you go to turn it on - click on the Home button and leave your finger there and it will unlock immediately and go to your Home screen. That will save you the additional swipe.

 

[alien130]

"I had an iPhone for about six months before selling it so I could get this GS7. Having been on Android for 5 years prior, I missed that eco-system. Even though I'm glad to have returned to the world of Android, there are a few things I miss about the iPhone, one of them being the ability to unlock the phone everytime with my fingerprint. With my GS7, the fingerprint only unlocks the phone about a fifth of the time, usually when I haven’t unlocked it in a while"

Maybe try rescanning your finger prints in different angles, only time I've ever had issues is when I try to unlock in weird angles

"Moreso, when I unlock the phone with the power button to see the notifications, I tap twice on a message to get to respond, but the phone tells me I need to swipe to unlock. This is incredibly frustrating. Why can’t I just tap the thing twice, like I can on stock Android?"

You set a lock on your phone, of course it's going to ask you to verify yourself essentially to do things like reply to a message or open an app

"Otherwise, I have to swipe up on the main screen, which is dumb. I’ve already pressed the button to unlock it, and now it needs me to swipe?"
"Does anyone know how to turn off the swiping that apparently is necessary? I went to the lock screen settings, and the security is set to fingerprints, yet I still have to swipe. This is, honestly, totally counter-intuitive and besides the totally random battery issues, one of my biggest gripes with this device. I want to love it, but I can’t right now. Help me out, guys. Thanks"

A backup password has always been a thing, even on the iPhone series where instead of a swipe pattern, they use a pin
A very unlikely situation but as small as the chance, it's still a possibility. Say you cut or burn your finger, how else would you access your phone?

 

[dpham00]

You need to disable smart lock if you don't want to swipe to unlock with fingerprint

 

[dpham00]

Tips for setting up the fingerprint scanner (for the s6, but applicable here :
http://forums.androidcentral.com/sa...ips-setting-up-using-fingerprint-scanner.html