How can I JUST use my fingerprint scanner (Pixel 3) to turn on my Home screen, without PIN/PATTERN?

[Android Central Question]

I'm a recent buyer of a Pixel 3 XL, after owning Moto Pure Edition and earlier Moto X's. I typically don't lock my lock screen, as found it's a time-waster, when I can just be locking the few apps I need to, by using some sort of App Lock app.

What I'm trying to do, is to be able to use my fingerprint scanner on the back of my Pixel 3 XL, to just turn on the Home screen for me. But whenever I try to set it up, it won't allow me to do it, without ALSO setting up either a PIN or Pattern lock. So I find myself having to do BOTH steps, EACH TIME I try and turn on my Home screen. In other words, I touch the fingerprint scanner on the back first, that wakes up the front screen, but then I am forced to input my PATTERN, in order to fully unlock the Home screen.

I just figured that if I could simply turn on my Home screen, by using my fingerprint scanner (ONLY), then I could bypass the need to always use my Power button, to turn my Home screen back on.

I know there are (security) reasons why it asks for BOTH steps, but certainly there must be a way to toggle/opt out of choosing to use BOTH steps. Otherwise, I see no need for the fingerprint scanner (for me), if I have to input TWO steps, EACH TIME I want to turn on my Home screen. Am I overlooking a simple SETTING that will allow me to bypass the PIN/PATTERN each time ?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! That's not how it's supposed to work, so it's a bit puzzling. When you set up the fingerprint, it will always require you to set up a backup PIN/password/pattern, for additional security (the phone is supposed to ask you for it only periodically, but not every time). In addition, the backup is important in case the fingerprint sensor fails.

Are you saying that every single time you use the fingerprint sensor, it still asks you for the pattern? Or is it just the first time?

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[mrpackerguy]

My 3XL works as the OP wants it to. The only time I have to use PIN is every morning when I turn my 3XL on. Otherwise, in standby and locked screen, fingerprint wakes and unlocks the screen.

 

[Blackbelt4me]

Welcome to Android Central! That's not how it's supposed to work, so it's a bit puzzling. When you set up the fingerprint, it will always require you to set up a backup PIN/password/pattern, for additional security (the phone is supposed to ask you for it only periodically, but not every time). In addition, the backup is important in case the fingerprint sensor fails.

Are you saying that every single time you use the fingerprint sensor, it still asks you for the pattern? Or is it just the first time?

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

I'm not real certain how the REPLY portion of this works, so winging it here. Thanks for the welcome. I registered earlier today, for this forum. Thanks for the help and suggestion to join up.

I figured out the problem, after some playing with it. I also use the Smart Lock app, which allows me to just touch its widget on the Home Screen (or as many screens that I want to add it to), and it turns off my screen, But in the process, it was locking my screen also (unknown to me, because it never required any verifying, if just using the Power Button, to turn my screen back on. So I thought even though it's called Screen Lock, that it was ONLY just turning off the screen, not locking it. Because it never asked me for any PIN/PATTERN, any time before. So after lots of 'trial and error', with the Screen Lock's settings, I got it to allow me to use the fingerprint scanner, as I had hoped to do. Problem solved ... I think. I've had Android phones for +15 yrs., and feel pretty comfortable in figuring things out. But I am still constantly amazed at the hundreds of little Settings that can be, that some solution to some little issue is buried behind. But that's why Android is fun, right ? Thanks again. It's enjoyable to read a lot of the ideas/things that folks share on this forum.

 

[B. Diddy]

Glad you figured it out! If you use the fingerprint sensor, Smart Lock probably isn't necessary, since whenever your pick up the phone, it's a simple step to place your finger on the sensor. It might be handy if you say "Hey Google" a lot, but a lot of Google Assistant functions should still work when the phone is still locked.

 

[Rukbat]

If you're still reading the thread, @Blackbelt4me, if the phone is rooted (trivial with a Pixel by using Magisk), you can use Quick Reboot Pro (it's free) to lock the screen without running the lockscreen (which makes you input your PIN), and without risking wearing out your power button (you can even pop a widget for most of its functions [screen lock, restart, recovery, bootloader] to the screen. [I have 4 of them in a folder with Screen Lock first, because that's the one I use every time I'm finished using the phone for a minute (the screen costs battery).]).

 

[Theot]

Just another suggestion for screen lock. I use Nova launcher and have double tap on the home screen set to lock the phone.

Also I only use smart Lock for the car when it's connect to the car's Bluetooth. Otherwise for me the fingerprint sensor is all I need to unlock.

Another reason I'm not getting a Pixel 4.