Random disabled fingerprint unlock

[DallasXanadu]

Has anybody gotten this message (Galaxy S10+ with most recent update), which randomly and briefly disables the ability to unlock my phone with my fingerprint? There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it - it happens two or three times a day, and happens at completely different times every day.

 

[mustang7757]

That's been Android security policy for awhile

 

[Jell Lee]

after reboot the phone will not accept fingerprint unlock, it needs pin or pattern or password to unlock the phone for the first time then afterwards biometrics can be used.

 

[rvbfan]

Does this happen after a reboot or just whenever? If it happens after reboot, that's what's supposed to happen.

 

[DallasXanadu]

That's been Android security policy for awhile

The security policy is to randomly disable fingerprint unlock for no apparent reason a few times a day? Man, what an incredibly stupid policy.

 

[DallasXanadu]

Does this happen after a reboot or just whenever? If it happens after reboot, that's what's supposed to happen.

No, it happens whenever. After a reboot it say actually says "enter PIN after restart" (and it won't let me take a screenshot like the one above). This has nothing to do with a reboot.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Does it only happen after the phone has been in your pocket? Or when the phone has been sitting on a table or whatever?

If it's only after the phone has been in your pocket, it could be registering your leg as a fingerprint and thinking you've had several incorrect entry attempts... This would prompt the pin entry.

 

[mustang7757]

The security policy is to randomly disable fingerprint unlock for no apparent reason a few times a day? Man, what an incredibly stupid policy.

Well depending, if you leave your phone untouched for few hours it will or any phone restart, any failed biometric input

 

[DallasXanadu]

Does it only happen after the phone has been in your pocket? Or when the phone has been sitting on a table or whatever?

If it's only after the phone has been in your pocket, it could be registering your leg as a fingerprint and thinking you've had several incorrect entry attempts... This would prompt the pin entry.

It never happens when it's been in my pocket - it's almost never in my pocket to begin with. It might have been on the wireless charger, on the coffee table, on my desk at work. It always gives me a specific message, if it's a reboot or too many failed attempts, etc. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason here, and I have not been able to find any "security policy" settings that might be causing it that I can adjust. I guess I'll just chalk it up to one of those quirks of Android that we all have to live with.

 

[B. Diddy]

Make sure the glass over the scanner is completely clean. Also, if you have a screen protector, consider testing the phone without the protector, in case it's causing some false touches.

 

[kikbxr1969]

It's supposed to do that after 24 hours. If it's happening more often than that, you're not alone.

My corporate phone does this. I assume it's because they have admin privileges on security settings.

Also, this article says that this can be caused by Google smart lock if you're using that.

https://r1.community.samsung.com/t5...-requiring-password-periodically/td-p/6481987

The only other thing I know of that works cause that is lockdown mode. But that is something you'd have to add to the power menu, then long press, and select lock down. I doubt you're accidentally doing that.