Android 16 Adds A New Setting To Make It Way Faster To Unlock Your Pixel Phone
It looks as if the latest Android 16 Beta 3 will solve an age-old Pixel limitation, which is keeping the fingerprint scanner active when the screen is off. No more needing to wake the screen first and then unlock your device with your fingers. Why this wasn't activated in the first place is anyone's guess, but hey, you now have the option to turn the feature on if you're on the Android 16 Beta program. We just hope this functionality stays through to the stable Android release.
Google Pixel phones may be the bee's knees when it comes to—among other things—an uncluttered OS experience, imaging prowess, and access to Pixel exclusives such as automatic call/text screening, video boost, and Add Me photo merging. Yet somehow, among all these goodies, Google occasionally takes the idea of keeping things clean and simple a little too far, such as inferior hardware (especially in the flagships) and overly basic device and camera controls. One similar area that has befuddled many Pixel owners is how Pixels handle finger unlock.
Currently, unlocking Pixels equipped with under-display fingerprint sensors (FPS) only works when the screen is on. If it's off, users have to turn the screen on first (be it with the power button or tap to wake) before the sensor activates. Other manufacturers have it more convenient by keeping the FPS active regardless of screen on/off state.
This drawback is about to change much of the Pixel lineup if Android 16 Beta 3 (via Android Authority) is anything to go by. There's now a setting to enable the FPS when screen is off by navigating to Settings > Security & privacy > Device unlock > Face & Fingerprint Unlock > Fingerprint Unlock, and then toggling Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock on. With that activated, users just need to aim their fingers on the FPS area (some muscle memory is required here) to initiate the device unlock process.
Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock was previously found on Android 16 DP2, but only the Pixel 9 (and its ultrasonic FPS) could leverage it. With this version however, all Pixels are covered, which is great news. That said, it remains to be seen if and how battery life will be affected, plus whether Google will keep the feature in the Android 16 stable release.
