Hi @mandarin and everyone else having this issue, just an update for you.
Support has responded to my ticket with the following:
1: Check and clean sensor surface
Make sure the sensor is not dirty or scratched: clean the sensor surface with a cotton swab or dry cloth.
Another reason for malfunctioning could be some oily residues on your fingers: please try washing your hands with soap and test it again. If your fingers are a bit wet, it could also affect the functioning of the fingerprint sensor, so make sure to dry them well.
2: Remove and add a new fingerprint
If you already are using the fingerprint sensor and it’s not working well please follow the next steps.
a) Remove the registered fingerprint:
- Open your phone’s Settings.
- Tap Security.
- Tap Fingerprint.
- If the device asks you to, enter your screen lock PIN (the code used to unlock the screen).
- Tap on the “recycle-bin” icon to delete your fingerprint and confirm to remove it. Your fingerprint should disappear from the list.
b) Reinstall your fingerprint sensor:
- After deleting your existing fingerprint, the list will be empty. Tap now on “+ Add fingerprint”.
- Follow the on-screen steps. If you don’t have already a screen lock, you’ll be asked to add a backup PIN, pattern, or password.
- When you see the message “Touch the sensor” you can start scanning your first fingerprint. Make sure to:
- Put your finger on your phone’s sensor.
- Press the sensor’s surface with your finger from different angles. In this way, the sensor will be able to also capture partial fingerprints and/or fingerprints when holding the phone in different ways.
- You must complete many successful swipes to register the desired fingerprint properly. You will see the progress on the screen.
- Once successfully registered, the device will say “Fingerprint added”.
- Press “Done” to complete the setup. Remember you can add up to 5 registered fingerprints.
3: Test the sensor in a different environment
The sensor may not work well if the phone is in an extremely hot or cold environment. Please test it again in cooler or warmer conditions once your phone is at average room temperature.
4: Install updates
Make sure to Update your Fairphone to the latest software.
- Go to Settings → About your phone → Build number.
- Check if your Fairphone has the latest OS: Fairphone OS v.099 (Build number FP4.FP3R.A.099.20220112).
If it’s not running the latest software update, keep reading to know how to update your device:
- Connect your Fairphone to a Wi-Fi network.
- Go to Settings → System → Advanced → System update → tap on Check for update. Once done, you should either be asked to update or get a message stating “Your system is up-to-date”.
5: Safe mode
To exclude the possibility of a corrupted third-party software, I recommend rebooting your device in Safe mode (support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405445311249). Check if the issue is gone while in Safe Mode. If the issue is still there then, reboot your phone to go out of Safe Mode and proceed with the next step.
6: Factory reset
If you are still experiencing the issue, a factory reset will be necessary:
- As this will wipe all your personal data, make sure to, first of all, back up your personal data.
- Once the backup is done, perform a Factory Reset. Then, after the reset, do not reinstall any apps nor restore your data, check first if the issue is gone (you can reinstall and restore everything afterwards).
7: More details
If after performing all the previous steps you still need help with the fingerprint sensor, please provide the following information:
- screenshot(s) of the error message if you are getting any, or showing the issue.
- Picture of the fingerprint sensor.
- Did you install any new screen app and/or a different launcher? If so, please uninstall them and try again.
- Since when have you been experiencing this issue?