I have been reading that Android nowadays has a lockdown mode which makes the system require PIN/password to unlock instead of accepting fingerprint or face unlock the next time it’s unlocked. How can I enable that on Fairphone?
I am not seeing it in the security settings or finding it with any search engine, even this forum only has references to lockdown mode in context of third party operating systems.
Alternatively is there another way to disable fingerprint and face for unlocking the phone, while allowing apps to still require biometric login in more permanent fashion than the next unlock? Apple’s iOS, where I am kind of coming from, has this feature and while I have to enter the PIN to unlock my iPhone, I can still perform contactless payments with it or unlock chat apps by fingerprint.
I am interested in this security feature as key disclosure laws often don’t apply to forcing showing of fingerprints at sensors and I just might have read a bit too much about using photos to trick facial recognition or using sleeping people’s fingers to unlock their phones to get past the lock screen.
I am not only interested in protecting myself as my phone would also know a lot about my friends and family and could e.g. out them as LGBT*. effects of which would depend on who is accessing my phone unauthorized.
I was hesistant to link anything on Android lockdown mode as I haven’t been able to find upstream documentation on it, but the top search result for me on DuckDuckGo is this (I hope they don’t have anti-adblockers or anything, but if they do, please see the previous link as the feature seems universal on other Android versions):
The Apple iOS version of what I wish is on this page under “Manage settings” (note how the screenshot there allows disabling “iPhone Unlock” while allowing touch ID to be used for other things)
WhatsApp documentation on unlocking chats with biometrics when the screen is already unlocked is at:
Without setting up anything, when I long press power to see the menu I see lockdown as option and clicking on it, works as described, means you are referred back to the unlock screen and fingerprint does not work…
Thanks, it seems that the Finnish translation doesn’t make a distinguishion between “Lock” (“Lukitse”) and Lockdown. However the linked articles say it should disable all biometric authentication, while on Fairphone 5 it still keeps face unlkock enabled.
Is this a bug on Fairphone version of Android, Android in general or is the feature misdocumented by those writing about it?
I think I will have to keep looking for options on hardening the screen unlock while keeping specific apps like they are.
Hadnt set it up, however tested it and can reproduce… When you cant find any hints for Android13 thats wanted, I consider this a bug and you might want to contact support for this.