Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- All Pixel phones can now use the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock feature in Android 16 Beta 3.
- The Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock feature lets you unlock your Pixel phone even when its screen is off.
- It was first introduced in Android 16 DP2 but only worked on the Pixel 9 series.
Since the Pixel 6, every Pixel phone (excluding foldables) has featured an under-display fingerprint scanner. Unlike many other smartphones, however, Pixel phones currently require the screen to be on for the fingerprint scanner to function. Thankfully, this limitation will be addressed in the upcoming Android 16 update for Pixel.
The Android 16 update for Pixel phones is set to introduce a new Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock feature. When this feature is enabled, the fingerprint scanner will be active even when the screen is off. To enable the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock feature, navigate to Settings > Security & privacy > Device unlock > Face & Fingerprint Unlock > Fingerprint Unlock. Then, within the “when using Fingerprint Unlock” section, enable the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock toggle.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Once enabled, you can press the fingerprint scanner area when the screen is off, and your Pixel phone’s screen will illuminate and unlock if the correct finger is used.
Google initially introduced the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock feature in the second developer preview of Android 16, but it was limited to the Google Pixel 9 series. However, with the release of Android 16 Beta 3, the company expanded compatibility to all Pixel phones. I confirmed it works on my Pixel 6a, and a tester verified it on their Pixel 7 Pro. While there’s a possibility Google could remove the feature in the stable Android 16 release, there’s no apparent reason for them to do so.
If you prefer not to wait for the official Android 16 release or join the beta program, enabling the always-on display is your only current option to keep the fingerprint scanner active. Otherwise, simply wait for the Android 16 rollout and then enable the Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock toggle in the Fingerprint Unlock settings, as it will be disabled by default.
