Is your Pixel fingerprint scanner missing after the March update? Here's the quick fix

ZDNET

The ill-fated March Pixel update has apparently introduced yet another problem.

When Google released its Pixel Feature Drop earlier this month, it introduced several new features, including real-time alerts for suspicious texts and the ability to share your location through Find My Device. Unfortunately, it also introduced several frustrating problems, including a screen-dimming issue, a strange haptic feedback change, and a glitch with EQ audio.

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Now there's another issue to add to the list -- problems with the fingerprint scanner.

Mostly affecting Pixel 9 phones

A post on the GrapheneOS Discussion Forum highlights a problem that's affecting mostly Pixel 9 phones (but there have been scattered reports on other Pixel devices). After the recent update, the post says, the phone's fingerprint scanner has stopped working. What's most strange is that the phone acts like the scanner doesn't even exist, as it has disappeared from the settings menu too.

If this were several years ago and the fingerprint scanner were only used to unlock the phone, this would be a minor annoyance. But since so many apps today use biometric login, this could be a very frustrating problem.

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The issue seems to be fairly rare, but it was reportedly seen in the earlier Android 15 QPR2 Beta releases. It's likely still appearing because it doesn't happen enough for developers to replicate and track down the issue.

A report from Android Authority last summer uncovered code in an Android 15 beta that indicated your phone would be able to tell if your face or fingerprint login wasn't working and delete that credential, requiring you to create a new one. There's no indication this issue is tied to that feature, but the timing is suspicious.

Temporary fix

Fortunately, a temporary fix is fairly simple. 

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Most users seeing the issue say it goes away if you turn your phone off for a few seconds (just restarting apparently doesn't work). When your phone powers on again, you should have access to your fingerprint scanner, but it may require several restarts to work.