In this era of a heightened sense of security, technology creates new means to practice it. One example is the automatic unlocking of phones with the user’s own fingerprint. To think that this biometric technology was not as accessible to the public two decades ago and is now in our hands, literally!
Just like any other part of a phone, the fingerprint scanner can malfunction too. When that does happen, some troubleshooting is needed. Although the best remedy is to be always mindful of where you place your phone and knowing how to take care of it, it pays to know how it can malfunction. By knowing the possible reasons why a scanner fails to recognize its user’s fingerprint, you can have insight on how to prevent these.
Software Bugs
Phones often notify the user when a system update is due. Users should be prompt about this since updates can address the issues and bugs they’ve been experiencing. Failing to do so may even cause damage to your phone. Software bugs do more than disable your fingerprint scanner from working. It can affect the overall performance of the phone too. But if the recent update is to blame for all these negative effects, reboot your phone and recalibrate your fingerprint. If the problem still persists, be sure to consult a technician for advice in troubleshooting this problem.
Opening the Back of the Phone
Many phones today are made with an aluminum exterior and are not easily opened without some tools. Whether you’re curious or trying to fix a problem on your own, fight the urge to open the back of your phone. This is closed off for a reason.
Many manufacturers see the benefit of well-guarded, compact phones in terms of functionality and form. But since its component is compact, opening the back may rearrange or damage parts. It’s too intricate and complicated to mess up. While you still haven’t yet, don’t open the back of the phone.
Internal Damage
Everything else seems to be working fine except for the scanner. If there seemed to be no exterior cause to the malfunction, it’s most likely internal. Be it a factory defect, a loose wire, or a faulty relay of power, have it checked by a professional for a proper diagnosis and smartphone repair service.
A Broken Display
If a user’s phone had taken a big fall or was hit with a strong impact, then that might’ve caused the damage. When met with a big impact, a phone can get damaged in multiple ways but most especially the screen. Some phones have screens that have a fingerprint scanner. Other than being unable to unlock the phone, the display will be damaged too. It might have caused some wiring to loosen or damaged internal parts of the phone. Whatever the cause, the damage will be too technical to fix on our own.
Dirt and Dust Build-up
Many people don’t realize how often they have their phones in their hands. Wherever they are, whatever time of the day, our phones are in our hands. If they aren’t they’re just close by and within reach. However, our phones aren’t the only things that we touch on our day-to-day. Dirt, debris, and more can be transferred to the scanner upon contact. This can build up over time and prevent it from reading your fingerprint effectively. Clean it regularly to prevent this from happening. While you’re at it, clean th4e whole phone too.
Environmental Factors
Changes in temperature affect the state of your skin. A cold room can cause the fingertips to dry up and tighten. A hot day can cause too much sweat on the fingers. As one can guess, the liquid doesn’t mix well with the scanner. This simple problem has a simple solution: wash your hands. You might not have total control of your surroundings but you have control over the state of your fingertips.
On the other hand, there are other causes for fingerprints (specifically the ridges of the fingerprints) to disappear. Treatment for an illness (e.g. chemotherapy) and type of occupation contributes to fingerprints disappearing. But even then, the disappearance is only temporary.
As technology advances for our comfort and convenience, it pays to know how some things can get damaged. This way, we have insight as to what to do and not to make it last longer. Something as important as fingerprint recognition that’s specific to the user is not only crucial for their privacy and security, but also for their comfort too.