Google’s March Android 15 Pixel Drop has introduced a software issue affecting some Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro users, disabling their fingerprint readers. This glitch has prompted some users to report needing multiple reboots to resolve the problem.
After the update, users began noting on Reddit that their fingerprint scanners were rendered inoperative. One user mentioned needing to reboot their device seven times before the issue corrected itself, while another reported that a complete shutdown and restart was necessary to restore functionality. The GrapheneOS forums estimate that this issue affects approximately 1 in every 1,000, or 0.1%, of Pixel 9 users who updated their devices.
Historical issues with fingerprint scanners
This is not the first instance of fingerprint scanner issues among Pixel users. Previous updates, specifically Android 14’s QPR2 Beta 2, disabled fingerprint scanners for some users. Furthermore, fingerprint scanner problems have also been noted with the Pixel 7 in 2023 and the Pixel 6 series in 2022. Android 15 promised improvements to biometric authentication at the OS level, suggesting that recent changes may have inadvertently caused this current issue.
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In addition to the fingerprint reader problem, the March update has also reportedly made haptic feedback stronger on Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 devices, although it remains unclear whether this adjustment was intentional or a mere bug. Concurrently, some older Google Chromecast models are experiencing content casting problems, and Google is currently formulating a fix for those issues, advising users against performing a factory reset on their devices.
How to fix it:
- As mentioned by some Reddit users, rebooting the device multiple times may temporarily resolve the issue. One user reported needing to reboot seven times before the fingerprint scanner started working again.
- A full shutdown and restart have also worked for some users. Turn off your Pixel 9, leave it powered off for a minute, and then power it back on to check if the fingerprint scanner is restored.
- Google is likely aware of the issue and may release a patch or update to fix the bug in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on future updates to see if this issue is addressed.
Featured image credit: Google
