To anyone who thinks the fingerprint scanner is bad / inaccurate

[Tom-Helge]

Hello.

I see peoples around on the internet (here on XDA to) that are complaining about the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy Note 4 to be bad and inaccurate. Well, i'm here to tell you that it's not the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy Note 4 that is bad or inaccurate, but it's your way of setting the fingerprint scanner up that is the problem.

I have set up my fingerprint scanner up correctly and it works extremely good. Just follow this guide and you will be all fine. This video is not made by me by the way and even if this shows the setup process for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets, it still works the same for the Galaxy Note 4.

I also added a poll about the fingerprint scanner in the post here. ONLY answer it after you have correctly set up the fingerprint scanner according to the guide in the YouTube video and after you have given the fingerprint scanner some tries, thanks.

Have a good day.

 

[avsquare]

Hmm well I have watched your video but I think you missed out what is causing the unsatisfactory experience.

If you are unlocking the phone supported/two-handed, such as in the video, phone placed on a stationary platform such as a table and you swipe your finger; or your left hand holding the phone while your right hand swipes the scanner - it isn't exactly a convenient feature. If you are unlocking the phone 2-handed, there isn't a lot of difference from unlocking using PIN.

2-handed unlock is 99.9% accurate for me - same as the iPhone 6/6+'s one-touch scanner. However, unlocking one handed is another matter. The phone will prompt you for a second set of 10 swipes after you done your first 10 - and if you did your second set of 10 supported on table or with your other hand, then you are likely to face issues unlocking single handed.

This is because the con of a swipe censor is that it is less accurate vs the one-touch version, and the drag of your finger/thumb while swiping distorts your fingerprint (because your flesh drags and there is pressure) according to the direction you swipe. The way you swipe 2 handed will be different from the way you swipe single handed.

I have no problems registering the first set of 10 with the conventional thumb downwards swipe. That is easy. But during the second set of 10 where I try to register one handed with my thumb swiping on its sides, there is a few hit and misses. I have eventually gotten used to it and accuracy in unlocking improved much, but for every 10 unlocks I can still miss 1 or 2 times. It is no wear near the accuracy nor convenience of the one-touch sensors.

 

[AndroidNoob22]

At first when I got the device I thought the scanner was garbage (I was garbage not the scanner :3) used to get 30-40% accuracy, I was swiping my finger on the scanner in same direction (downwards) everytime as instructed while registering, when it dint work well I turned it off, then I came across few threads n vids and understood I have to swipe my whole pad in from different variations and angles while registering I tried that and woila, I have almost 99% accuracy now, it works sooo soo good now, been using it since more than a week and I unlock it around minimum 50 times a day using it and also use some apps I've assigned fingerprint to and I've only failed once since I corrected the method of registering finger. so yup, awesome scanner much btr than s5 the only trick is to register from diff angles as shown in video n you'll be good to go.. :good:

 

[Slai]

I dont care how well it works with two hands, its the thumb on my right hand when using the device onehanded thats the "problem".

It works most of the time, and ive registered my right thumb in various angles and variations like in the video. But not all the time. Its fine for normal use, though, it really is. But if you have a shorter thumb than me, it might be a lot worse. Even for me, its a bit of a dud due to the fact that it sometimes doesnt register (my thumb might be slightly off center, or I swipe too fast, etc).

The more reasonable method would be a slimmer bezel at the bottom, drop the scanner on the homebutton, add a onepress scanner at the back of the device for your index, instead of that horribly useless heartrate/oxygenlevel monitor.

 

[inaya45]

i tried the fingerprint scanner, did it 10 times to recognize it and set it but it didn't show up so i restarted my new note 4 and it worked and i swiped my finger and it unlocked then i locked it again but the fingerprint scanner went away again and its only giving me an option to swipe to unlock.

 

[Archiimonde]

I tried to set up the fingerprint scanner several times with different methods/angles. I was unable to get a good experience unlocking it with one hand. The iPhone is miles better in this department. Works almost every time two-handed, though.

 

[Andrewtst]

The way Samsung design it sense is not good. You need gently swipe down which simply look stupid and troublesome.

This part no deny iPhone did it great by press and hold only.

 

[Slai]

Agreed. That being said, I dont see any real point of it. Its much like the UV sensor, the heartrate sensor and all that other jazz.

 

[ozaghloul]

The fingerprint scanner is just pure garbage. Not sure why so many are blaming Samsung for not giving proper instructions? Everything in that video the OP posted is clearly explained in the fingerprint registration stage. It even has an animated finger that shows you how to scan different parts of the finger and different angles and directions. Its not that we have not registered the fingerprint properly, its that the scanner is just worse than ebola and aids combined. The poll results also support my assertion that the scanner is totally sh1t.

---------- Post added at 08:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:25 AM ----------

Agreed. That being said, I dont see any real point of it. Its much like the UV sensor, the heartrate sensor and all that other jazz.

The fingerprint scanner is not jazz. If it worked properly most people could get some real use of the fingerprint scanner versus the UV sensor.

 

[Slai]

The only real use would be protecting certain apps and unlocking the phone. Both of which are easily doable with a PIN. that being said I don't have a problem using the scanner with one hand nor two, but it's not 100%, I agree it should have been better placed. Preferably at the back under the camera for your index.
I guess I get about 9/10 first try unlocks at this point, one handed.

 

[Magnesus]

I have tried all the methods and it still is mostly garbage for me. And it starts registering the swipe after a half-second delay which means you need to wait for the screen to turn on and for the arrow to show up - what a waste of time. It is also only 10% accurate for me (even when I have registered 15 different angles for the one finger I use). Maybe a software update will make it a bit better, who knows. For now - I will turn it off as before.

 

[Slai]

Maybe just register in the same-ish angles...

 

[Tom-Helge]

I still don't see what the problem is. I still have 99% success with my fingerprint scanner. It simply just works every time i'm using it.

Either you are setting the fingerprint scanner up in a wrong way, using it wrong, or there must be some problems with the fingerprint scanner.

I'm even tempted to make a video that shows how good my fingerprint scanner works just to prove it .

And lastly. Even if Touch ID on the iPhone is more easy to use, it's far from being more secure than the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S5 / Note 4. Because on Touch ID, you just presses directly on top of the home button on the iPhone, which leaves your fingerprint open to anyone who manage to steal your iPhone. On the Galaxy S5 / Note 4, you have to swipe to get it to work, which means that you are actually swiping away the fingerprint on the button as you swipe.

Because of that, a thief is going to have a hard time to find your actual fingerprint to use to open the phone.

 

[Archiimonde]

I still don't see what the problem is. I still have 99% success with my fingerprint scanner. It simply just works every time i'm using it.

Either you are setting the fingerprint scanner up in a wrong way, using it wrong, or there must be some problems with the fingerprint scanner.

I'm even tempted to make a video that shows how good my fingerprint scanner works just to prove it .

And lastly. Even if Touch ID on the iPhone is more easy to use, it's far from being more secure than the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S5 / Note 4. Because on Touch ID, you just presses directly on top of the home button on the iPhone, which leaves your fingerprint open to anyone who manage to steal your iPhone. On the Galaxy S5 / Note 4, you have to swipe to get it to work, which means that you are actually swiping away the fingerprint on the button as you swipe.

Because of that, a thief is going to have a hard time to find your actual fingerprint to use to open the phone.

If you can make a video where you at least 10 times in a row unlock the phone, while holding it comfortably in one hand, I'll believe you. I'm talking about unlocking it with the same hand holding the phone, not two hands. If so many people have problems with the scanner, Samsung either has piss poor quality control, or it's just inferior by design.

And have you ever used an iPhone at all? There's no usable track of your fingerprint after you unlocked the phone. Unless you have very greasy fingers, in which case you wouldn't be able to unlock the phone anyway.

Samsung did most things right with the Note 4, but the fingerprint sensor wasn't one of them.

 

[an_xda]

This is ridiculous. We can blame Samsung for building a swipe-scanner rather than touch like Apple but what is this unlocking with one hand business? Look at how big the device is, I would think you have higher risk of dropping the device than it failing for you when you swipe with one hand given the device is top heavy based on how one would hold it if attempting to one-hand finger unlock.

However, if your device lays flat on a table when trying to unlock, make sure you get it at the same angle you registered it at...

 

[shollywood]

Couldn't agree more.. Look at the poll... Clearly doesn't work like it should.

 

[Archiimonde]

This is ridiculous. We can blame Samsung for building a swipe-scanner rather than touch like Apple but what is this unlocking with one hand business? Look at how big the device is, I would think you have higher risk of dropping the device than it failing for you when you swipe with one hand given the device is top heavy based on how one would hold it if attempting to one-hand finger unlock.

However, if your device lays flat on a table when trying to unlock, make sure you get it at the same angle you registered it at...

For me, having a fingerprint sensor is mostly for convenience. If I'm already holding my phone and have both hands available, it's not much faster than using a pattern or PIN code. Especially when I'm in a hurry or wanna check something quickly, pattern or PIN is much more reliable, because I'm "swiping too fast".

 

[an_xda]

For me, having a fingerprint sensor is mostly for convenience. If I'm already holding my phone and have both hands available, it's not much faster than using a pattern or PIN code. Especially when I'm in a hurry or wanna check something quickly, pattern or PIN is much more reliable, because I'm "swiping too fast".

That is your use case. For my corporate IT policy, we require an 8-character (not just 8 digit PIN). This is effectively typing a complex password every time I need to unlock my device. The fingerprint scanner alleviates this pain and it has worked almost flawlessly on the S5 for me, let alone the Note 4...

If using the PIN or pattern works for you, you can ignore the fingerprint scanner then. Just another useless Samsung gimmick, right?

 

[Slai]

If you can make a video where you at least 10 times in a row unlock the phone, while holding it comfortably in one hand, I'll believe you.

Oh, even I could do that. That doesnt prove much though, just confirms that it works 10 times in a row. Doesnt take in to account a bumpy busride, or when youre in a hurry, or if it rained ever, or if youre nervous, etc.

 

[Wally93]

I saw a video a while ago explaining why people with an S5 had so much trouble using the fingerprint sensor: part of it was under the screen and you had to swipe over a part of the screen too. Just like in the video you posted.
I for instance am able to unlock my note 4 by only touching the home button with my index finger. This proves the fingerprint sensor is completely in the home button. And also why there are no dots on the lower part of the screen indicating you should swipe on them like that tab S and S5