Today, Google officially kicked off the rollout of the next Android version for developers by launching the second developer preview (DP2) of Android 16. The Android 16 DP2 not only introduces improvements in battery life but also allows using Pixel’s fingerprint unlock even when the screen is off.
The Android 16 DP2 brings a new feature to use fingerprint unlock when the screen is off
Fingerprint scanners are a reliable way of securing your smartphone from unauthorized access. However, there’s some sort of caveat with the under-display fingerprint scanners. You have to generally wake the screen before unlocking your smartphone using a fingerprint scanner. But, it seems Google has found a way to resolve this inconvenience.
As spotted by Mishaal Rahman for Android Authority, the Android 16 DP2 has a new “Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock” setting. The setting can be found by navigating to Settings > Security & privacy > Device Unlock> Face & Fingerprint Unlock > Fingerprint Unlock.
As you can see in the screenshot below, the setting’s description notes that you can “Use Fingerprint Unlock even when the screen is off.” Rahman notes that the feature works as intended on his Google Pixel 9 Pro running Android 16 DP2. You can also check the feature in action in the video embedded at the end.
The alternative ways to keep the fingerprint ready for unlocking your device
If you’re not willing to install the Android 16 DP2 on your Google Pixel phone, there are a few ways to keep the fingerprint scanner always active. The first option is to enable “Always show time and info” by going to Settings > Display & touch > Lock screen.
Otherwise, you can turn on the “Lift to check phone” option from the same settings page. It will keep the fingerprint screen ready to use when you lift your phone. The third way to wake your phone with just a tap is by enabling the “Tap to check phone” option.
Notably, the second developer preview comes exactly a month after the launch of the first developer preview of Android 16. To remind you, we already have seen the notification cooldown feature in action with the Android 16 DP1. Moreover, a recently spotted API suggests that camera apps will be able to identify low-light situations on Android 16 as well.
