How to Fix Fingerprint Scanner not Working Issues in Samsung Tablets

Many new tablet models from Samsung like Galaxy Tab S3 are equipped with a fingerprint scanner that makes using the device easy. The feature makes it very convenient to unlock the device, however, things can go wrong and the scanner may not work for some reasons. Some of the issues with fingerprint scanner in Samsung tablets and their fixes are explained below.

Device Failing to Recognize Fingerprint

Tablets may fail to recognize your fingerprint due to many reasons, and in such situations, you need to unlock the device by providing the password. However, what if you have forgotten the password? If so, you can use the options that are discussed below to unlock the device.

Unlock Device with your Google Account

If you find that your Samsung tablet does not recognize your fingerprint, you should try to unlock the device with your Google account. However, to use this feature, you should have your Google account added to the device before you were locked out of it.

You can see that after entering the wrong password for five times, the device will provide you the option to Unlock via Google. In the pop-up window, you can type in your Gmail account username and password and tap on the Sign In button. The device will allow you to log in and the lock screen will be changed to Swipe To Unlock screen.

Unlock Device by Factory Resetting

What if you don’t have a Google account or switched off the network connection on the tablet before you were locked out? If so, you will have to unlock the device by resetting it to the factory settings, and for that, you will need to enter the Recovery Mode of the device.

Turn off the device, and press and hold the Volume Up, Power, and Home buttons together until the Android logo appears on the screen. You can release the Power button after the logo appears, but keep on pressing the other two buttons. A page will appear now, where you need to select Wipe Data/Factory Reset option and then choose Wipe Cache Partition to remove all the settings and data stored in the tablet. After that, reboot the device and the screen lock will be removed.

Note: Factory resetting the Samsung tablet will delete all the data and settings in the device, so you will lose all the data in the device if you have not already backed it up.