An iris scanner is a nifty feature on most high-end smartphones that helps users keep the contents of their phones secure from prying eyes. It uses your irises’ biometric information to identify you and because no two irises are similar, it’s almost impossible to replicate, making it a fool-proof way of securing your mobile device.
Some users whose phones have this great tool have noted some concerns with the eye scanner not working, thus they can’t lock their screens nor get access to their devices.
We’ll show you how to fix the iris scanner and get it working again, plus a few tips that you can use to avoid the problem in the future.
How to fix Iris Scanner not working on Android
Quick fixes
- Restart your phone
- Clear cache of the Iris scanner. Caches can hinder the iris scanner from working so you can clear the camera app and iris scanner cache and see if it helps
- Update all apps. Check that all the apps on your Android phone are updated by going to Google Play Store to update apps, and updating your phone with the latest firmware
- Clean the sensors to get rid of dirt, oil, or sweat and other things that can accumulate on the screen and its sensors, making them unable to read your irises properly. A clean cotton cloth or microfiber towel is good for cleaning the sensors
Maintain exact distance
Whenever you want to unlock your device using the iris scanner and it doesn’t work each time, check the distance and maintain about 10-14 inches from your face for it to work accurately. If the phone is far from your face or too close, the scanner may not read your iris.
Boot in Safe Mode
Sometimes culprit apps in your phone can cause the scanner not to work. Booting into Safe Mode helps check if it’s caused by third party apps or not. To do this:
- Switch off the phone
- Press down the volume button and power button simultaneously
- Release the buttons when you see the System Recover menu
- Highlight Safe Mode using volume buttons and select using the Power button
- The phone will reboot and Safe Mode will be displayed at the bottom of your screen
Delete any saved data and set up again
If none of the above methods worked, and the iris scanner still won’t work, remove the saved data and set them up again. To do this:
- Open Settings>Lock screen & security
- Tap Iris>Remove Iris and set up again
Tips for unlocking your screen with the Iris Scanner:
- Don’t move around a lot
- Maintain the exact 10-14 inches distance from your face
- Keep eyes open wide and don’t blink
- Come to a proper lighting spot
You can find more tips here.
Elsie is a tech writer with 8+ years professional experience. For Tech News Watch, she brings rich experience contributing to topics such as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS among others. In her spare time, she loves checking out the latest tech trends, gadgets, and news, listening to music and cars.
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