Fix: Asus ZenFone 3 fingerprint sensor not working

The fingerprint reader isn’t an exclusive anymore. Even some mid-range devices are now offering this security measure that’s faster and, arguably, more reliable than PIN, pattern or lengthy passwords. Asus ZenFone 3 has speedy and well-placed fingerprint scanner, that should serve all users in various operations besides just unlocking your device.

However, some users encountered issues with their reader after some time of use. Is it a hardware’s fault or is the software the reason for this, we can easily find out. And when we say software, we point our fingers at you, Nougat! Either way, we prepared some solutions that should help you resolve issues on your ZenFone.

If you have issues, the possible solutions can be found below.

Determine the culprit

Firstly, we need to locate the instigator of the problem. ”Is the problem inflicted by a hardware malfunction or just a software bug?” is an essential question for this and similar Android issues. For that purpose, you can use a simple code that should bring out the diagnostic menu so you can scan for hardware malfunctions.

Follow the instructions below to use the hidden diagnostic tool on your handset:

1. Open Calculator.
2. Type the following code:
   • .12345+=
3. Don’t put zero before the dot.
4. After you hit the Equal sign, you should see the Diagnostics menu.
5. Select Single test.
6. Choose Fingerprint test.
7. If you see the OK sign, it’s just a software bug. If the test shows that the hardware is faulty, you’re out of luck.

In case that the hardware is indeed faulty, make sure to contact your phone vendor or send a ticket to the carrier. On the other hand, if the problem is strictly related to software, make sure to check additional steps. Also, you can use this nifty procedure to test all kind of different handset features on your Asus device.

Clean it up

In addition to hardware and software, the problem may be just due to the dirty sensor. If it’s hot outside and your hands are sweaty, that can affect fingerprint reader and make the scanning unclear, too. So, make sure to wipe it with wet wipe gently and try again. Additionally, make sure that your hands are dry before use. That should improve readings. But, sadly, it helps only if the problem isn’t either hardware or software related.

Re-establish fingerprint

The first software-related workaround is to re-establish your fingerprint. This is a somewhat analogous to reset of the fingerprint scanner. Sometimes the scanner settings get corrupted and thus it can have a hard time with its readings. For that purpose, we advise you to follow these instructions and hope for the best:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Fingerprint.
3. Tap Manage Fingerprints.
4. Delete all Fingerprints and re-establish them again.
5. It’s critical to have dry fingerprints because of the precise readings.

If you’re unable to change those settings due to complete dysfunction of the fingerprint scanner, check the steps below.

Disable Launchers

Nova and other 3rd-party launchers are certainly a great way to completely customize everything about your device. Especially interface and lock screen. But, sadly, some Asus ZenFone 3 users reported issues with the fingerprint reader in combination with the 3rd-party launchers on Nougat. This goes only for users with the stock ROM. If you have flashed custom ROM, there’s a chance that everything will work as intended. At least, without launcher interfering with the fingerprint scanner.

1. Open drawer or navigate to Settings > Apps.
2. Find Launcher and uninstall it.
3. Restart your device and look for changes.

Perform a factory reset

At the end, if you’re unable to get your fingerprint reader to work, and you’re certain that the hardware is operating as intended, you might want to take the factory reset into consideration. Before you get to reset settings to default values, make sure to backup your data on Google Drive or on your computer.

Once you’re certain that you have everything covered, you can finally move to a factory reset. This is how to do it:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Backup & Reset.
3. Tap Factory Data Reset.
4. Choose Reset Phone.
5. Confirm selection and you should be good to go.

Hopefully, that should relieve you of issues at hand, and you’ll be able to use the fingerprint reader just as before.

That should do it. If you have any questions or suggestion regarding this or similar problems with ZenFone 3, be so kind to share them with us. We’ll be glad to help.