What you need to know
- Some Pixel owners might want to hold off updating to the latest Android 14 Beta 3.
- The newest release seems to have affected some Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a handsets.
- The fingerprint sensor functionality has apparently been removed from affected Pixel devices, even from the phone's settings.
On Wednesday, Google released Android 14 Beta 3 for Pixel phones, including the latest Pixel 7a. While the update has included a ton of bug fixes, it has opened up a new bug for some Pixel owners.
As pointed out by 9to5Google, the new beta update has apparently broken the fingerprint sensor for some Pixel devices like the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. Several complaints have been raised regarding the same on Reddit and Twitter.
The latest update has caused the fingerprint sensor to become inoperable for some users. In addition, the related settings have disappeared in the Settings of the Pixel device. The entire concept of a device's fingerprint sensor seems to have vanished from their phones after updating to the latest Android 14 Beta 3.
Affected users are restricted to using either a PIN or Pattern to unlock their devices. Additionally, apps that use biometrics have also been affected, notes 9to5.
Still, not all Pixel owners are experiencing the problem. For instance, the aforementioned sources indicate that affected devices seem to only include the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a. At least one writer from 9to5 doesn't seem to be affected, and Android Central's Derrek Lee finds that his Pixel 6 Pro's fingerprint sensor functionality has remained intact following the Android 14 Beta 3 update.
There doesn't appear to be a direct workaround for the issue at this time of writing. One Reddit user has claimed that it can be fixed through the Fingerprint Repair Tool, but it seemed to last only until the device is restarted. It's possible that affected users might need to roll back to Android 14 beta 2 or perform a factory reset on their devices.
Of course, as a beta software release, Android 14 has its fair share of problems, despite reaching Platform Stability with the latest update. It's always recommended that you reframe from installing beta software on your daily driver.
With any luck, Google will roll out a fix soon.
Aside from the broken fingerprint sensors, Google has included a number of bug fixes and new features with Android 14 Beta 3. Among them, new customization options are available for the lock screen, and users can once again open the Clock app by tapping the time in the Quick Settings menu.
