Use a soft, lint-free cloth to gently wipe the surface of the screen protector, removing any visible dirt or debris. Dampen a corner of the cloth with a small amount of water or isopropyl alcohol (70% or less) and gently wipe the surface of the fingerprint sensor.
Use dish soap to lightly clean the sticky side. Then rinse. This step will help remove any finger print stains and dust particles that are stuck.
Due to the material and the thickness of a screen protector, you might not be able to unlock your smartphone with your fingerprint. This is often the case with glass screen protectors. In the specifications on the product page of your screen protector, you can see if it's compatible with a fingerprint scanner.
A clean fingerprint sensor is key at any time. Dirt and oils can build on the reader, so give it a cleaning with a soft dry cloth. Another culprit in fingerprint problems is simply how you aim. Make sure your finger is covering the reader and positioned properly over the sensor.
Never do the following:
DO NOT use alcohol-based cleaners. DO NOT pour glass cleaner directly on the reader window. DO NOT submerge the reader in liquid. DO NOT rub the capture area with any abrasive material, including paper.
A micro cloth or a slightly damp soft towel will take care of most things, being careful not to introduce moisture into any ports. Wipe the device thoroughly when clean with a soft cloth.
Rubbing your finger on your forehead before placing it on the reader sometimes helps. If this does not help, try registering your fingerprint again. Do not use hand sanitizer or wash your hands just prior to using the fingerprint reader.
If you attach accessories, such as screen protectors to the touch screen, the touch screen may not work properly. Small stickers, such as protective labels, can also affect touch sensitivity.
Like most hardware-related device problems, a broken fingerprint sensor can be fixed at home. However, this is not recommended for someone who hasn't familiarized themselves with the tools and knowledge required, so it's best to consider the previous option if your tech and DIY knowledge aren't great.
Anti-fingerprint / oleophobic coating
An anti-fingerprint or oleophobic coating is common for most touchscreen devices. It's designed to reduce smudging and blotting on your phone screen from the oils in your fingers. Many regular screen protectors offer this feature, and it's one worth considering.
Do not ever use Clorox, Windex, or Lysol cleaning products on your electronic devices. Smartphone screens should only be cleaned with alcohol-based cleaners, such as lens cleaning wipes you would use to clean your eyeglasses. Another option would be to use a screen cleaner designed to be used on computer screens.
Do not use rubbing alcohol, paper towels, compressed air, dish soap or vinegar. All of these can damage your phone: Paper towels can scratch your screen, and vinegar could damage its coating. Do not use hand sanitizer on your phone screen, but do sanitize your hands before touching your phone.
In general, phone and screen protector manufacturers will tell you to stay away from using alcohol and other disinfecting wipes. That's because, over time, these wipes can wear away the oleophobic (oil-repellent) coating, the thin glaze that makes your screen more fingerprint resistant and gives it that smooth feel.
Losing fingerprints as you age
The ridges of your fingerprints will become thicker, which means there's less space between them. That can make fingerprints become an unreadable blur when placed on a scanner, especially if you apply pressure.
The fingerprint sensor of your phone has been strictly inspected and has good scratch resistance. It does not easily crack, scratch, or wear out. However, if the fingerprint sensor is hit by any hard, sharp objects, it may crack, get scratched, or wear out over time.
Ensure your device is not being wirelessly charged and try again. If your fingerprint still isn't being recognised, you can try removing and then registering your fingerprint again. If you no longer want to use a fingerprint to unlock your device you can turn the fingerprint unlock method off.
Suppose you have enabled the Find My Device option from Settings on your Android device before it gets locked, and remember the Google account credentials linked with your device. In that case, you can bypass the fingerprint lock by Find My Device remotely.
Wet cleaning method for camera sensor: If that happens, the next step is to use a sensor cleaning brush. These are very special brushes whose bristles hold an electrostatic charge and attract particles off the sensor, rather than “sweeping” them off, so only a light touch is needed.
Fingerprints can ruin the look of your stainless steel appliances, but you don't need to buy special stainless steel cleaner if you have hand sanitizer. On a cloth, the gel will remove fingerprints, spattered oil, and other grease marks.
So how often should you clean your sensor? The quick answer is – whenever you need it. If you take your camera out for a spin every day or once a week and switch lens regularly then you might have to do it once a month. If you are the occasional photographer then perhaps every few months or so.
Some of the rubbing alcohol may work its way behind the display interface and into the capacitive touchscreen's circuit board where it causes permanent damage. To err on the side of caution, avoid using rubbing alcohol and all other liquid-based cleaning products on your capacitive touchscreen.
Try baby wipes! Since these are designed to clean skin, they can often break down the oils in fingerprints and clean them off surprisingly well.