4 ms·

Do they expect your fingerprints to have changed?

swiftcoder 4y ago
Unfortunately, fingerprints do change. Cut your thumb slicing tomatoes? Have fun logging in for the next few days. Took up a fun new hobby, like, say, blacksmithing, or ceramic sculpture? Say permanent goodbye to your fingerprints ever scanning correctly again...
- MereInterest 4y ago
  Any time I use shellac as a wood finish, I get a layer of shellac on top of all my fingers. There’s no way the fingerprint scanning would work after that.
  - 007asdflkjsfd 4y ago
    happily for you, you have the problem AND the solution! next time, (besides using gloves for once) drop a blob of shellac on a shallow container with flexible sides (silicone or any flimsy bottle cap). After a few hours, take off gloves and thumbprint for several minutes with very light pressure on the blob of shellac. after another few hours, tie some nylon ties to the side of the container and tighten every now and then so that the end result is a convex plane with your finger prints. you want it slight convex but still mostly plane. Done. now wait for that to dry. apply some harder finishing synthetic laqueur to preserve it longer. just keep that in your pocket and you will be able to unlock most phones. note that some phones (correctly) do not mirror your prints, thought most do for some reason... for those you will have to first cast you prints and then cast the reusable token. which make getting a convex token in the end easier tho... but for the dozen of devices i've tested, they all mirror just fine. ... and that's reason #1239090 why using biometrics as passwords are a really stupid idea. it's only good for convenience shortcuts, so fine on phones, bad on anything else.
    - brookst 4y ago
      https://www.livescience.com/62393-dead-fingerprint-unlock-phone.html https://www.livescience.com/62393-dead-fingerprint-unlock-ph...
      - doodlesdev 4y ago
        I believe this does not apply to ultrasound-based fingerprint sensors like the ones we have below the screen on Samsung's [0]. Not sure how other manufacturers are doing their fingerprint scanning nowadays. [0]: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/galaxy-s10-has-ultrasonic-fingerprint-scanner-heres-why-you-should-care-explainer/ https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/galaxy-s10-has-ultrasonic-f...
- semi-extrinsic 4y ago
  Any kind of work in the garage has a 30% chance of messing up my thumb fingerprint, so I have to use passwords/PINs for a few days.
thecopy 4y ago
As a climber: Yes. My MacBook TouchID stops working on days i climb.

Unfortunately, fingerprints do change. Cut your thumb slicing tomatoes? Have fun logging in for the next few days. Took up a fun new hobby, like, say, blacksmithing, or ceramic sculpture? Say permanent goodbye to your fingerprints ever scanning correctly again...

MereInterest 4y ago
Any time I use shellac as a wood finish, I get a layer of shellac on top of all my fingers. There’s no way the fingerprint scanning would work after that.
- 007asdflkjsfd 4y ago
  happily for you, you have the problem AND the solution! next time, (besides using gloves for once) drop a blob of shellac on a shallow container with flexible sides (silicone or any flimsy bottle cap). After a few hours, take off gloves and thumbprint for several minutes with very light pressure on the blob of shellac. after another few hours, tie some nylon ties to the side of the container and tighten every now and then so that the end result is a convex plane with your finger prints. you want it slight convex but still mostly plane. Done. now wait for that to dry. apply some harder finishing synthetic laqueur to preserve it longer. just keep that in your pocket and you will be able to unlock most phones. note that some phones (correctly) do not mirror your prints, thought most do for some reason... for those you will have to first cast you prints and then cast the reusable token. which make getting a convex token in the end easier tho... but for the dozen of devices i've tested, they all mirror just fine. ... and that's reason #1239090 why using biometrics as passwords are a really stupid idea. it's only good for convenience shortcuts, so fine on phones, bad on anything else.
  - brookst 4y ago
    https://www.livescience.com/62393-dead-fingerprint-unlock-phone.html https://www.livescience.com/62393-dead-fingerprint-unlock-ph...
    - doodlesdev 4y ago
      I believe this does not apply to ultrasound-based fingerprint sensors like the ones we have below the screen on Samsung's [0]. Not sure how other manufacturers are doing their fingerprint scanning nowadays. [0]: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/galaxy-s10-has-ultrasonic-fingerprint-scanner-heres-why-you-should-care-explainer/ https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/galaxy-s10-has-ultrasonic-f...
semi-extrinsic 4y ago
Any kind of work in the garage has a 30% chance of messing up my thumb fingerprint, so I have to use passwords/PINs for a few days.

thecopy 4y ago

As a climber: Yes. My MacBook TouchID stops working on days i climb.