When biometrics stop working on your RealMe 16, unlocking your phone quickly becomes frustrating. Fingerprint and face recognition issues usually come from software glitches, outdated settings, or sensor problems. The good news is that most biometric issues can be fixed with a few careful checks and adjustments.
Why Biometrics Are Not Working on Your RealMe 16
- Fingerprint or face data is corrupted or outdated.
- The sensor is dirty, damaged, or blocked.
- Software bugs after a system update.
- Power saving or security settings are interfering with biometrics.
- The phone has not been restarted for a long time.
1. Clean the Fingerprint Sensor and Front Camera
Biometric sensors rely on clear physical contact or visibility. Dirt, oil, or moisture can stop them from recognizing your fingerprint or face properly.
Use a clean, dry microfiber cloth to wipe the fingerprint sensor.
Gently clean the front camera area, and then try unlocking your phone again.
2. Restart Your Phone
Temporary system glitches can interrupt biometric services. A restart refreshes background processes and often restores fingerprint and face recognition immediately.
Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
Tap the Power icon, and then tap Restart.
3. Re register Your Fingerprint or Face Data
Saved biometric data can become unreliable over time. Re registering ensures the phone captures fresh and accurate information.
Open Settings, and then tap Password and security.
Tap Fingerprint or Face unlock, and then delete the existing data.
Add a new fingerprint or face scan, and follow the on screen instructions carefully.
4. Check Biometric Unlock Settings
Biometrics may be enabled but restricted for certain actions. Making sure all unlock options are allowed prevents unnecessary failures.
Open Settings, and then tap Password and security.
Tap Fingerprint or Face unlock, and ensure Screen unlock is enabled.
5. Turn Off Power Saving Mode
Power saving features can limit biometric services to reduce battery usage. This can cause fingerprint or face unlock to stop working.
Open Settings, and then tap Battery.
Tap Power saving mode, and switch it off.
6. Update Your Phone Software
Software bugs can interfere with biometric sensors. Installing the latest system update often includes fixes that restore proper functionality.
Open Settings, and then tap Software update.
Check for updates, and install any available version.
7. Test Biometrics in Safe Mode
Third party apps can sometimes interfere with security features. Safe Mode helps you confirm whether an app is causing the problem.
Press and hold the Power key, and then tap Restart.
When prompted, boot into Safe Mode and test fingerprint or face unlock.
If biometrics work in Safe Mode, an installed app is likely the cause. You can remove recently added apps one by one to identify the issue.
Biometric issues on the RealMe 16 are usually caused by small system or sensor problems. Once you clean the sensor, refresh settings, and update the software, fingerprint and face unlock should work smoothly again.
FAQs
Why does my fingerprint work sometimes but fail most of the time?
This often happens when the sensor is dirty or the fingerprint was registered incorrectly. Re registering your fingerprint usually improves accuracy.
Can a screen protector affect fingerprint unlocking?
Yes. Thick or low quality screen protectors can interfere with in display fingerprint sensors. Using a compatible protector helps maintain reliability.
What if biometrics still do not work after all fixes?
If the issue continues, the sensor may be damaged. In this case, contacting a RealMe service center for hardware inspection is recommended.
