Shortly after releasing the stable December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop, Google earlier this week released the second Android 14 QPR2 beta. While there are a number of new features in the most recent beta, Google’s release notes mainly focus on bug fixes. One of the issues that was present was the biometric prompt crashing before to unlocking your Pixel. So, you were mistaken if you believed that your Pixel’s biometric unlock issues would be resolved by updating to the most recent Android 14 QPR2 beta. The in-display scanner on the Pixel 7 is broken by the second QPR2 beta, as many users are now discovering.
A “Can’t use fingerprint sensor error” has been brought to the attention of several Pixel 7 Pro users on Reddit about the most recent Android 14 AP11.231117.006 beta build. They are forced to utilise their pattern/PIN or face unlock in order to access their handset because this bug renders the fingerprint scanner completely unusable. Other Pixel phones running the beta do not appear to be affected by the issue.
Fortunately, Google has already identified the issue and is prioritising a repair, as reported by 9to5Google. Anticipate the release of Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2.1 with the problem repair before the holidays, if the company manages to cure the issue internally quickly.
You can try recalibrating the fingerprint sensor to see if it helps until Google fixes the issue. Recalibrating the in-display scanner appears to have resolved the biometric unlock method for a few Pixel 7 customers. Additionally, Google advises doing this until a patch is released. To recalibrate the fingerprint scanner on your Pixel, refer to iFixit’s guide. You will need access to a PC for the process to work. Try again after restarting your phone if the tool isn’t working. After the recalibration, you need to restart your phone twice in order for the sensor to function.
The release of Android 14 QPR2 (March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop) is still more than two months away. Therefore, these beta flaws shouldn’t worry you too much because they will inevitably surface in beta builds as they are being developed.
Consider switching back to the stable channel if you’re sick of your phone’s important features being inadvertently broken by beta builds. The catch is that when the next feature drop drops, that’s when your window to revert to a stable build without wiping your data will open. If you choose not to migrate now, all of your Google data and accounts will be deleted from your phone, and you will have to reset it from the beginning.
The quick wallpaper selector on Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 is likewise broken; Google should fix this in a later beta. Regarding features, the March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop is expected to simplify Wi-Fi sharing further. Other features include a notification cooldown, a redesigned volume slider, a per-app screen recorder, and more. There are a tonne of hidden features in Android 14 QPR2, however not all of them may make it into the stable build.