this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2025
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Privacy

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Apologies If I can't list specific 3rd Android OS here. I know you can't on some reddit privacy subs due to some beef between devs I guess. I'll take down if needed :)

Regardless, Ive been running GOS for a while and just found out theres a feature that allows you to use biometrics while still requiring your pin on the initial lock screen. One of my concerns with biometrics is that in some jurisdictions, law enforcement can force someone to open their phone through face ID or thumb print.

I've been using this feature that allows you to use biometrics but when you are on the lock screen, it still requires your pin. I thought this was really cool because it allows me to use biometrics only to unlock my apps while still adding an extra layer of protection to the unlocking of the device itself. Obviously slightly Inconvenient depending on your worries/threat level, but I just wanted to share this in case anyone else was interested and didnt know about it! Very cool!

EDIT: I just re-read my screenshot and it looks like fingerprint unlock is not correlated to using fingerprint for app unlocking. If this is the case then I'm not quite sure what the actual benefits are here. Please feel free to clarify!

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago

There is also an aftermarket solution, if you are not on gos, three name is duress on droid.

If you still want the comfort to open your phone via biometrics plus disable biometrics in emergencies there is private lock (fdroid). It will engage when the phone is shaken, e.g. a thief grabs it from your hand while you are typing, or you shake so nobody can force you to open it by fingerprint. The device will be locked and biometrics disabled until you unlock it again. There is also a recently updated app on fdroid with the same features, but it was not as reliable for me so I went back to using private lock.