If you have problems using the in-display fingerprint reader on the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series, you are not alone. Cell phone readers are notoriously temperamental and sometimes won't even acknowledge that you're trying to unlock your phone. Fortunately, a Reddit user may have figured out one of the reasons for this.

In short, your Pixel's fingerprint reader may be acting up because your hands are too dry. It's an annoyingly simple problem to have to deal with, but equally easy to avoid. It's just a little crazy that it took nearly two years to figure out this particular problem.

The Reddit user in question claims that there has long been a problem with the Pixel's fingerprint scanner. It was especially noticeable after showering, washing hands, or swimming, and they have since discovered that wiping their fingers next to their nose can alleviate the problem.

Apparently, the grease on the nose is enough to alleviate its dryness enough for the Pixel's fingerprint scanner to register the attempt and unlock the phone. One commenter also noted that for those who find facial oils a bit too gross to use on a regular basis, a little lotion can be effective.

It is also interesting to note that touching the face is a solution. We have generally been told by medical professionals, especially since the beginning of the pandemic, that we should not do such things. And now, ignoring that advice seems to be the quick fix to the ongoing pixel problem. In fact, several people have confirmed that this trick (or something similar) works.

The Pixel's in-display fingerprint sensor has been causing problems ever since the Pixel 6 series was launched in October 2021. Various software updates have been released to try to improve performance, and the Pixel 7 appears to be a clear improvement over the previous model.

The downside, of course, is that the Pixel 7 series still uses an optical fingerprint scanner, and this sort of problem may remain; Pixel 7 owners say the nose trick worked, as evidenced by the fact that the Pixel 7's owner says the nose trick is now working.

So we expect Google to go a step further with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and drop the optical sensor in favor of an ultrasonic reader. This fingerprint reader, used in phones like Samsung's Galaxy S23 series, uses sound waves instead of regular light to generate a 3D image of the fingerprint.

This means that the ultrasonic reader is more accurate and is not inhibited by dirt or other things that might interfere with the reading from the optical sensor. It is also more secure because a potential hacker would need a 3D replica of your fingerprint to bypass the screen lock.

It is unclear if such an upgrade will be included in the Pixel 8, but it won't take long to find out. Various details have already leaked and we expect the phone to launch sometime in the fall - as per Google's usual release schedule. Until then, you can catch up on all the latest news and rumors at the Google Pixel 8 hub.