How to troubleshoot and Unlock Biometric feature of Blink App

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

How to troubleshoot and Unlock Biometric feature of Blink App

2. Clarification

Choose the OS

3. Resolution

Biometric Unlock enables opening of the blink app using the biometric features of your device. Biometric features refers to face ID, fingerprint, or other device-based authentication using some aspect of your physical being. 

When Biometric Unlock is active, your device disables the screenshot function. If your device running the Blink app does not have a biometric feature, enabling Biometric Unlock has no result

4. Turn on Biometric Unlock

1. Tap the gear icon then Manage Account. It is a switch underneath "Delete clip from notification"
2. The device must have some kind of biometric authentication available and set up. If no biometric authentication has been set up, the Biometric Unlock setting has no effect

5. Authentication

Biometric authentication is completely handled by the device, outside of the Blink app. While the authentication prompt is being shown, the Blink app is not in control of the user interface.

Some common authentication failure resolutions:

1. Face Recognition on android: It often times out after only ~5 seconds.
        Be ready to authenticate before selecting "Try Again"
2. TouchID on iOS: The home button does not need to be pressed, only touched enough for a fingerprint to be registered. If the home button is pressed, the app closes, requiring authentication when the app is reopened.
3. Tap "Try Again" to be sure that your biometric recognition has reset and is active.
4. Use the option to "sign out" which exits you to the username and password screen

6. Re-Authentication when re-opening the app

This is correct behavior. The app cannot know it was the same user that closed Blink, opened the other apps or settings screen, then re-opened Blink. To protect your account, Biometric Unlock re-authenticates every time the app is opened

7. App preview be when the app is in the background

App preview be when the app is in the background

The app preview should be a blue-tinted blur. If the app is running in the foreground, and the App Switcher is opened, then the blink app's preview should be the most-recent screen

8. Resolution

Biometric Unlock enables opening of the blink app using the biometric features of your device. Biometric features refers to face ID, fingerprint, or other device-based authentication using some aspect of your physical being. 

When Biometric Unlock is active, your device disables the screenshot function. If your device running the Blink app does not have a biometric feature, enabling Biometric Unlock has no result

9. Turn on Biometric Unlock

1. Tap the gear icon then Manage Account. It is a switch underneath "Delete clip from notification"
2. The device must have some kind of biometric authentication available and set up. If no biometric authentication has been set up, the Biometric Unlock setting has no effect

10. Authentication

Biometric authentication is completely handled by the device, outside of the Blink app. While the authentication prompt is being shown, the Blink app is not in control of the user interface.

Some common authentication failure resolutions:

1. Face Recognition on android: It often times out after only ~5 seconds.
        Be ready to authenticate before selecting "Try Again"
2. TouchID on iOS: The home button does not need to be pressed, only touched enough for a fingerprint to be registered. If the home button is pressed, the app closes, requiring authentication when the app is reopened.
3. Tap "Try Again" to be sure that your biometric recognition has reset and is active.
4. Use the option to "sign out" which exits you to the username and password screen

11. Re-Authentication when re-opening the app

This is correct behavior. The app cannot know it was the same user that closed Blink, opened the other apps or settings screen, then re-opened Blink. To protect your account, Biometric Unlock re-authenticates every time the app is opened

12. No device PIN fallback

No device PIN fallback

Yes, that is as-designed. The regular sign-in process is still available if Biometric Unlock does not work as expected