The Find My Device app for Android may soon add biometric unlocking

The Find My Device app for Android may be getting a big update soon as it brings support for biometric unlocking.

For a long time, the purpose of the Find My Device app on Android was solely to locate someone else’s lost smartphone, tablet, or Android device. As such, it wasn’t used particularly often, and it also made sense for it to be blocked more often than most other apps. By default, the app requires you to sign in to your Google Account every time you open it, or you can simply leave it unlocked.

As he noticed Android authoritiesa new app update could allow users to lock the app with biometric unlock, making it easier to access while ensuring security.

The change was manually enabled in the app, although it is unclear what version of the app was used. Google hasn’t updated the Find My Device app since early April, so it’s at least a little strange that it’s only now showing up.

However, it seems likely that the change was made via Google Play Services, as the same report also shows that Google is making progress on the new “Remote Lock” menu. This was announced at Google I/O and will be rolled out “later this year.”

In any case, it’s good to see Google doubling down on these features. Lost devices are no fun, and with the continued growth of Find My Device and new AirTag-like trackers hitting the market, Android users have a ton of new, useful options.

More about Find My Device:

Follow Ben: Twitter/XThreads and Instagram