Google Pixel 6's fingerprint scanner is perfectly placed, so it's a shame it sucks

Google Pixel 6 held in hand with thumb reaching for fingerprint scanner
(Image credit: TechRadar / John McCann)

Fingerprint scanners on phones have been around for almost a decade, and while Apple is determined to move away from them, our digits are still the body biometric of choice for the majority of manufacturers. 

However, not every print sensor is made, or located, equal. Picking up the Pixel 6 for the first time, it was clear Google had got something right. The fingerprint scanner location.

It's embedded under the display - which is common these days - but unlike some manufacturers, it's not right at the base of the screen. 

Rather, Google has located the scanner about a quarter of the way up the screen, and this makes it much easier to hit. 

Removing fingerprint frustrations

I was swapping over from the OnePlus 9, which has a sensor towards the bottom of the display. It means when held in one hand, I'd sometimes need to awkwardly shuffle the handset to get my thumb in the correct place. 

Before the OnePlus 9 I was using the Pixel 4a for a few months in 2020, and while its rear mounted scanner was easy to hit when the phone was in-hand, it wasn't accessible when lying on my desk. 

The Google Pixel 6 addresses both of these frustrations. It's easy to hit when held in the hand, and also accessible when laid on a desk - it also has the added benefit of not rocking on a desk when you prod it, as its oversized camera bump spans the entire width of the handset, providing a solid grounding for the handset.

Compare that to a number of major handsets today, whose cameras tend to be located in one corner on their rears, and you’re in wobble city.

Back to the Pixel 6 though, and my top tip for registering your fingerprints - on this phone or any other with an under-display scanner - is do both thumbs and both forefingers. This combination ensures easy unlocking in any scenario.

I was delighted with these revelations, but now having used the Pixel 6 for over a week, there is a fundamental issue that’s dampening my initial optimism.

Google Pixel 6 held in hand with thumb reaching for fingerprint scanner

(Image credit: TechRadar / John McCann)

Not all plain sailing

While the placement of the fingerprint scanner on the Google Pixel 6 is perfect, the performance isn't so good. 

The scanner on the Pixel 6 feels a tad slow. I'm talking a fraction of a second or so, but there's a noticeable delay versus some of the many phones I've used over the years. 

It's still relatively early days - I've been using the Pixel 6 for two weeks - but another, bigger annoyance I'm facing is the high frequency of failed readings. 

A lot of the fingerprint scanners in new phones improve accuracy the more you use them, so the Pixel 6 may well improve for me as the weeks go by, but early detection performance isn't promising. 

James Peckham, TechRadar's Phones Editor, has also cited similar issues on the Google Pixel 6 Pro, so it isn't just me.

It's not just when I'm unlocking the handset either. I've had to scan my finger multiple times before being allowed into my other apps which I secure with the biometric tech. 

You really need to get your finger placement spot on, as otherwise the Pixel 6 struggles to verify your digit

I'm hopeful this is something that will improve over time with more use, or something Google can fix with a software update in the future. 

If the performance issues can be resolved, the Google Pixel 6 may have the best fingerprint scanner I've ever used on a phone, but for now it’s a case of great location, poor performance.

TOPICS
John McCann
Former Global Managing Editor

TechRadar's former Global Managing Editor, John has been a technology journalist for more than a decade, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He’s interviewed CEOs from some of the world’s biggest tech firms, visited their HQs, and appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC, and BBC Radio 4.

Read more
The Google Pixel 9a
The Google Pixel 9a’s AI has a RAM problem
The Google Pixel 9a in four shades
Google Pixel 9a: five of the biggest upgrades
Google Pixel 9 in green Wintergreen color showing AI features on screen
Older Pixels just got a big performance boost, while the Pixel 9a is lacking a key feature
Samsung Galaxy S23 screen
I downsized my phone after using a big phablet for years – it’s a breath of fresh air, but it just makes me want a new iPhone SE
AI generated image from prompt: "A photorealistic image of a very large family angry mad bitter fighting at a nondescript family dinner. We are looking at the angry family everybody is angry over the shoulder of an angry young child who is pointing at the rest of the family, accusing them of disappointing him. The rest of the family is in denial or looks ashamed. We are looking over a family feast. Everybody is holding a smartphone and there are smartphones everywhere on plates and even the main course might be a gigantic roasted smartphone. The image is a bit surreal. There are at least a dozen people at the table and everybody is very angry and shouting and yelling and pointing at each other or trying to hide from the anger. It is like a scene from the show Seinfeld during a Festivus episode"
It is time for my Festivus phone rant, and these smartphones have some explaining to do
iPhone 16 Camera Control
I hope this new iPhone feature becomes industry standard in 2025
Latest in Google Pixel Phones
Google Pixel 9a being held, from the back
The Google Pixel 9a’s mysterious delay may have just been explained
Android 16 logo on a phone
Here's how Android 16 will upgrade the screen unlocking process on your Pixel
Google Pixel 9
The Google Pixel 10 just showed up in Android code – and may come with a useful speed boost
Google Pixel 9 in green Wintergreen color showing AI features on screen
Older Pixels just got a big performance boost, while the Pixel 9a is lacking a key feature
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL on peach background with don't miss text overlay
Why wait for the Pixel 9a? Here's a Pixel 9 Pro XL deal that can save you up to $600 at Best Buy
The Google Pixel 9a
The Google Pixel 9a’s AI has a RAM problem
Latest in News
DeepSeek
Deepseek’s new AI is smarter, faster, cheaper, and a real rival to OpenAI's models
Open AI
OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
An aerial view of an Instavolt Superhub for charging electric vehicles
Forget gas stations – EV charging Superhubs are using solar power to solve the most annoying thing about electric motoring