Ubuntu Fingerprint Troubleshooting

August 30 2024 9:25pm • Est. Read Time: 2 MIN

Ubuntu Fingerprint Troubleshooting



If you're on Ubuntu and find that you're unable to get your fingerprint reader working after following this step by step process, then this troubleshooting guide is for you.

This guide is broken up into sections depending on what the issue you're experiencing happens to be. Just scroll through until you locate the issue that reflects what you're experiencing.


Ubuntu never asks for a fingerprint at login


This because automatic login is selected under your user in User accounts - disable this feature.




Fingerprint reader setup says failed to enroll my fingerprint


If you followed the Ubuntu fingerprint instructions as described in our Ubuntu guides and you're seeing an alert like the one below, you will need to clear your old fingerprints for all operating systems past and present.



Instances whereas you're unable to register your fingerprint. The way forward is to delete all previous finger prints and start over. We will do this using fprintd-delete. But instead of selecting the individual print to delete, we will be deleting all of them across all users on this Ubuntu install.

Download and run this script. Choose option 11.


Note: If you find yourself hitting enroll-disconnected, this is because a finger print is already registered - regardless of the user. Will want to run the above linked script, delete the finger prints on your other account on on this one. The script will figure it out.

From this point on, you should find that enrolling your fingerprints as described in our Ubuntu guides just works. 


Sudo in the terminal isn't prompting for a fingerprint

If after setting up a registered print successfully, rebooting, you are not able to get sudo to prompt for your fingerprint, continue below.

To get this working, simply follow the instructions below.

Open a terminal, paste in the following code and press the enter key:

sudo apt install libpam-fprintd

Now still in the terminal, run:

sudo pam-auth-update

Arrow down to the "Fingerprint authentication" box, space bar to select, tab key to Ok.

Now log out, log back in. Open a terminal and test it with:

sudo apt update




Failed to claim fingerprint device Goodix MOC Fingerprint Sensor


If you are seeing the following error when you try to register a fingerprint on Ubuntu.

Please visit the Framework Laptop Fingerprint Readers with 01000320 Firmware Update Guide.