How to Setup Fingerprint Security on Xiaomi Mi 5

One of the good features of the flagship Xiaomi Mi 5 smartphone (read Xiaomi Mi 5 hands-on) is the inclusion of fingerprint scanner, which helps in security and unlocking of the screen with fingerprint recognition. The sensor is located on the home button of the Mi 5.

Here is how you can setup fingerprint sensor security on your Xiaomi Mi 5. You will need to follow a few steps of security setup before registering your fingerprint because it isn’t just the fingerprint security that you have to setup but also an additional way of unlocking as an alternative.

Go to Settings > Lock screen & password > Screen lock & fingerprint. Here, tap on the option Add fingerprint and you will be taken to the option of setting up one of the unlock options – Pattern, PIN, and Password. Set up one of them, based on what you would usually use if not using your fingerprint to unlock.

According to Xiaomi, Pattern unlock has medium security, while PIN is higher on the security level, and Password has the highest level of security among the three. Once that is done, you will be taken to the next page where you will have to place the finger on the home button to help register the fingerprint.

After a few lifts and placement of finger (I use the thumb as that is easier for the home button), the fingerprint is registered and then, you can set what to use it for – Lock screen, Child mode, and File explorer. The File explorer option is turned ON by default and you cannot turn it off.

How quick is the fingerprint recognition on the Xiaomi Mi 5? To our surprise, the speed is too good. You will have to first let the device know that you intend to unlock your phone, so a gentle press of the home button is required, but as soon as you press it, the phone won’t even have to show the lock screen because, with the speed of fingerprint recognition, it will directly unlock the device. We are very much impressed with the speed of fingerprint recognition on the Xiaomi Mi 5.

Are you having any issues while trying to set up the fingerprint sensor security or unlocking your screen later on the Mi 5? comment below. Also, check out how to setup fingerprint sensor on Redmi Note 3.