Google's Find My Device adds biometric verification on Android devices

Google was working on enabling customers to access the Find My Device software on their phones via biometrics. The feature looks to be finally available via a new update, as evidenced by the Find My Device app version 3.1.173-1.

Before this update, users had to input their password to access the Find My Device app. While there was an option to input the password once and then press the "Don't ask again" box, this raised security concerns because it left the device susceptible. Anyone with access to a user's phone might use the app and change the list of devices.

However, the new biometric login option provides the user with a quicker and more secure login method. If the user has not enabled biometrics on their phone, they will still need to enter their Google account password. During the development phase, users could enable or disable the biometric login option. However, with the most recent update to the Find My Device app, the biometric login option is set by default, with no way to disable it.

Aside from the biometric logging feature, a new tablet user interface has been seen under development. Currently, the Find My Device app on tablets includes a bottom sheet that may be used to expose or hide additional options, just like it does on phones.

The layout has been somewhat altered with the new updated interface, and the bottom sheet has been moved to the app's left side. The side panel now contains all of the options, providing more vertical room to engage with. Notably, the side panel does not appear to be resizable, and when opened, it occupies about half of the screen space.

For the time being, it is unclear when the improved tablet user interface will be made available to the general public. Still, the biometric login option is present in the most recent version of the Find My Device app. If you want to use the functionality, make sure you have the most recent update for the app.