At the beginning of this month, Google released the Android 8.1 Oreo update for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL which fixed a number of bugs. However, the update seems to have inadvertently introduced another bug: slower fingerprint scanner performance. Many Pixel 2 XL owners have been complaining about the fingerprint scanner being slow to unlock their device after the latest update.

The issue does not seem to affect all Pixel 2 XL units out there but there are still plenty of affected users out there for Google to actually look into the matter. I am facing a similar issue on my Pixel 2 XL unit as the fingerprint scanner seems to be taking slightly longer than usual to wake up and unlock the device. Additionally, the fingerprint sensor straight up refuses to work properly sometimes signalling an underlying bug.

The bug seems to be limited only to the bigger Pixel 2 XL with smaller Pixel 2 owners reporting no such issues.

Some users report that having Ambient Display mode always enabled leads to a reduction in the unlock time so you can try this workaround until an actual fix is released from Google. On a positive note, Google is already aware of the issue and is contacting affected users for more details for a possible fix.

Have you noticed your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL taking longer to unlock after the Android 8.1 update? Are you satisfied with the phone’s fingerprint scanner accuracy and speed?