Enabling Fingerprint Authentication on Fedora

Fedora's fingerprint reader allows users to securely authenticate and authorize access to their system without having to enter passwords every time. However, setting up fingerprint authentication requires some technical know-how. In this article, we will guide you through the process of enabling fingerprint authentication on your Fedora machine.

Installing the Driver

Before you can use your fingerprint reader, you need to install the necessary driver. If you are upgrading from an older version of Fedora or using a Dell laptop with a Goodix fingerprint sensor (such as the Inspiron series), you may need to remove any existing pam_fprint package and PAM configuration files.

Configuring authconfig

To enable fingerprint authentication, you need to configure authconfig. This can be done by navigating to System → Administration → Authentication. From here, simply toggle the switch next to 'Enable Fingerprint Authentication' to enable it.

Enrolling Your Fingerprint

Once you have enabled fingerprint authentication, you need to enroll your fingerprint in gnome-about-me. To do this, navigate to System → Preferences → Personal → About Me and follow the prompts to enroll your fingerprint.

Using Fingerprint Authentication

With fingerprint authentication enabled and your fingerprint enrolled, you can now use your fingerprint reader to log in to your system. Simply place your finger on the sensor and Fedora will authenticate your login credentials without requiring a password.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues with fingerprint authentication, such as gnome-keyring not unlocking the login keyring, try running authconfig as mentioned above to clear any previous changes made to PAM configuration.

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully enable fingerprint authentication on your Fedora machine. Remember that Fedora 11 and later versions support authentication using fingerprint readers, so even if you are upgrading from an older version of Fedora, you can still take advantage of this secure authentication method.

Fedora fingerprint reader