I Made My Android Phone Unlock My Windows PC (Because I'm Too Cheap for a Fingerprint Reader)

andriod phone Mar 29, 2026

My laptop doesn't have a fingerprint sensor. No fancy Windows Hello camera either. Just a password prompt staring at me every time I open the lid.

Meanwhile Apple users are over there unlocking their Macs with their Apple Watch like it's nothing. Seamless ecosystem stuff that just works.

I wanted that. But I'm on Windows and Android, so I had to figure it out myself.

Found a post on XDA by Skanda Hazarika and João Carrasqueira that got me started. Spent way too long testing different setups, broke things a few times, but eventually got something working that actually feels good to use.

Here's what I tried.

Option 1: Remote Fingerprint Unlock

This is the easiest one to set up. It's an app by an XDA dev called Andrew-X that lets you use your phone's fingerprint sensor to unlock your PC.

What you need:

Android 6.0 or newer with a fingerprint sensor
Windows Vista through 11 (but not ARM devices, sorry Surface Pro X people)
Both devices on the same network

Setup:

Install the app on your phone from the Play Store
Download the Windows Fingerprint Credential Module on your PC
Lock your PC and you'll see a new "Fingerprint Unlock" option on the lock screen
Open the app, scan your fingerprint once for initial setup
Go to Scan, hit the plus icon, find your PC
Add your Windows account credentials

Now when you want to unlock, just open the app and tap your fingerprint. Done.

The good: It works. When it works. The free version handles one PC with one account, which is enough for most people. Pro is like $2 if you want multiple PCs or Wake-on-LAN.

The annoying: Network stuff can be finicky. If your phone and PC aren't on the same WiFi, or your router does weird things with device discovery, you'll be messing with firewall settings. I had to allow port 4009 for LogonUI.exe. Also it's not true Windows Hello integration, it's more of a workaround that sends your credentials over.

Is it safe? The dev says passwords are encrypted and nothing's stored on your phone. VirusTotal doesn't flag it. But it's not open source, so you're trusting Andrew-X. Up to you.

Option 2: PC Bio Unlock

This one's newer and honestly might be the better choice now. Made by Meis Apps, it's open source (the desktop part at least), works on Windows AND Linux, and even has macOS support coming.

What you need:

Same Android requirements as above
Windows or Linux (supports GNOME, KDE, SDDM, LightDM, Cinnamon)

Setup: Download the desktop app from meis-apps.com and the phone app from the Play Store. Pair them over WiFi (port 43295 if your firewall complains). The pairing process generates a random encryption key so everything's encrypted between devices.

The good: Open source desktop companion so you can actually see what it's doing. Linux support is huge if you're dual-booting like me. It handles UAC prompts on Windows and sudo on Linux. The Pro version has auto-unlock when your phone's in range which is pretty sick.

The annoying: Still needs both devices on the same network for initial pairing. Bluetooth support exists but requires WiFi first. Some people report battery drain issues.

Option 3: Samsung Flow (Samsung Users Only)

If you've got a Samsung phone, you already have a built-in solution and might not even know it.

Samsung Flow lets you unlock any Windows 10/11 PC using your Galaxy phone's fingerprint. It's their answer to Apple Continuity.

What you need:

Samsung Galaxy S5 or newer (most A-series work too)
Windows 10 with TPM chip and Bluetooth
Both devices paired via Bluetooth

Setup: Install Samsung Flow on both devices, pair over Bluetooth, verify the passcodes match, then register your fingerprint. Enable "Windows Screen Unlock" in the PC app settings.

The good: It's official Samsung software that actually integrates with Windows Hello. Also syncs notifications, does file transfers, and can share your phone's hotspot automatically.

The bad: Samsung phones only. No Pixel, no OnePlus, no nothing else. And some people say it stopped working for them after updates, which is annoying.

Which One Should You Use?

If you have a Samsung phone: Samsung Flow. It's official, it works, and you get extra features.

If you want open source and Linux support: PC Bio Unlock. The fact that you can audit the code is nice, and the Linux support is genuinely useful.

If you just want something quick and don't care about the rest: Remote Fingerprint Unlock. It's been around longer, more people use it, and setup is dead simple.

Is Any of This Actually Secure?

Look, I'm not gonna pretend these are enterprise-grade security solutions. You're sending credentials over your local network to unlock your machine. The apps encrypt stuff, but you're still trusting third-party software with your Windows password.

For my home setup? I'm fine with it. I'm not protecting state secrets, I just don't want to type my password fifty times a day.

For work? Maybe just type the password. Or buy an actual fingerprint reader, they're like $30.

The Dream Setup

What I really want is what Apple has: walk up to my PC with my phone in my pocket, and it just unlocks. No app opening, no fingerprint scanning, just proximity-based trust.

PC Bio Unlock Pro supposedly does this with auto-unlock when your phone's in Bluetooth range. Haven't tried it yet but it's tempting.

Until then, I'm using Remote Fingerprint Unlock and it's... fine. Better than typing a password. Not as good as real Windows Hello. But for free? Can't complain.

Links: