IssueTracker

It's also less battery-consuming than all of the other methods (or most).

Please bring back this feature. It has a lot more potential then bluetooth without the battery hassle.

If it were not for NFC unlock I would not use any kind of display lock at all.
Face unlock does not work properly, as well as trusted places.
Bluetooth would not make any sense, since I would have to unlock my phone to switch on bluetooth to have my phone unlocked by bluetooth (wtf ?).
On body detection is useless, too: whenever I carry my phone around in my pocket with the screen unlocked, all kinds of strange things happen when the screen gets activated by some app or another.
As for fingerprint, my phone does not have one. Even if my next phone had a fingerprint reader, it would be of no use when located in the back and the phone is sitting in any kind of holder or cradle.

Please bring this back. A much sought after feature for me.

We have passed this to the development team and will update this issue with more information as it becomes available.

I came here to comment that I depend on nfc unlock DAILY. Been using it that way for a year now and no other alternatives will work for me. The usage will grow as nfc has become more known and more are interested in using nfc devices for accessibility. Please bring this back Google. Been a solid customer for a decade now and would rather not find a work around. Turn it back on and I'm sure you'll see the usage grow!

Not a duplicate. It's a request.
And the one you've pointed to is a bug report.

Because you don't understand this, I've created a new post here:
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/67723376

Dear Google, maybe there aren't so many android users who unlock there smartphone via nfc. But the users who use it, are most probably power users who heavily depend on nfc. Is it really worth it to chase away these users?

Really loved it!

Please bring back NFC to Smart Lock. There was no reason to remove it. Don't be evil.

+1 Please bring back NFC to Smart Lock.  

Thanks to all those who have supported NFC Ring and it's goals.  We're working hard to make the hardware a great user experience which when used proves the value to all handset operating system providers(not just Google) that adopting NFC for unlock provides enough value to users to justify the cost of maintaining the code.  We(NFC Ring) have a cross to carry here and we are sorry we haven't been able to do enough recently, we feel somewhat to blame for this issue existing.

Finally, thanks to Google for providing the first initial implementation, it was a great first step and I'm sure if we can allocate significant enough resources to move things forward the re-launch of this feature could help further the adoption of Android.

Google, it is first time that I feel bad for google,
Recently, I bought a phone without fingerprints sensor,
I thought that I can unlock it by NFC Ring,
But it can't work any more!
face detection isn't good enough and it is high power consumption.
Please bring it back!
Or should I say, please enable it?

Removing this was ignorant as hell on your part google. you should be promoting better security not generic half security for dumb people to try to use their face so I can get on their phone wiht a picture or a bust of them I printed for 2 dollars. This was the only tangible think you provided to a secure element or smart card sign into an encrypted device. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION FOR YOU REMOVING THE FEATURE, HOW ABOUT YOU GUT SOME OF THE OTHER USELESS CRAP OUT LIKE YOUR PATHETIC EASTER  EGGS NOONE CARES ABOUT?!??!??!?!?! FIX THIS ASAP OR YOU LOOSE THE CRYPTO COMMUNITY

I would love to have this feature again, bluetooth unlock, GPS unlock, and on body detection suck

Very bad move.

I use NFC sticker in car holder to unlock the phone! With S8+ which has the fingerprint reader on the back it is best (low energy consuming) solution. Please return the native android support.

Bring back NFC unlock. Or add NFC U2F unlock with something like Yubikey.

I bought and NFC ring specifically so I could unlock my phone while wearing gloves during winter,
killing off working features because "we decided this regardless of what you all think" is not ok,
bring the feature back

Please bring it back google, I need it!

I own 2 nfc rings and really miss this. Turn it back on pls.

This is truly a move in the wrong direction.

It was Google's own (at the time) Moto X that began offering a significant
new option and, in many reviewers and users opinions, an improvement in
unlocking with NFC. It was extremely unfortunate and disappointing when
Google's own Android updates gutted much of the Motor X's NFC functionality
at the time.

No, I'd really hoped to eventually have two-factor authentication (PIN
*+* WiFi/geo-fence/NFC/BT/etc)
to get into the PHONE after it reboots, not just 2FA on OTHER devices.
After all, if we rely on our phone to provide such authentications for
other devices, that just highlights Android boot as a leak link in a chain.

With more and more being done on smartphones, and less on desktops,
laptops, or even tablets, we should be focusing more attention on
maintaining - *Nay*! - On *Improving* secure access to our phones, given
their increased value to miscreants.

As I read it, maybe Google isn't really all that serious about security
after all.
And all their 'security' press since Snowden is just a me-too smokescreen
to keep market share given Apple's very public stance on securing their
iPhones and iPads.

(Yes, that's a bit inflammatory. But IMO quite justified given Google
pulling quiet antics like this. And to be quite clear, I'm NOT an Apple
fan!)

Of course it's always possible that someone made mistakes in refactoring
code yet to be released, and this is merely a fig leaf concocted after the
fact to cover those errors in planning, validation, coding, and/or
verification.

This is the time to improve your game, not retreat by dumbing things down
or taking shortcuts.


On Dec 2, 2017 18:43, <buganizer-system@google.com> wrote:

I'm not sure if this has any chance of working, but I'm thoroughly disappointed in the functions' removal. I'm not a past user, i've been doing research and very much wanted to use the NFC unlock feature going forward. I would also like it returned.

I also bought a ring to try out this feature, to find out now that I can't.. VERY disappointed!

+1!

It was really useful to me, I had a nfc tag near my mouse pad. It was safer and much more precise compared to gps location!

We still want this feature back. Fingerprints are not any more secure than NFC tags for this purpose.

Please bring NFC back to Smart Lock, not everyone is willing to use something they are for unlocking a device.  No longer having it as an option because it is not as common as less safe approaches is not an excuse.

I have found a workaround, though it requires root and manually editing a preferences file.
Details on pastebin: https://pastebin.com/2RSZzERg

Please provide information on blocking issue #67446793 so users of this long standing feature can better understand why a handful of developers took this action and why they are reluctant to reverse it.

Please bring back this feature.

Please! I feel completely betrayed

NFC is secure and more convenient than trusted place or trusted device. Please bring it back!

I just bought an NFC phone and ring exactly for the purpose of using NFC unlock. For goodness sake Google devs this feature costs you nothing why take it out/??? And why aren't you listening to your customers?????????????

Please bring back this feature.

Bring this back!!!! I got a new replacement phone and suddenly u can no longer use my nfc ring, what the hell...

I finally find out that I can do this and you morons remove it for no realistic reason. wth?

Please bring back this feature.

@39 Please create a new thread about this (and publish here) . This one is closed and I don't think Google looks at it anymore

Why get rid of a feature? Was RFID unlock a security concern? I'm a developer who has now wasted a bunch of time

@GOOGLE
I'm a proud Nexus owner since the very first Nexus4
Now I switched to an AndroidONE device cause a I need dual sim (Nokia 7 plus)
Summer is coming, and waterproof case are common, cause they usually are not only waterproof (you can buy IP68 certificed mobiles like the Pixel2) but even floating, which is very important for those who practice water sports far from the coast (or even for those fishing on a lake.....waterproof is not enough)
THE MATTER IS....all of the new mobiles use fingerprint for unlocking (and face recognition is not accurate withdirect sunlight and the wateproof case film in between your pace and you mobile front facing camera)
an NFC ring was the perfect match to have a quick, secure and conveninet unlock in those circumstances
Please Google, do not behave like Apple who decides what its customers need and what not
Give us NFC unlock back!!!!

Oh for the love of God, just flip it back ON in the code!
How hard can it be?

New android owner here, somewhat frustrated that trusted places doesn't work at all on my note 8, was hoping to use this so my phone would stop locking constantly on my desk. +1 to bringing it back, or fixing trusted places.

OK made a new request:
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/111113401

Please please please, bring back NFC smartlock. There are obviously thousands of people who would like this feature and low usage rates are no reason to completely remove it!

Please, bring back NFC unlock, not the same functionality with the other options. Fingerprint reader in the back of the phone and Iris or face recognition not practical while in the car cradle. Also I want my phone (and private information) unlocked only when in trusted locations (personal desk, night table) identified with some NFC tag and not everywhere in the house where the bluetooth signal may reach. There may not be too many of us, but we rely on this feature which had no reason to go away.

In my opinion bluetooth unlocking is unsecure due to the distance the device remains unlocked. On body detection is unsecure because someone can take your phone from your hand, trusted place doesn't work because its not accurate enough. The best solution you have come up with so far, NFC unlock, has been discontinued.. however made that decision is pandering to the present not the future, just because people use safe place and on body more doesn't mean its the best option long term .. as more people get more nfc devices they will naturally move to nfc unlocking due to the limited proximity making it safer.

Is there some way to enable the FEATURE by ourself ?

Looking for an alternative function for the NFC smartlook.

Please star this issue, as this one is closed :
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/113754610

BRING BACK NFC!!!  Why take it off in the first place even if it is not widely used.  Is there a worksround for this? If so please share.

I have to say that NFC unlock is the future BY FAR.

Imagine, you unlock your watch every morning, then whenever you pick your phone it unlocks with NFC. Seamless, more secure as it's not bullshit biometry, no bluetooth (since it's range is ever expanding).

Just the best.

Recently picked up a Pixel 3 XL. Had this thought that it would be cool if I could unlock my phone with the 2FA USB key that I carry around since it has NFC. Found a Google result that shows how to enable it. Then I found the next Google result with news that it was removed a year ago. I have to admit that I'd probably still mostly use my fingerprint, but I think NFC is a little more popular now with these hardware keys. Bring it back please. And while you're add it, figure out how to use a hardware key over the body. Thank you.

Actually I think the Unlock via RFID was a great feature... I always had a
known card in a drawer to unlock my phone in emergencies...

<buganizer-system@google.com> schrieb am Sa., 17. Nov. 2018 01:14:

I was browsing the web for more than an hour in order to find out how to turn NFC unlock on, only to find out it was removed! Geo, Bluetooth and face recognition is not comparable, and sadly I got a phone case that prevents me from unlocking with fingerprint.
Is it possible to downgrade Android or Smart lock or root my phone in order to enable it? Probably not great in a security aspect, but if it makes my life easier, I might consider it.

Bring it back !

Bring NFC Unlock back!

I hate that I can't unlock my phone with NFC. I've been using all the other ways and nothing compares. They really should bring this back.

If Google doesn't want to enable this, they should issue "Security Provider" permission to verified third-party apps...

Please bring this back! NFC unlock is easily the best way to unlock my phone.

Google please bring this feature back! It is more usefull than other smart unlock features, and more secure.

Bring this back please

This is a useful feature that was eliminated with no evidence of it being harmful.

+1, bring it back please

+1! On cold days when I'm wearing hat, scarf, gloves, hood, and sunglasses the facial recognition and fingerprint unlocks do not work.

On-body detection is completely insecure from pickpockets.  Why did you remove NFC Google?  To help pickpockets so you can sell more phones?

Please bring it back. It's use cases are incredible.

+1 used to use this, got a new phone, now I'm sad. :(

Please Google bring it back!!! It's a piece of cake for you and we really need this features.

I miss NFC unlock. Please resurrect this simple and convenient feature for your power users.

I used this with my NFC ring. Please return the functionality.  Smart rings are getting more popular.

I am planning to embed a chip into my hand. It would really be great to be able to unlock the phone when I grab it. Please bring it back

Bring back NFC Smart Lock.

Bring this back guys

Embedded chips have become vastly popular in Sweden with other European countries following suit. This feature was very useful.

Having Samsung S10 with android 9 and purchased a NFC ring for it.
now i have read that i can enable the option when my phone is rooted, but it will cost me my warranty.

i say bring back the NFC Smart Lock.
Its getting more popular these days.

And i find it more secure then a bluetooth device or the other options that are provided.

Bring back NFC Smart Lock!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me guess: Apple somehow patented the action of taping nfc on a phone and so we bend over and remove it.

+1, bring it back please

Requesting this as well, Yubikey with NFC would be an ideal solution for unlocking. Especially, for those security conscious users who would prefer to purchase a Pixel 4, when the decision to remove the fingerprint reader was baseless.

Absolutely.

Using a physical token like an NFC credential (or wearable ring) that requires zero battery power to maintain (unlike bluetooth devices) and which cannot be spoofed NEARLY as easily as, say, GPS or "place-based" unlock solutions was a brilliant idea and deserving of continued work.

This is an accessibility issue that directly effects users! I had an NFC/RFID implant placed for this very reason. And to suggest low usage as the reason you removed this superior feature is ridiculous. Besides my understanding is that it's still there you've just hidden it. So just how stupid is that? The use of NFC/RFID is a growing technology that many other industries are beginning to use so this looks like a huge step backwards for a supposed leading-edge technology company. Bad move Google and bad form doing it like a thief in the night and then have to be shamed into releasing that wholly inadequate and fairly insulting statement. May you reap what you sow.

 HORRIBLE GOOGLE THIEVES!

BRING IT BACK! NOW!

I'd love to have this feature back. Put it under developer options if you're afraid of confusing customers.

Please bring this back.

Titan keys sold by google use Bluetooth. The NFC competitors must be squashed. Seems anti-competitive.

Please bring this back, the other unlock options don't work well in some situations for me.  I use NFC unlock in situations such as riding my bike where its dangerous to not be able to unlock my phone.  Please bring this back.

Please bring NFC back to Smart Lock, we need it!
Hear us Google?

You can Just stick nfc tag on your door and when you Come home you scan it and your phone unlocks

But with that location unlock if someone steals your phone and knows where you live he can Just Come near your house and it unlock the phone

Nfc tag is almost surely safer than location unlock or those other options and why they deleted it Just because not many People used it they vould Just let it there

Made a new request for Android R:
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/149993406

Please, all that see this, consider starring it.

Please add the feature back.
I wanted to get an NFC ring for my phone and I was looking for apps that offer this functionality when I found out you removed this.
It seems super useful

Same here,. Nfc unlock seems a great deal.  Was looking for it to use only to find out it had been deprecated

Bring it back!

I use an nfc implant in my hand to unlock my phone. Well i used too. Please bring this back in the next android update.

We need this.

We need this especially now. Many are at home and can't use the location or
on the body sensors anymore when we need to keep our phones encrypted from
other people at the location. NFC market continues to grow and people are
seeking this feature, indicating an increase in use for this Smart-Lock
device. Still disagree that it was ever obsolete by lack of use and it's
still quite secure with the other Smart-Lock options available. Please
bring this back, now more than ever.

On Sat, Aug 15, 2020, 17:46 <buganizer-system@google.com> wrote:

Please return this NFC phone unlock option!
Removing it was a bad move, many users are missing it.

Need it too...

I do no consider bluetooth or location based unlocking to be a reasonable substitute for NFC unlocking. Can we please have this feature back?

As a previous employee of Google, I know this is their own defacto standard for auth. This is an utterly ridiculous removal, and is of no consequence to maintain for the general public. Please restore.

I would love to see this feature coming back with the next android version. My next phone is going to be a Pixel 5 and it would be a serious issue if NFC unlock wasn‘t available for me. It‘s one of the reasons why I‘m switching to android, an I hope it will be brought back soon.

Would love being able to use this feature.

Cmon guyyys it would be nice to get this feature back

Would love to use this feature, please bring it back!

Yes, please bring it back.   Unlocking using a bluetooth device which has a long range is a shitty idea.    Face unlock on some phones (Samsung Galaxy S20) is ... well ... bad.   I'd love to be able to swipe f.ex. a NFC ring or something to open my unit.

Please bring that function back

Recently picked up an nfc ring and found the unlock feature was disabled while I was searching for ways to unlock using nfc. Would love to use the feature, please bring it back.

Why did they even remove it?.....  add it back ffs

Please bring it back

Would be nice if this could be added back for people with NFC rings and/or RFID implants, as it makes it much easier to unlock your phone, and seems like something that would be easy to add back in.

Due to the high prevalence of smart rings, it seems to me that this function should be active.

This is so stupid. Why? Bring it back IMMEDIATELY!

We Need it Back bring it back now please

+1

+1

+1

+1

I NEED THIS BACK

+1

please fix it

+1

+1

Bring it back!

It's silly how many comments this gets yet no reaction from the devs

android 12 is such trash

Bring it back

+1

I recall this feature being available. Tried to enable it and find out it was removed!!! :'(

It's been five years. Please bring it back.

for everbody wondering, the real reason google killed nfc lock was for there deal with the Titan Security Key, which where a bluthooth/usb security key that directly compeated with yubico security key, a nfc/usb security key
to help insure better market adoption of there bluethooth device they removed nfc unlock from smart lock
yubikey with nfc would have allowed people to not only log into websites but also there phone by using the nfc chip as a trusted device with smart unlock and since it was nfc it required no batteries or charging.

where as google deal with the titan at the time only had usb/bluethooth and required batteries or charging.

so now that googles titan security keys have nfc along with bluethooth and usb there should no longer be a need to keep this feature out of smart lock

so now is the time for people to complain

so for the love of god, give us back nfc unlock.

+1

+1

Great way for sharing a phone with a bunch of parttime volunteers.


Also, unlocking the phone as long as it is in its NFC'd cradle (/holder/charger/whatever) means it is always unlocked and ready for use when it is on your desk. That would help my workflow, more than a bit. Ironically, it will probably increase security as you don't need to have a one-dimensional unlock gesture or something similarly simple to unlock: you can use a more complicated gesture or passcode, as you won't need to use it as much.

Removing NFC unlock sounds like a reason to skip buying a Pixel Watch, since the nfc on the watch can't be used to unlock the phone.

Please bring back this feature

Please bring back this feature

Please bring back this feature.

I miss this feature. I bought a phone with NFC just because to unlock my phone with my NFC tags.

Please bring back this feature.

I find my self with the need of this feature; please bring it back

Add me to the list. Please bring this back. It's useful to many. Especially as more hardware keys with NFC get deployed.

Please bring it back!!!

Please bring back this feature

Please bring back this feature especially in light of iOS launching the same feature in their latest OS release https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/new-ios-login-tech-makes-it-super-hard-to-hack-your-icloud-account/ 

Bring it back! Please!

It is a useful feature, please add it back!

Yes, please bring this back... For the love of God!

Comprei um anel nfc só para desbloquear a tela e descobri que o Google tirou a função... RIDICULO... VOLTEM JA COM ISSO seus canalhas

I used this feature to keep my phone unlocked while in the cell phone holder of my older (without bluetooth) car. No other method works.

please bring it back.

This needs to be brought back

I just got one of those NFC rings you also can use for paying. Now what would be more natural than to unlock my phone when picking it up, while wearing the ring?

Please, now is exactly the time for this feature! We now have a real convenient use case!

please bring this back.

I got an ISO 14443-3A implant and it would be handy if I could unlock my phone just with the chip in my hand.

Please bring it back, that's the only one missing feature on Android. Please google bring it back.

please bring this feature back.

If it was already developed why remove this feature?   I had nfc tags which are now worthless

This is the most logical and secure feature for many enterprise and security professional applications. Why on EARTH is it gone. Is there any other way to require a hardware key to unlock android in 2023?

+1

I use my phone with a balaclava, sunglasses and gloves, and I need this feature

+1

This would work well with an NFC ring. We need it back.

Please bring this back

+1 for bringing it back

+1 bring it back!!! I was able to mold a nfc tag into a glasses frame and would love to use it to unlock

NFC unlock is such a great way to have an alternarive unlock that's actually more secure than location or bluetooth.

Hi this can be an option when I have an stolen phone ? Like the keyless of the automobiles.
An additional step with the password when you are on mobile data for example, in this case you are at street.
A small NFC tag when is far from the phone after some minutes, block it, erase it or activated an third part anti thef application.

Please bring it back.

Please bring it back. Only reason I got NFC tags in the first place.

Bring it back! Come On!!

Thanks google for disabling my nfc implant, it has been years and it is very annoying how corporations just change things randomly :(

Sigh I spent hours looking for this feature that I knew I had before. Now I need to unlock the phone with gloves on and a face full of PPE ... No more nfc unlock... Removing useful feature for low usage is the.. sigh. Please bring it back.

NFC rings are finally becoming easily available, and now that I have one the feature has been removed? Very disappointing. Please bring it back!

Please bring NFC unlock back.  I stopped using and didn't even realize it disappeared.  It made so much sense, I never imagined it would go away and I'd love to start using it again.  Thank you in advance.

This should be back on the phone as a option it would be nice to use one of them rings to be able to unlock my phone yet you have a fingerprint and face to unlock and is less safe then nfc. I do feel like Google has to much of a hand in the android os! It doesn't take a lot of code to add this back into the os! Google has done this kinda stuff thinking people don't use it but in the real world people did use it I don't even like my phone to send reports back for more then one reason but this is one of them reason! I can say back in the day google was good but as time keeps going Google has less of a trust in my eyes if it's data I lost trust when they started playing with the government! Now googles Verizon of the os is less safe then it once was in my eyes! I now have features on my phone I don't think is safe at all finger or face ya come on now! Even a cop can force you to open your phone them ways! At least with nfc you can turn it off on the fly! The day things like this come back is the day I'd start believing Google is for the people but it just be the start! It was once gold is now another Google screw up!

I've been struggling with the appallingly bad thumbprint unlock of the Pixel 7 phone.  I would be more than happy to wear an NFC ring as an alternative.  Please bring this back.

Agreed - I'd like this to be an option again. Some of us would be fine losing some battery, or just having NFC run when the screen is on to allow auth.