OneDrive for Android can now lock with a fingerprint

By Sean Endicott
last updated

What you need to know

  • OneDrive for Android now supports locking with a fingerprint.
  • Users could previously only use a PIN to lock the app.
  • OneDrive for iOS also received an update to fix a bug.

Microsoft's OneDrive app for Android now supports the ability to lock it using a fingerprint. Previously, users only had the ability to lock the app using a PIN. In addition to the new locking feature, OneDrive for Android also received an improved grid view to help photos "stand out" as stated in the app's changelog:

• In addition to a PIN Code, you'll now be able to use your fingerprint to lock the OneDrive app. • We've improved our grid view to help your photos stand out and look their best as well as making it easier than ever to see what photos are getting backed up in the Photos tab."

OneDrive for iOS (opens in new tab) also received an update, though it focuses on fixing a bug:

Text translation wasn't working for some users, turning a few options in the Settings page into a confusing game of 'guess that setting.' This has been fixed, and will look and read as you'd expect."

OneDrive's ability to be locked with a fingerprint helps secure files on your phone. Recently, Microsoft also announced an upcoming Personal Vault for OneDrive that increases security further.
Microsoft OneDrive


Microsft's OneDrive can store files, photos, and videos. It's available across all major platforms to make sure that your content is available everywhere.

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Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com (opens in new tab).

8 Comments
  • I use this function at least a couple of months. 🙄
    Yes, I checked it and this function is there since July 2018.
  • The text of that update is from months ago. I've been unlocking OneDrive with my fingerprint for months now and I'm not a beta tester.
  • OneDrive for Android have the same "what's new" for the last 5 months I think.
    The person who wrote this article didn't notice that.
  • Yeah, that's exactly it. MS doesn't really update their "what's new" text when there's a minor update. A Windows example of this is Sticky Notes - it says that you can now add photos, but that feature was added a while ago.
  • I don't like how Microsoft deals with "what's new" section for their apps...
    It's important for us to know what we are receiveing updating the app.
    In the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 I never check that because they don't care about it.
  • This is very old news.
    The "what's new" section of the app in play store has remained the same for several months.
  • Does anyone else experience that OneDrive constantly pops up a notification that "# photos have been uploaded" over and over again - even though no new pics were recently taken? What's up with that?
  • Seems like you have a bug. Try to reinstall the app and check your notification settings.