Do you remember when the only options to unlock your Android phone were a pattern, a PIN, or a password? I do. However, biometric options like fingerprints and facial recognition soon became options for gaining access to your phone.
Face unlock in particular has come a long way. It’s been a feature in the Android OS for a long time but it wasn’t at its most secure. These days, it is a much more secure option to protect your device. If you have a Google Pixel 7a, you might be wondering, does it have Face Unlock as a feature? The short answer is yes.
Does The Google Pixel 7a Come With Face Unlock?
The Pixel 7a launched about half a year after the Pixel 7 series did, bringing a mid-cycle option for people who wanted a more stripped-down device. However, being a more affordable Pixel means that some features had to be dropped, but what was the fate of Face Unlock?
The Google Pixel 7a comes with Face Unlock — of the same quality as you get with the Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. The Apple iPhone X was revolutionary in changing how facial recognition was seen as an authentication option and managed that with a bunch of sensors crammed into the notch. Android manufacturers followed with similar notches but quickly abandoned them, instead working to make selfie camera facial recognition more advanced.
Face Unlock became a thing with Google phones starting from the Pixel 4, but the feature disappeared until the Pixel 7 when it made a return. All Pixel devices after that come with this feature, though the Pixel 8 series has a more advanced version that can be used to approve purchases and sign into apps.
How To Turn On Face Unlock on the Google Pixel 7a
If you’re asking whether the Pixel 7a has Face Unlock and you have the phone in question, you might not know how to switch the feature on, and that’s fine. Let me show you how:
- Unlock your phone to the Home Screen.
- Swipe up to reveal the App Drawer and open Settings.
- Choose “Security & privacy”.
- Tap “Device unlock”.
- Select “Face & Fingerprint Unlock”.
- Now that you’re here, tap on “Face Unlock”.
- Read the info noted on the screen, and then press “I agree”.
- Now, press Start and then follow the instructions on the screen, which will help you move your head as required to register your face.
- Press Done to complete the process.
That’s it! You’ve set up Face Unlock on your Google Pixel 7a. Now, all you need to do is press your power button, hold your phone so it can see your face and boom! Unlocked.
What Makes The Pixel 7a Different From The Pixel 7?
The Pixel 7a is a budget alternative to the flagship 7, but it doesn’t knock too much off the table to be more affordable. You get a plastic back, a smaller screen, slightly bigger bezels, and an entirely different set of cameras around the phone.
You get slower wired and wireless charging, but those are the major distinctions between the devices. The Pixel 7a is a solid device all around!
