fprintd-delete

Remove all fingerprints for a specific user

$ fprintd-delete [username]

$ fprintd-delete [username] [[-f|--finger]] [left-thumb|left-index-finger|left-middle-finger|left-ring-finger|left-little-finger|right-thumb|...]

$ fprintd-delete

fprintd-delete [username]

username
    The username whose fingerprints are to be deleted. If not specified, the command operates on the current user.

The fprintd-delete command is a utility used to delete previously enrolled fingerprint scans managed by fprintd (Fingerprint Authentication Daemon).

It provides a straightforward method to remove specific fingerprints or all fingerprints associated with a user, effectively disabling fingerprint authentication for those removed prints.

This command is typically used when a user wants to re-enroll their fingerprints, needs to revoke access for a compromised fingerprint, or simply wants to remove fingerprint authentication as a login method. The utility interacts with fprintd to ensure the changes are reflected system-wide.

This command requires appropriate permissions to modify fingerprint data. Running it without sufficient privileges (e.g., as a regular user when deleting another user's fingerprints) will result in an error. Furthermore, the command assumes that fprintd is properly installed and running.

To delete the fingerprints for the current user: fprintd-delete
To delete the fingerprints for a specific user (requires elevated privileges): sudo fprintd-delete johndoe

The command typically returns 0 on success and a non-zero value on failure, indicating errors such as invalid user, permission problems, or communication issues with fprintd.

The fprintd-delete command is part of the fprintd suite of tools, developed to provide a standardized way to manage fingerprint authentication in Linux environments. It's evolution has been driven by the need to support different fingerprint reader devices and integrate seamlessly with various desktop environments. Its usage grew with the increasing adoption of biometric authentication in consumer laptops and other devices.

fprintd-enroll(1), fprintd-verify(1), fprintd(8)