On Galaxy S phones, buy full-adhesive glass for your exact model, then delete and re-register your fingerprints. On a Z Fold or Z Flip, protect the cover screen with glass and leave the inner screen's factory film alone. On the S26 Ultra, skip privacy glass, because the phone has it built in.
Current Galaxy phones
| Model | Display | Fingerprint | Protector note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S26 Ultra | 6.9-inch | Ultrasonic | Built-in Privacy Display; anti-reflective front |
| Galaxy S26+ | 6.7-inch | Ultrasonic | Same published size as the S25+ |
| Galaxy S26 | 6.3-inch | Ultrasonic | Bigger than the 6.2-inch S25 |
| Z Fold8 Ultra | 8.0 / 6.5-inch | Side key | Fold7 screen sizes, new body |
| Z Fold8 | 7.6 / 5.5-inch | Side key | New wider 4:3 shape |
| Z Flip8 | 6.9 / 4.1-inch | Side key | Glass for the FlexWindow |
Older Galaxy phones
| Model | What to know |
|---|---|
| S25 Ultra | Rounded corners; S24 Ultra glass doesn't fit |
| S24 Ultra | First flat Ultra; S Pen feel depends on the protector |
| S23 Ultra | Curved edges; needs curve-specific protection |
| Z Fold7 | 6.5-inch cover glass; factory inner film |
| Z Flip7 | FlexWindow glass shaped around the cameras |
| A-series (A56, A36 and others) | Flat screens; optical in-display sensors or a side-key reader; cheap glass works |
Fingerprint sensors decide what works
Galaxy S flagships read fingerprints with ultrasound through the glass (the cheaper FE models use optical sensors). Ultrasonic sensors cope with a protector layer, but not an air gap, so glass with adhesive only round the rim is the classic cause of unlocking failures. Galaxy A phones with an in-display reader, such as the A36 and A56, use optical sensors, which photograph your fingerprint through the glass (cheaper A models put the reader in the side key instead). They're more affected by thick or dark-tinted glass than by air gaps.
The fix is the same on both: fit the protector, then Settings → Security and privacy → Biometrics → Fingerprints, delete your prints and register them again through the new glass. More in fingerprint-safe Samsung protectors.
Picks that work across Galaxy phones
Samsung questions we answer in depth
Samsung privacy protectors
Which Galaxies suit one, and why the S26 Ultra doesn't.
Read the guide →Curved screensProtecting a curved Galaxy
Liquid glass, film or case-friendly glass.
Read the guide →FoldablesEvery Galaxy Z Fold
Cover glass and inner film, generation by generation.
Read the guide →TabletsGalaxy Tab protectors
Glass or paper-feel for the S Pen.
Read the guide →Questions people ask
Why did my Samsung fingerprint sensor stop working after fitting a protector?
Usually an air gap over the ultrasonic sensor, or prints registered before the protector went on. Re-register your fingerprints; if that fails, replace rim-adhesive glass with full-adhesive glass.
Can I put tempered glass on a Galaxy Z Fold or Z Flip inner screen?
No. It can't fold. The inner screen keeps the film Samsung fits at the factory.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 14 September 2026: