Three out of four IT professionals prefer biometric identification methods such as fingerprint and facial recognition to log in on their smartphone. PIN codes and patterns fade into the background.

Locking your smartphone screen prevents others from accessing your messages, contact lists, or applications if you lose the device or leave it lying around. Today there are different techniques to lock your device: from classic methods (PIN code or pattern) to modern biometric technologies (fingerprint or facial recognition), each with its advantages and disadvantages.

Last month, ITdaily examined how IT professionals prefer to unlock their phones. 218 respondents answered the reader’s question. Biometric identification is very well established among this target group: 44 percent use the fingerprint scanner in their phone, 32 percent prefer facial recognition. If you add that up, you get 76 percent using biometric unlocking methods.

At the same time, this means that the more classic methods have not yet been completely replaced. Fifteen percent have the greatest trust in a PIN code, four percent prefer a pattern. Finally, there are another five percent who always leave their device screen unlocked or use it Smart lock-Functions.

Every month we survey our readers about a current technology topic. Curious about the results of previous surveys? You can find the overview here.