I've used enough cheap phones with finicky fingerprint readers to know they can be a real problem. There is something uniquely frustrating about repeatedly placing and lifting your finger that makes you wonder why you ever set up a phone lock.
This happens frequently with rear-mounted fingerprint scanners, but I've had the worst results with the side-mounted ones, and while the placement is incredibly convenient, I now get an ominous sense of dread when I start using a budget phone with one.
That's what I had with the Realme C35, and I thought I was going to spend another season of repeated thumb taps every time I wanted to check the 'Gram, until I accidentally found a solution so wonderfully stupid I have no idea why' I've never done before.
The double thumb
I accidentally set my fingerprint twice on Realme C35. After the first time the fingerprint scanner didn't work right so I assumed I hadn't set it up at all and started the whole process over again. So it worked wonderfully.
Most phones allow you to set up multiple fingerprints, in case you alternate hands, or to entrust a loved one with all the intimate details of your phone. However, in theory, you can't set the same finger twice: the phone will tell you that you've already done so.
However, and this is the good part, if your phone's fingerprint scanner doesn't recognize your fingerprint when it's already registered, it won't indicate that you're setting the same fingerprint multiple times.
This is something I accidentally discovered when I reset my fingerprint, and now I can get into the phone with no problem. I've even done it with other phones since then; It doesn't always work, but when it doesn't it's because the fingerprint reader is so good I don't need it.
If you want to try it yourself, go to your phone's settings menu, then navigate to the Passwords & security section and set up your fingerprint unlock from here. If your phone initially says it's trying to save the same print, just rotate your finger until it works. And if that doesn't happen, the phone clearly works fine.
Oh, and make sure your finger is clean and dry, both when registering your finger and trying to unlock the phone; Depending on the sensor, this can sometimes prevent the phone from properly scanning your finger.