Getting Started

Install

You can use our AI-Assisted Setup to install the plugin. Add the Capgo skills to your AI tool using the following command:

npx skills add https://github.com/Cap-go/capgo-skills --skill capacitor-plugins

Then use the following prompt:

Use the `capacitor-plugins` skill from `Cap-go/capgo-skills` to install the `@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric` plugin in my project.

If you prefer Manual Setup, install the plugin by running the following commands and follow the platform-specific instructions below:

bun add @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric
bunx cap sync

Import

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

Quick start: gate a login with biometrics

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

async function biometricLogin() {
  const { isAvailable } = await NativeBiometric.isAvailable();
  if (!isAvailable) {
    return fallbackToPasscode();
  }

  try {
    const { username, password } = await NativeBiometric.getSecureCredentials({
      server: 'https://api.example.com',
    });
    await signIn(username, password);
  } catch {
    return fallbackToPasscode();
  }
}

Store secrets first with setCredentials and accessControl when you need biometric protection on read.

Example: unlock with verifyIdentity

getSecureCredentials() already prompts when credentials use biometric accessControl. Use verifyIdentity() for other gated actions, and route cancellation or lockout to your passcode flow.

try {
  await NativeBiometric.verifyIdentity({
    reason: 'Unlock your account',
    title: 'Biometric login',
  });
} catch {
  return fallbackToPasscode();
}

Example: logout clears the vault entry

await NativeBiometric.deleteCredentials({ server: 'https://api.example.com' });

Example: react when biometry enrollment changes

await NativeBiometric.addListener('biometryChange', async () => {
  const { isAvailable } = await NativeBiometric.isAvailable();
  if (!isAvailable) showPasscodeUi();
});

Common pitfalls

• getSecureCredentials requires prior accessControl: use biometric access flags when saving, or use getCredentials without an extra prompt.
• User lockout: handle BiometricAuthError.USER_LOCKOUT and BiometricAuthError.USER_TEMPORARY_LOCKOUT from verifyIdentity with a cooldown UI.
• Simulator: enroll a fingerprint or face in the simulator before testing.

API Overview

isAvailable

Checks if biometric authentication hardware is available.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

const result = await NativeBiometric.isAvailable();
console.log(result);

verifyIdentity

Prompts the user to authenticate with biometrics.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

await NativeBiometric.verifyIdentity();

getCredentials

Gets the stored credentials for a given server.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

const result = await NativeBiometric.getCredentials({ server: 'example.com' });
// The result holds sensitive values: use it without logging it.

setCredentials

Stores the given credentials for a given server.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

await NativeBiometric.setCredentials({
  username: 'username',
  password: 'password',
  server: 'example.com',
});

deleteCredentials

Deletes the stored credentials for a given server.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

await NativeBiometric.deleteCredentials({ server: 'example.com' });

getSecureCredentials

Gets the stored credentials for a given server, requiring biometric authentication. Credentials must have been stored with accessControl set to BIOMETRY_CURRENT_SET or BIOMETRY_ANY.

On iOS, the system automatically shows the biometric prompt when accessing the protected Keychain item. On Android, BiometricPrompt is shown with a CryptoObject bound to the credential decryption key.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

const result = await NativeBiometric.getSecureCredentials({ server: 'example.com' });
// The result holds sensitive values: use it without logging it.

isCredentialsSaved

Checks if credentials are already saved for a given server.

import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

const result = await NativeBiometric.isCredentialsSaved({ server: 'example.com' });
console.log(result);

Type Reference

IsAvailableOptions

export interface IsAvailableOptions {
  /**
   * Only for iOS.
   * Specifies if should fallback to passcode authentication if biometric authentication is not available.
   * On Android, this parameter is ignored due to BiometricPrompt API constraints:
   * DEVICE_CREDENTIAL authenticator and negative button (cancel) are mutually exclusive.
   */
  useFallback: boolean;
}

AvailableResult

Result from isAvailable() method indicating biometric authentication availability.

export interface AvailableResult {
  /**
   * Whether authentication is available (biometric or fallback if useFallback is true)
   */
  isAvailable: boolean;
  /**
   * The strength of available authentication method (STRONG, WEAK, or NONE)
   */
  authenticationStrength: AuthenticationStrength;
  /**
   * The primary biometry type available on the device.
   * On Android devices with multiple biometry types, this returns MULTIPLE.
   * Use this for display purposes only - always use isAvailable for logic decisions.
   */
  biometryType: BiometryType;
  /**
   * Whether the device has a secure lock screen (PIN, pattern, or password).
   * This is independent of biometric enrollment.
   */
  deviceIsSecure: boolean;
  /**
   * Whether strong biometry (Face ID, Touch ID, or fingerprint on devices that consider it strong)
   * is specifically available, separate from weak biometry or device credentials.
   */
  strongBiometryIsAvailable: boolean;
  /**
   * Error code from BiometricAuthError enum. Only present when isAvailable is false.
   * Indicates why biometric authentication is not available.
   * @see BiometricAuthError
   */
  errorCode?: BiometricAuthError;
}

BiometryChangeListener

Callback type for biometry change listener.

export type BiometryChangeListener = (result: AvailableResult) => void;

BiometricOptions

export interface BiometricOptions {
  reason?: string;
  title?: string;
  subtitle?: string;
  description?: string;
  negativeButtonText?: string;
  /**
   * Only for iOS.
   * Specifies if should fallback to passcode authentication if biometric authentication fails.
   * On Android, this parameter is ignored due to BiometricPrompt API constraints:
   * DEVICE_CREDENTIAL authenticator and negative button (cancel) are mutually exclusive.
   */
  useFallback?: boolean;
  /**
   * Only for iOS.
   * Set the text for the fallback button in the authentication dialog.
   * If this property is not specified, the default text is set by the system.
   */
  fallbackTitle?: string;
  /**
   * Only for Android.
   * Set a maximum number of attempts for biometric authentication. The maximum allowed by android is 5.
   * @default 1
   */
  maxAttempts?: number;
  /**
   * Only for Android.
   * Specify which biometry types are allowed for authentication.
   * If not specified, all available types will be allowed.
   * @example [BiometryType.FINGERPRINT, BiometryType.FACE_AUTHENTICATION]
   */
  allowedBiometryTypes?: BiometryType[];
}

GetCredentialOptions

export interface GetCredentialOptions {
  server: string;
}

Credentials

export interface Credentials {
  username: string;
  password: string;
}

SetCredentialOptions

export interface SetCredentialOptions {
  username: string;
  password: string;
  server: string;
  /**
   * Access control level for the stored credentials.
   * When set to BIOMETRY_CURRENT_SET or BIOMETRY_ANY, the credentials are
   * hardware-protected and require biometric authentication to access.
   *
   * On iOS, this adds SecAccessControl to the Keychain item.
   * On Android, this creates a biometric-protected Keystore key and requires
   * BiometricPrompt authentication for both storing and retrieving credentials.
   *
   * @default AccessControl.NONE
   * @since 8.4.0
   */
  accessControl?: AccessControl;
}

DeleteCredentialOptions

export interface DeleteCredentialOptions {
  server: string;
}

GetSecureCredentialsOptions

export interface GetSecureCredentialsOptions {
  server: string;
  /**
   * Reason for requesting biometric authentication.
   * Displayed in the biometric prompt on both iOS and Android.
   */
  reason?: string;
  /**
   * Title for the biometric prompt.
   * Only for Android.
   */
  title?: string;
  /**
   * Subtitle for the biometric prompt.
   * Only for Android.
   */
  subtitle?: string;
  /**
   * Description for the biometric prompt.
   * Only for Android.
   */
  description?: string;
  /**
   * Text for the negative/cancel button.
   * Only for Android.
   */
  negativeButtonText?: string;
}

IsCredentialsSavedOptions

export interface IsCredentialsSavedOptions {
  server: string;
}

IsCredentialsSavedResult

export interface IsCredentialsSavedResult {
  isSaved: boolean;
}

AuthenticationStrength

export enum AuthenticationStrength {
  /**
   * No authentication available, even if PIN is available but useFallback = false
   */
  NONE = 0,
  /**
   * Strong authentication: Face ID on iOS, fingerprints on devices that consider fingerprints strong (Android).
   * Note: PIN/pattern/password is NEVER considered STRONG, even when useFallback = true.
   */
  STRONG = 1,
  /**
   * Weak authentication: Face authentication on Android devices that consider face weak,
   * or PIN/pattern/password if useFallback = true (PIN is always WEAK, never STRONG).
   */
  WEAK = 2,
}

Source Of Truth

This page is generated from the plugin’s src/definitions.ts. Re-run the sync when the public API changes upstream.

Keep going from Getting Started

If you are using Getting Started to plan authentication and account flows, connect it with Using @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric for the native capability in Using @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric, @capgo/capacitor-social-login for the implementation detail in @capgo/capacitor-social-login, @capgo/capacitor-passkey for the implementation detail in @capgo/capacitor-passkey, @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric for the implementation detail in @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric, and Two-factor authentication for the implementation detail in Two-factor authentication.