A persistent bug in Android 15 Beta 3 is rendering the lock screen nearly useless for managing notifications by incessantly demanding authentication every time you tap. Not all users are experiencing this issue, but it has been widely reported.
When your device is locked, any tap or swipe on the lock screen prompts the PIN code screen. The media player controls for play/pause appear exempt from this bug. Still, other actions, such as tapping notification actions (like deleting an email in Gmail) or expanding/swiping away alerts, immediately require authentication.
While you can swipe back (from the edges) to return to your previous action, such as managing emails, the device still demands unlocking at every step, severely hindering the lock screen's functionality.
For users affected by this bug, the lock screen is effectively useless for managing notifications. There are instances when users do not wish to unlock their phones, but this bug forces them to do so repeatedly.
Restarting the device temporarily fixes the issue, but the bug reappears. This problem has been occurring intermittently, with some users experiencing it multiple times daily since installing Beta 3. Adjusting authentication settings, like enabling/disabling Face Unlock, does not resolve the issue.
One of the affected users reported encountering the issue on a Pixel 8, and other reports have since surfaced from different devices. This bug highlights the ongoing challenges in beta software testing, where not all users experience the same issues, leading to varied feedback.