Fingerprint sensor with passive proximity detection for saving energy in an electrical appliance

An electronic device has a housing, a user interface and one or more operable with the user interface processors. The user interface comprises a fingerprint sensor which is disposed in the vicinity of at least one proximity sensor element. The proximity sensor element may comprise an infra-red signal receiver for receiving an infrared emission of a housing external object. The proximity detector element is to activate the fingerprint sensor when the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object.