An automatic finger guide for fingerprint scanners includes active scan area on the scanner surface upon which one finger rests and a non-active scan area on the scanner surface on which the other finger(s) rest to provide stability, a stop post to indicate how far forward to place the hand, a guide post to assist in positioning the finger left to right or right to left as the case may be, sensors on the post to provide feedback to the user to when the hand is properly in place and to determine the position as to where the finger comes to rest on the active scan area.