How to fix Touch ID that doesn’t work on Mac.
The introduction of Apple Touch ID on the Mac has been a game-changer, but there are problems with its functionality. Many reasons, such as software glitches and misconfigured Touch ID settings, can cause Touch ID not to work on Mac.
If Touch ID can’t unlock your Mac, have Apple Pay authentication issues, or can’t enroll your fingerprints for other activities, the following fixes might help.
Check Your Touch ID Settings
The best place to start is to set up Touch ID on your Mac. Often times, a misconfigured preset can give the impression that Touch ID is not working correctly.
Start by opening the Apple menu. Then go to System Preferences> Touch ID to view your Touch ID settings. Make sure the options under Use Touch ID for: reflect how you want Touch ID to work on your Mac.
For example, if you’re having trouble using Touch ID to auto-complete your password, select the Auto-complete password checkbox. However, if everything is ok, move on to the next fix.
Restart Your Mac
If Touch ID worked fine just a moment ago, try restarting your Mac. This should quickly fix any glitches preventing the fingerprint sensor from being triggered.
Open the Apple menu, choose Restart, and leave the checkbox next to Reopen windows on re-login before choosing Restart again.
Clean the Touch ID Sensor
If you continue to use Touch ID, moisture, sweat, and oil from your fingers can ruin the fingerprint sensor on your MacBook or Magic Keyboard. This is the main reason Touch ID doesn’t work on your Mac. Try wiping the fingerprint sensor with a soft, lint-free cloth and try again.
It is also not recommended to use Touch ID with wet fingers. Instead, dry them before touching the sensor.
Turn Magic Keyboard Off and Back On
If you are using Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on your Mac, try turning off your device. Then connect your device via the Lightning to USB-C cable and turn it back on. You can find the ON / OFF switch on the right edge of the Magic Keyboard.
If Touch ID starts to register, you can disconnect the Lightning cable and use the Magic Keyboard wirelessly again.
Check Your Mac for Compatibility
If Touch ID doesn’t work on the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID that you just connected to your new Mac, you need to check the compatibility. Only Mac computers with Apple Silicon chipsets and macOS Big Sur 11.4 or later support Touch ID.
Open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac to check the chipset and system software version.
If you see an older version of macOS listed, try updating your Mac (see the next section). However, if your Mac uses an Intel chipset, forget about using Touch ID.
Update the Mac’s System Software
Updating macOS can fix any known Touch ID issues on your Mac. To do this, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. Then choose Software Update> Update Now to apply the latest system software updates.
Newer versions of macOS may also not work with key features like Touch ID. If the problem occurs immediately after upgrading to, say, macOS 12 Monterey, it is best to install all subsequent updates as soon as they become available. Be sure to check the “Update my Mac automatically” box in the Software Updates pane for this to happen automatically.
Boot Your Mac Into Safe Mode
Booting your Mac into Safe Mode helps resolve issues caused by kernel cache or other underlying system components.
Intel-based Mac
Shut down your Mac. Then turn it back on, but hold down the Shift key until the login screen appears.
Apple Silicon Mac
Shut down your Mac. Then turn it back on by holding the power button until you see the startup options screen. Then select your startup disk (Macintosh HD), hold down Shift and choose Continue in Safe Mode.
After booting your Mac into Safe Mode, restart your Mac normally. If you still face the same problem, do a full Mac cache clear.
Remove and Re-add Your Fingerprints
Removing and re-adding fingerprints is another way to get Touch ID working properly again. To do this, open the Apple menu and choose System Preferences> Touch ID. Then hover over your fingerprint and select the Delete symbol.
When prompted, enter your account password and click OK to delete your fingerprint. Then repeat for all other fingerprints on the screen.
After deleting all fingerprints, restart your Mac and sign in to Touch ID again. Then re-use the Add Fingerprint option to re-add your fingerprints.
Reset the Mac’s NVRAM and SMC
If you are using an Intel-based Mac, outdated cached data in NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) can cause Touch ID issues. However, you can reset it by shutting down your Mac and pressing and holding Command + Option + P + R while starting your computer until you see the Apple logo twice.
If that fails, continue by resetting the SMC (System Management Controller) of the Mac. But again, this only applies to Intel-based Macs.
Take a Visit to Apple
Chances are, problems with Touch ID on Mac can be quickly resolved by following the solutions and suggestions above. If not, there is probably something wrong with the hardware of the Touch ID sensor itself. So take the time to make an appointment at your nearest Apple Store and have your MacBook or Magic Keyboard inspect the Apple Genius.
How to fix Touch ID that doesn’t work on Mac
How to fix Touch ID that doesn’t work on Mac