Touch ID is Not Working on MacBook Pro? 9 Quick Solutions to Fix It!

Touch ID suddenly acting up on your Mac can be incredibly annoying, especially when you rely on it to unlock your device, autofill passwords, and approve purchases. The good news is that Touch ID issues are usually minor and easy to fix at home. Before you worry about hardware failure, a few quick checks and tweaks can get your fingerprint sensor working smoothly again.

This post details the simplest and most effective solutions to bring Touch ID back to life on your Mac.

1. Ensure Your Finger is Placed Correctly

The fingerprint sensor may not respond on your Mac because you’re placing your finger incorrectly on the Touch ID button.

To avoid this, don’t tap your finger too quickly or move it back and forth over the button. Also, ensure your fingertip fully covers the sensor when Touch ID tries to authenticate you.

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2. Clean Your Finger and the Touch ID Sensor

If the first method didn’t work, your finger and the Touch ID sensor may need cleaning. Moisture, dust, and debris on your fingertip and the button can often prevent Touch ID from working on a Mac.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, wash your hands with soap, then clean the fingerprint sensor with a soft, damp cloth before using Touch ID again.

3. Restart Your Mac

While it might sound too basic, a simple restart can often fix Touch ID issues. Restarting your MacBook refreshes the macOS to eliminate software glitches and recalibrate the Touch ID sensor.

1. Click the Apple logo in the menu bar → Select Restart.
   
2. Once the MacBook starts, enter your device password to enable Touch ID.

4. Ensure Automatic Login is Turned Off

The Automatic Login feature in macOS lets you bypass the login screen at startup so you can start using your Mac without entering the password. While this feature seems useful, it disables Touch ID and removes Apple Pay cards on your Mac for security reasons.

Therefore, if Touch ID is not working as expected, turn off Automatic Login on your Mac as described in the steps below:

1. Click the Apple logo () in the menu bar → Select System Settings.
   
2. Navigate to Users & Groups from the sidebar.
3. Click the Automatically log in as ‍drop-down→ Select Off.
   

5. Check if Touch ID is Configured Correctly

Often, Touch ID stops working on your Mac due to improper configuration. So, you must check if the fingerprint sensor is configured correctly to unlock your Mac, make payments with Apple Pay, autofill your passwords, and authenticate App Store or iTunes purchases.

1. Click the Apple logo () in the menu bar → Select System Settings. 
2. Select Touch ID & Password in the sidebar.
3. Toggle on Use Touch ID for all options available on your Mac.
   

6. Delete and Re-Add Your Fingerprint

If the previous solutions didn’t help, I recommend resetting your Touch ID. Deleting and re-adding your fingerprint will clear any glitches or misinterpretations that could prevent Touch ID from working correctly on MacBooks.

1. Go to System Settings → Touch ID & Password from the sidebar.
2. Hover over a registered fingerprint → Click the X icon to delete it.
   Delete all fingerprints before moving to the next step.
   
3. Enter your Mac’s password → Click Unlock → Delete.
   
4. Now, click Add Fingerprint → Follow the on-screen instructions to set up Touch ID.
   

7. Update macOS to the Latest Version

If your MacBook’s fingerprint sensor isn’t responding, installing the latest version of macOS could be an effortless solution. Software updates often include bug fixes, which can resolve Touch ID issues.

1. Navigate to System Settings → General → Software update.
   
2. Click Update Now if a new macOS update is available.
   

8. Reset the NVRAM and SMC

The NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) and the SMC (System Management Controller) chips manage and store various hardware-related settings on your Mac. So, resetting these chips can help you fix the malfunctioning Touch ID sensor on your Mac.

If you need help resetting the NVRAM and SMC on your MacBook, refer to our guides on resetting NVRAM and SMC.

9. Test Touch ID in Safe Mode

If resetting the NVRAM and SMC didn’t help, test if Touch ID works in Safe Mode. Booting your MacBook in Safe Mode loads only the essential parts of macOS, without any of your installed apps.

If Touch ID works in Safe Mode, some app or operating system-related issue prevents it from working outside of Safe Mode. To fix this, you need to perform a factory reset on your MacBook.

Check the Sensor for Physical Damage

If you’ve tried all other fixes and Touch ID is still not working on your MacBook, check the fingerprint sensor for cracks, scratches, or stuck particles, as these can disrupt its ability to accurately register your fingerprint.

If you notice any abnormalities, it’s best to contact Apple support. They can help you schedule a Genius Bar appointment at the nearest Apple Store to get the Touch ID sensor fixed by Apple-certified professionals.

Bonus: Fix Touch ID on Magic Keyboard

If you’re unable to use Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard connected to your MacBook or iMac, you may try the quick fixes mentioned below:

• Reconnect the Magic Keyboard: If you cannot use Touch ID due to connectivity issues, unpair and restart it. Then reconnect it to your MacBook or iMac using a USB-to-Lightning cable.
• Check if your Mac is compatible: If the Touch ID sensor on the Magic Keyboard isn’t responding, check if your Mac supports it. While you can still type with it, Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard only works with Apple Silicon Macs running macOS Big Sur 11.4 or later.

Wrapping Up…

If Touch ID stops working, it is almost always a small glitch that you can resolve with the right steps. These quick methods should help you restore reliable fingerprint recognition on your Mac and save you from having to re-enter your password. If the issue continues even after trying everything, getting your Mac checked at an Apple Store or an authorized service provider is the safest move.

Tell us in the comments which fix worked for you, or if you found another quick trick that helped.

Also read:

• Delete key not working on Mac? Easy ways to fix it
• How to set up and use Touch ID on Mac
• How to Fix Touch ID Not Working on iPhone or iPad