Updated Big Sur Touch ID not working and password not taking

Same problem. This solved it:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release the button.
3. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

On reboot, I was able to successfully add fingerprints and enable touch-id login.

I had the same problem: after upgrading to Big Sur (on a 2019 16" MacBook Pro), Touch ID wouldn't work. Apple Support pointed me to a page about resetting the system management controller (SMC), at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295, which solved the problem (in my case, it was solved by the preliminary steps they say to try before actually resetting the SMC).

I just bought an imac 2020 late and I installed Big Sur last week and now my admin password is not working. Help!

1. When I turn on computer on, I can log in successfully on my admin account. BUT, my admin password will NOT work on the "lock" icon to change users and group settings, security and privacy, etc.
2. Now my printer and scanner doesn't work. hmmm.

Any suggestions?

ArrowPlane

Thank you! Thank you Mikeoc61

My admin password is working on everything!!!

Thank you for the step by step solution!!

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release the button.
3. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

Result? my admin password works on everything!

Unfortunately, this has not worked for me. MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

I've tried every possible solution all over these forums.

Touch ID works for everything it's intended to, with the exception of unlocking the device. All options are enabled for Touch ID in settings.

Is this an error within Big Sur itself? Do we have to wait for Apple to update it?

Only if you have unsaved files open on your computer. Newer Macs and iOS software can sometimes save things in a temporary memory incase something crashes but it's safer to just save whatever files you have open and then press and hold the power button until it shuts off.

I talked to an apple support rep about this issue. They had me shutdown the computer, then turn back on in Safe Mode. (Hold down the LEFT SHIFT key, then press the power button, continue holding LEFT SHIFT until the login screen appears.) I then went to Touch ID settings, removed my registered finger prints and added them back. I restarted the my Macbook normally (Not Safe Mode) and after putting in initial password, everything now working great.

Hi JMDJ98,

I have the exact same issue as you with my MacBook Pro.

TouchID is not working to unlock my Mac but for everyone else.

I also already tried all the SMC reset stuff as well as installed all updates (11.2.1 right now).

Nothing helps, issue persists :(

Also did not work for me and I too have a MacBook Pro (16-inch 2019). The power button does not respond at all on touch. I have to click on screen to get the password box and can only log in with password. Touch ID does work on other settings, but not to unlock the MacBook.

Without being conclusive on this issue yet, we established that an upgrade of Cisco AnyConnect from 4.8 to 4.9 caused Touch ID to not unlock the MacBook. All conventional methods posted online to reset SMC, remove the finger print, etc... did not work. I narrowed it down to a completed policy to update AC 4.9. Also, removing MDM resolved the issue. So at this stage, I am able to workaround this by reinstating the earlier version of AC 4.8, but I'm still working on root cause.

@aamoabeng - also to add. i have seen an upgrade to SEP 14.3 also cause the issue. Uninstall that and re-instate 14.2 and it works again. So there is a strange dependency on Cisco AnyConnect 4.9, SEP 14.3 and Touch ID. Again, hard to figure it out conclusively and also, like you, we need both of the upgraded AC 4.9 and SEP 14.3 versions. It might have something to do with profiles (System Extensions, KEXTs, PPPCs) that are preloaded. Not sure.

Same issue with me - when is a fix coming?

Mine is no longer working either. Help!

I had this same problem. When I tried restarting the computer by clicking "restart…" I still had the problem. When I force-rebooted the computer, it let me set up the Touch ID.