Touch ID - how should I set it up for login?

gidiav__ wrote:

Thanks!

However, I don't think in my case it is due to FileVault -- it is not enabled on my Mac.

From above " you need to enter your password when you start your Mac." — This is normal.

Try resetting the  SMC  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

if you have an issue.

Verify this is not a shut down reboot —

There are a couple of cases where Touch ID will not be accepted by macOS:

• If you just restarted your Mac, or if you're not logged into your user account.
• If you haven't unlocked your Mac for 48 hours.
• If you're trying to unlock Security and Privacy preferences
• If you're trying to unlock Users and Groups preferences (if FileVault is on)
• If 5 wrong fingerprints have been tried

There is no need to shut down your Mac, unless there is some compelling reason, simply close the lid and let it sleep. If you have privacy concern, touching the ToucID or Control Command Q will lock the screen.

gidiav__ wrote:

> you can use it to unlock your Mac,

Sorry this is just going round in circles... If I cannot login with TouchID, as we established above, then what does it mean "unlock"?

You can set your Mac to lock the screen when the screen saver kicks in or your Mac goes to sleep. You use Touch ID to unlock it.

gidiav__ wrote:

I enabled Touch ID with "Unlocking your Mac" checked. However when I login it says "password is required to enable Touch ID". So if I cannot use it to login, what does "unlocking" mean? And what is it good for, anyway?

With FileVault enabled by default, you have to get past this preboot volume first before user preferences lick in.

The preboot partition contains the code which handles the login for an encrypted drive, after that is successfully unlocked it is handed off to the main OS

When you have an encrypted boot volume you receive a log-in screen before the main OS boots, you have to authenticate that in order for the encryption key for the boot volume to be released.

There are other caveats as well:

ex: " If you still have to enter your password: For security, you need to enter your password when you start your Mac. Sometimes you need to enter your password to continue using Touch ID. For example, users must re-enter their password every 48 hours and after five incorrect fingerprint attempts."

ref: Use Touch ID on your Mac - Apple Support

As the page linked describes…

"If your Mac has Touch ID, you can use it to unlock your Mac, authorize purchases from the iTunes Store, the App Store, and Apple Books, and make purchases on the web using Apple Pay. You can also use Touch ID to sign into some third-party apps."

Just to add, it also works to sign in to ASC from Safari.

gidiav__ wrote:

However, I don't think in my case it is due to FileVault -- it is not enabled on my Mac.

FWIW, if you have an M1 MacBook Pro the drive is encrypted until you enter your password.