Fast user switching not working from wake screen

I don't think it has anything to do with sleeping.

It has to do with the fact that your screen is locked.

Try this simple experiment: when logged in to one of the accounts, select (Apple menu)->Lock Screen.

You can't immediately use the touch id to switch to another user.

If this is important to you, you can make it work, but in doing so you will reduce security.

Go to System Preferences->Security & Privacy->General, and UNcheck the box in the image below.

Of course, then on wake from sleep whatever the user was active before was doing will be immediately accessible, without password or touch id. I don't recommend it, but there's that possibility.

Shawnrnicholas wrote:

When I upgraded from my 9 year old MacBook Pro, I immediately fell in love with the Touch ID and the fast user switching option. It makes it so easy for my wife and I to switch between our accounts. I simply press the Touch ID button and like magic, it goes from my wife's account straight into my account. But it doesn't work after the computer falls asleep.

For example, if my wife was last logged in and the computer goes to sleep, If I wake the computer and press the Touch ID button, it doesn't prompt the account switch. It simply stays on her login screen. No matter how many times I press the button, it stays on her user login screen. Ultimately, I have to click on the "switch user" option bellow which basically defeats the purpose of the Touch ID fast account switching option. Yes, I know it's not difficult to do but it just seems like an unnecessary step.

Why does the fast account switching work when the computer is active but not from the wake screen?

Surely there isn't an added security risk from the wake screen. So why would they assume the same user is going to log in after the computer goes to sleep? I've scoured the internet to see if this is normal behavior but I can't find anything on this topic. Do I have a glitch or is this a oversight by apple or am I missing something?

Do you say what macOS?

Do you say what exact Mac?

old issue, new issue, what changed...?

Can you verify your Preferences...?

>System Preferences>TouchID

Shawnrnicholas wrote:

Sorry, forgot the important details. I have a 20' MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 running Big Sur 11.6. I have verified the option is selected and as I stated in my original post, the feature works flawlessly when the computer is not sleeping. I just think apple missed an opportunity to make switching users from the wake screen easier.

The current stable release of Big Sur is 11.6.1 I would at least update your software so we are on the same page.

I think I didn’t make myself clear. This feature works if the user is logged in and the screen is unlocked. My point is that when you wake from sleep the screen is not unlocked, so it does not work. If that is ok with you, make the change I suggested and it will work from sleep as well.