Fingerprint sensor not responding on MacBook Air

Please try this

Try using Touch ID after each step:

1. Make sure that you have the latest version of macOS.
2. Make sure that your fingers and the Touch ID sensor are clean and dry.* Use a clean, lint-free cloth to wipe off any dirt or debris on the Touch ID sensor.
3. Your finger should cover the Touch ID sensor completely. While Touch ID is scanning, you shouldn't tap too quickly or move your finger around.
4. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings (or System Preferences), click Users & Groups, then click the lock  to make changes. Click Login Options, then make sure that Automatic login is off.
5. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings (or System Preferences), click Touch ID & Password, then turn on the setting to use Touch ID to unlock your Mac.
6. Try to add a different fingerprint. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings (Or System Preferences), click Touch ID & Password, then click Add Fingerprint.
7. For Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, turn your keyboard off and on, then connect your keyboard to your Mac with the USB to Lightning cable. After you turn Magic Keyboard off then on, Touch ID may be unavailable for up to 10 seconds.
8. Restart your Mac.

I Have tried everything to get my MacBook Pro M2 touch ID to work. What I did discover is that if I use the bottom of my palm (where my thumb is) and let it touch the area beside the trackpad, then touch the ID with my index finger - It works every time. Plus this worked for my wife's MacBook as well! Don't know why it works, it just does - every time. Hope it works for you too.

this is so weird! I called apple and to send in to analyze a 2020 MacBook Pro a payment of 650 is required. I found you work around w/ the palm and it worked! THANK YOU

Oh wow this is working! So weird but thank you for sharing!

Yes!! omg this totally works. I was having the same problem - touchid worked maybe 1/3rd of the time. Then I used your approach of resting my palm at the bottom of my thumb next to the trackpad, then use touchid, and it works EVERY TIME now. Magic.

"I have tried everything to get my MacBook Pro M2 touch ID to work. What I did discover is that if I use the bottom of my palm (where my thumb is) and let it touch the area beside the trackpad, then touch the ID with my index finger - It works every time. Plus this worked for my wife's MacBook as well! Don't know why it works, it just does - every time. Hope it works for you too."

Also, I had to use my middle finger on the sensor to reach while resting my palm!

I have the same issue as the original poster. I think it is key that this issue started during a long trip (I live in California and just spent 3 weeks in England). I hope Apple will address this issue and why it happens during travel.

I have the same issue as the original poster. Just like the original poster, my Touch ID began failing during a long trip (I live in California and just spent 3 weeks in England).

I hope Apple will address this issue and why it happens during travel.

This solution makes absolutely no sense, but it 100% works!! I am speechless lol

Also the palm thing worked for me thank you!

yeah that too worked for me.thanks buddy!

Well the palm thing worked for me too. Weird and frankly annoying that this what you have to do to get something to work the way it should. But thank you to the poster who discovered this. <3

Brilliant works! thank you..

In my case the palm thing worked. Then I remembered that the charger was directly connected to the power outlet via USB-C, without the charging brick. I plugged the USB-C cord into the charging brick then plugged THAT into the plug, and it seems to be working for now. TL;DR: are you using your charging brick?

Now that sounds like a really daft solution from DaftBeast, but it actually works, thanks so much. I've been trying everything, ( rebooting, reinstalling, upgrading even kicking it) since I lost the ability to use TouchID on my Macbook Air a couple of months ago. So pleased I came across your advice to use the 'palm and finger method' to log in, but its a pity that APPLE, with all their resources, can't come up with a solution to fix the problem. I wonder if they actually have staff to read these posts? Obviously not, it would seem.