Touch ID unlock stops working after five minutes

The good news: it's not broken. The bad news: it might as well be.

It is INCREDIBLY SLOW and if you sit and let it think about it for ~30 seconds, it'll finally prompt you to use TouchID. I, too, have a 2020 MBA (Intel) and feel your pain...

Robaato72 wrote:

I updated my 2020 MacBook Air (intel) to Sequoia 15.7 a couple days ago. Before I updated, I could use TouchID to unlock my computer all the time, and it would ask for my password once a day or so. Now, if I let it sleep for only five minutes, TouchID no longer works and I have to type in my password. Can I revert this to how it worked before?

Also, why is there no message on screen explaining this? The computer used to say "you must type in your password to enable TouchID." Now - nothing. I thought my fingerprint sensor was broken or something.

Removing all finger prints and setting it back up anew.

Make changes to Settings> TouchID & Passwords toggle all the changes and come back to your preferred.

On an Intel mac You can try both:

resetting the System Management Controller Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support

resetting NVRAM/PRAM Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

(get at least two-three rounds of the chimes when holding the NVRAM Reset)

ref: If Touch ID isn't working on your Mac

If Touch ID isn't working on Mac - Apple Support

Run the user Diagnostic...not as definitive as Apple's own AST2 (Apple Service Toolkit) back bench diagnostic, but may or may not kick out a hardware error code.

Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac for hardware issues

Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac - Apple Support

for hard ware issue take it in—

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Outside the USA

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

To be expected—There are a few instances where Touch ID will not be accepted by macOS:

If you restarted your Mac, or if you're not logged into your user account.

If you have not unlocked your Mac for 48 hours.

If you are trying to unlock Security & Privacy

If you are trying to unlock Users & Groups Settings (when FileVault is on)

If 5 wrong fingerprint attempts

Sounds like you need to adjust the Computer sleep setting to a longer period to time.

Test with Lock Screen set to 5 minutes and Computer Sleep set to 1 hour.

Similar experience here on a 13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports after updating to 15.7.

I'm randomly losing the option to use TouchID as an option on the lock screen, but the system is not telling me "you must type in your password to enable TouchID." as it did before upgrading to 15.7. Repeatedly placing my finger on and off the TouchID sensor seems to finally make the login prompt say TouchID is an option and then lets me login using TouchID shortly after. All other uses of TouchID once I'm logged in work normally, it's just the lock screen is inconsistently not prompting it as a login option.

Exactly the same issue here on my 2020 MacBook Pro. I noticed that

'Lockscreen>Require Password after screen saver begins or display is turned off" is set to "Immediately" and greyed out so can't be changed?

Same experience as others witha 2019 Macbook Pro. I tried everything suggested in your post (reset SMC, etc). There was no change. This is a bug. I routinely need to wait ~20-30 seconds before touchid access is available.

muddy250 wrote:

Exactly the same issue here on my 2020 MacBook Pro. I noticed that

'Lockscreen>Require Password after screen saver begins or display is turned off" is set to "Immediately" and greyed out so can't be changed?

The default setting for the iPhone Mirroring App is preventing you from changing that setting to Never.

Open the iPhone Mirroring App on your iMac and change the setting to "Ask every time"

Then reset "Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off" back to Never.

I am having the exact same annoying issue with the finger print sensor taking ages to register the print I am on a 2019 MacBook Pro, its is exactly what everyone is saying above, going through the standard fixes that apple have to read from a script is not working and the finger print registers after ages so the finger print itself is fine. This is a bug in 15.7 update, please fix asap. Posting my message just in case Apple need numbers to show its an actual issue.

To make Apple aware of the problem, send Feedback.

Feedback - MacBook Pro - Apple

Feedback - macOS - Apple

Touch ID no longer works for me either...

[Edited by Moderator]

Definitely a bug in 15.7. Touch ID really temperamental when trying to unlock. Works just fine for all the other applications. MacBook Pro Late 2018 model.

and yes, tried SMC reset and all the other options I found on the internet. Nothing works :(

Same issue after updating to 15.7, macbook pro 2019.

My TouchID works after removing finger prints, rebooting and re-adding them. Then it worked most of the day. But now it's always saying I need to authenticate with password to enable TouchID. Yet it doesn't enable. Fingerprint is still there, etc.

This has got to be a bug, it was fine on macOS Sequoia 15.6.1 but started doing this on 15.7.

Submit your own bug reports here: Feedback - macOS - Apple

I'll need to test macOS Tahoe 26 some more to learn if this is happening there as well or not.