Is it possible to replace the Touch ID sensor? (MBP 2020)

MBT18 wrote:

So I was taking apart my 2020 MacBook Pro to replace the thermal paste and clean the insides when I accidentally ripped the flex cable for the Power Button/Touch ID sensor.

I've been researching this for the last five days, and it seems these sensors are paired to the motherboard and cannot simply be swapped out. Since I live in Brazil, the official repair cost is absurdly high, around $800 USD. Apple Support here won't repair just the sensor, they only offer a full motherboard replacement to get a new paired sensor. Not even including a full top case replacement… just the motherboard and the sensor. Period.

That being said, is there any known way to restore Touch ID on my MacBook without replacing the entire board? I’m going to Florida next month and wanted to know about prices and if such repair is even possible.

Not sure if this is the Intel or M-series MBP 2020...

No—not possible.

On the Intel the T2 Controller is responsible for TouchID this has to pair and match, and suspect this is the issue and the cost.

Apple M-series Macs —Touch ID sensor it's securely paired to the logic board at the factory, requiring Apple or an Authorized Service Provider (AASP) with special tools to pair a new sensor.

I would not spend $800.00 on a 5 year old Mac. There is only a 90 day warranty on repair work and parts.

MBT18 wrote:

It’s the base model intel core i5 2020 MBP with 4TBT3 ports (model A2251).

So it’s pretty much unfixable? Even by Apple?

Repairable by Apple—

Apple or an Authorized Service Provider (AASP) with special tools to pair a new sensor.

ref: Mac Repair and Service - Apple Support

Get your Mac ready for service - Apple Support Get your Mac ready for service - Apple Support

Local USA—

Store List - Apple Store - Apple

Around the World—

Choose your country or region - Apple

I will add this is the end of the line for Intel macs—

"Apple Silicon enables us all to achieve things that were previously unimaginable, and it's time to put all of our focus and innovation there," Apple said toward the end of its Platforms State of the Union presentation. "And so, macOS Tahoe will be the final release for Intel Macs."

ref: time stamp 54:56

WWDC Platforms State of the Union - WWDC25 - Videos - Apple Developer

MBT18 wrote:

That's good news. But do you know if Apple will actually fix it even if I’ve opened the computer myself?

I think your best bet is with an AASP, an independent third party shop that is authorized and certified by Apple but is separate from the Apple Store. I have worked with some AASP on older Macs and they have sometimes been more flexible about approaches to such repairs that Apple Stores might not have the leeway on. For instance, they might undertake a repair that is "best efforts" without a warranty. It might be worth a try. An Apple Store has to follow more rigid guidelines and might not be able to deviate from a standard approach.

If the repair cost stays at ~ $800, I suspect you would then be better off going with a new laptop from Apple, they start at $999. And the new M5 MacBook Pros start at $1600. Cheaper options include used/certified Macs from OWC and Apple, and those come with warranties. The Intel Macs will not be able to run an OS past Tahoe, and some have complained about how well they operate with Tahoe anyway. (My 2019 MacBook Pro 16" is still on Sequoia for that reason.)

If you don't care about the TouchID fingerprint recognition, then the TouchID can be replaced by another TouchID (used) without Apple as it would still act like a power on/off button. If you have used the TouchID fingerprint recognition feature, then without it some security features in macOS won't function. Among them are Passkeys, and some other things which I cannot think of at the moment.

It seems that Apple announced at WWDC 25 that OS support for Intel macs would stop at macOS 26. You'd spend a lot of money repairing a computer about to lose OS support, and already cannot take advantage of some OS features that only work on Apple Silicon Macs.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/06/apple-details-the-end-of-intel-mac-support-and-a-phaseout-for-rosetta-2/

FYI: I've run Macs since 1990, a lot of them, and never had to replace the thermal paste.

MBT18 wrote:

So I was taking apart my 2020 MacBook Pro to replace the thermal paste and clean the insides when I accidentally ripped the flex cable for the Power Button/Touch ID sensor.

I guess I'm with HWTech here. I still have working 2010 and 2013 MacBook Airs (and a 2015 iMac) and have never replaced thermal paste nor had them opened up to "clean the insides" (?) Does Apple recommend or suggest that? As you may know, the Physician's Oath is "first do no harm ..."

Anyway ... I think it might be time to replace the computer ...

"Is it possible to replace the Touch ID sensor? (MBP 2020): So I was taking apart my 2020 MacBook Pro to replace the thermal paste and clean the insides when I accidentally ripped the flex cable for the Power Button/Touch ID sensor. [...]That being said, is there any known way to restore Touch ID on my MacBook without replacing the entire board? I’m going to Florida next month and wanted to know about prices and if such repair is even possible."

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Getting a TouchID Sensor to Work:

A. Third-Party:

This sensor based on drivers. So, you could, try an external one (off of Amazon). Catch is, you'll probably need to install drivers of its own for it --and I'm not so certain it is officially plug and play. If you can get in, you can reinstall the macOS, to get what need be, first backing it up through use of Time Machine Backup; that way, you'll have something to restore it from, should anything go wrong with or after the reinstall.

B. Time to Upgrade:

Note that Apple has a reputation for providing updates for its computers for 7 years, and then just stops providing them. So, take this as a learning experience, knowing to not fiddle wtht his on your own, and that it may just be time to upgrade. Apple is Apple; no ne here on these forum has any call in hardware coverage.