Touch ID on Mac randomly requires password

grimstad wrote:

I have the same problem. It does not seem to be related to inadequate fingerprint scans as it works perfectly for purchases and various site passwords...never a problem there. It only happens when my computer is in sleep mode for both brief and long periods, but randomly. It knows that I have touched the id button as it immediately says that I have to type in the password. This is not on boot up, which never works. This seems built into the software as it happens both on my Mac Studio (Version 26.3 (25D125)) and my Mac Air, also up to date. This only affects coming out of sleep mode. Never for other uses of the finger id when the Mac is active...never.

Follow all of the instructions & suggestions provided by all of the previous posts here. They should cover or resolve the issue. The relevant option may be to delete your current stored fingerprints, then turn off "TouchID to unlock your Mac". I would suggest rebooting, then register your fingerprints again & make sure to re-enable "TouchID to unlock your Mac."

If not, then perhaps you have some third party software installed which is interfering with the normal operation of macOS. You can try booting into Safe Mode to see if you have the same issues with TouchID when waking the computer from sleep. If Safe Mode does not have the issue, then most likely third party software is to blame.

You can also try creating a new macOS user account. Log out of your main user account, then log into the new user account. Configure TouchID & test using the TouchID when waking the computer while logged into the new user account. If TouchID works properly when waking the Mac with a new user account, then the issue is due to a problem with your main user account. Could be a Login Item, or corrupt preference file.

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.

from:

Use Touch ID on Mac - Apple Support

But many such problems are caused by your fingerprint sometimes not quite matching.

You can add up to three fingerprints to your user account (you can save up to five fingerprints on your Mac).

You can increase recognition dramatically by using the several fingerprints allowed, to store multiple instances of the SAME fingerprint. Then if any matches, you are in, and you don't care which one did the job.

Sometimes you may need to press the TouchID button momentarily like a power button instead of just lightly touching your finger to it.

My M1 Mac usually needs me to press the TouchID button before it will scan the fingerprint. My M2 Mac many times just needs to lightly press my finger on the TouchID to unlock, but even the M2 sometimes requires me to press the TouchID more like a power button when the laptop has been sitting locked for a long time.

BeepBoopDoot wrote:

Touch ID requires password randomly

This is more of an annoyance than an actual problem, but if there's a solution I'd love to know.

On my Mac at work I can typically go away from my desk for hours at a time, come back and use Touch ID to carry on working on my laptop. However, sometimes I will just pop out for a few minutes, come back and Touch ID does nothing, I then have to press some keys to make the password box come up, and I then have to type my password as Touch ID needs it to unlock. I wish I could just use Touch ID. I would understand more if it needed the password after hours, but not after a few minutes. Does anybody have any ideas or solutions?

Thanks

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.2

Do you say what exact macOS, is this information correct: "MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.2"....(???)

Intel Mac or M- series Mac you do not say, and as you might imagine there are some diferences in the approach to resolve your issue.

There are some known issues in the macOS Tahoe here yes

See if there is an relief in this thread, several proposals

MacBook Pro Touch ID not working after 26.3 update

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256244768?sortBy=oldest_first

The current Ventura is 13.7.8 if that is your information as provide — I would start there

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/get-macos-updates-mchlpx1065/mac

I have the same problem. It does not seem to be related to inadequate fingerprint scans as it works perfectly for purchases and various site passwords...never a problem there. It only happens when my computer is in sleep mode for both brief and long periods, but randomly. It knows that I have touched the id button as it immediately says that I have to type in the password. This is not on boot up, which never works. This seems built into the software as it happens both on my Mac Studio (Version 26.3 (25D125)) and my Mac Air, also up to date. This only affects coming out of sleep mode. Never for other uses of the finger id when the Mac is active...never.

I read most of the answers, but it felt as though none were the same as mine. For instance, this morning (I never shut off my computer) it worked just fine. Also, when it fails, it recognizes that I have touched the finger ID and still insists that my password is required to activate my touch button. Same issue with my MacBook Air, which I only use when traveling. Not much in the way of odd software, though that makes some sense since I seem to have a problem that almost no others have reported.

However, I will try a few other things and then go through the suggested process when I have the time. (Since I am long retired, I have almost no time to myself.)

Thanks for the help.

I am going to try this. It was unnecessary this morning. If force is the problem, Apple's message is on the edge of crazy, as it seems to confirm that it recognizes my finger (else it should say so), but it reports that the finger ID cannot be enabled until I type in the password. I left my computer on over night, so it is not the amount of time it was sleeping, but if I run to the loo and back, it may or may not work. (Even I am not so suspicious as to believe the computer was asking me to wash my hands first.)

Thanks for your reply. It is appreciated.