Dreanmachine1

Q: Touch ID being Erratic

Wife and I got iPhone 5s units at the same time.  She has had hit and miss success with touch ID.  I am golden with mine, and also hers when I put a finger into her phone data.  She is frustrated, and will delete fingerprints and resestablish on her phone.  Her finger scan will work for a few times, and then it gets to be like it doesn't recognize her finger (left thumb or right thumb).   Is anybody else having some issues like this?

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.0.2

Posted on Oct 1, 2013 8:43 PM

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Q: Touch ID being Erratic

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  • by Dreanmachine1,

    Dreanmachine1 Dreanmachine1 Oct 23, 2013 3:18 PM in response to mrsnork
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Music
    Oct 23, 2013 3:18 PM in response to mrsnork

    Well, the wife has been going on the iOS 703 for almost 24 hrs and her recent response to me was that her print has been working great all day. Seems that there is some help from iOS 703. Way to go. Also, mrsnork, I think I like the peppiness of reducing motion. Crazy fast in the transitions. Thanks for the tip.

  • by Joe_Fo,

    Joe_Fo Joe_Fo Oct 24, 2013 7:48 AM in response to Dreanmachine1
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 7:48 AM in response to Dreanmachine1

    Sounds good.  I loaded 7.0.3 and on one finger used the tip to see if it

    worked better than before.  Worked well for a few hours, but overnight

    it fails, so 7.0.3 does not change my observation on the issue.

     

    Stay away from the tip of the finger, and it should work fine.

  • by odysseus,

    odysseus odysseus Oct 24, 2013 7:57 AM in response to Joe_Fo
    Level 3 (930 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 24, 2013 7:57 AM in response to Joe_Fo

    The interesting thing about TouchID is that it works fine for some, and horribly for others. I mainly use my thumb on the sensor, and I consistently (even under 7.0.3) see the problem where after initial training, everything is fine, but then a number of hours later, I see something like a 50% fail rate.

  • by Joe_Fo,

    Joe_Fo Joe_Fo Oct 24, 2013 8:13 AM in response to odysseus
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 8:13 AM in response to odysseus

    The only thing I can offer is, do not use the end of your finger, per

    the pic I posted earlier in this thread.

     

    I've tested it with dry hands, moist hands, even risked frostbite

    with an icecube in a zip bag on my thumb, and could not

    get it to fail.

     

    Unless there's some combo of apps running that hoses

    TID from working that I was not able to duplicate. I had 20 apps

    open trying to cause TID to fail, and it still worked.  Either

    that, or there is H/W which fails intermittently, which is always

    possible.

  • by shmersh61,

    shmersh61 shmersh61 Oct 24, 2013 10:52 AM in response to Mads.Wang
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 24, 2013 10:52 AM in response to Mads.Wang

    I'm also having intermittent problems with my touch id. My left thumb is the most stable, my index finger the least. Yesterday it seemed like trying to use it while plugged in would launch all to be unstable and I'd get a passcode screen saying I needed to enter the passcode in order to use touch id. I noticed more problems after the 0.2 update. I just did all my prints this morning (I upgraded to 0.3 the other day) and tried with and without the plug and it is noticeably quicker with no problems yet. It could be that I'm just getting better at the scanning phase. There was also a huge leap from my very first scans to the ones after I watched the video on Apple.com on how to do it properly.

     

    Shawn

  • by Champsasaur,

    Champsasaur Champsasaur Oct 24, 2013 11:09 AM in response to Dreanmachine1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 11:09 AM in response to Dreanmachine1

    I have the exact same problem.  When I delete and reset it is good for a day or so, then won't work again.

  • by wyshelly,

    wyshelly wyshelly Oct 24, 2013 11:22 AM in response to Dreanmachine1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 11:22 AM in response to Dreanmachine1

    Wonder if anyone else is seeing this? When the touch ID does work, my screen momentarily turns black before opening.

    Hopefully my Genius Bar appointment tomorrow will address this as well 

  • by Abrasha Staszewski,

    Abrasha Staszewski Abrasha Staszewski Oct 24, 2013 2:26 PM in response to Joe_Fo
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 24, 2013 2:26 PM in response to Joe_Fo

    Well, iOS 7.0.3 has done the trick for me.  Touch ID now works beautifully.  Each part of the finger works equally well, the tip as well as the center part.  For fun I registered my big toe.  It works just fine.

     

    As long as you make sure that the finger touches the button as well as the metal outer ring at the same time.  This is absolutely crucial, because touching the ring is needed to close a circuit.  If you touch the button with any part of the finger without touching the outer ring at the same time, it will not work, no matter what.  I can now scan right side up, upside down, sideways, with any part of the finger, ... it all works beautifully.

     

    FWIW, the iOS 7.0.3 update has also solved a number of other issues for me, that others may also have had problems with.  The compass/level/accelerometer is now properly calibrated.  The Voice Memos app no longer crashes each and every time at random times.  The OS has not crashed and restarted on me yet since the update.  Thrird party apps no longer start without me having tapped them.

     

    7.0.3 is a good update as far as I am concerned

  • by Joe_Fo,

    Joe_Fo Joe_Fo Oct 24, 2013 2:35 PM in response to Abrasha Staszewski
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 2:35 PM in response to Abrasha Staszewski

    And how long have you had the tip of a finger registered and used for?  If you can go

    a few days, you have a winner.  Personally, I doubt it, given the weeks of

    frustration I had since the 5S launch, and based on my 7.0.3 overnight

    failure.

     

    For me, I still say stay away from the fingertip.  Then again, I might

    have a defective 5S, (maybe defective fingers too? ) but as long as it works

    staying away from fingertips, I'm happy.

  • by Abrasha Staszewski,

    Abrasha Staszewski Abrasha Staszewski Oct 24, 2013 2:48 PM in response to Joe_Fo
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 24, 2013 2:48 PM in response to Joe_Fo

    Joe_Fo wrote:

     

    And how long have you had the tip of a finger registered and used for? 

    Since October 22, when the update was published.

    If you can go a few days, you have a winner. 

    So far so good.  Hey, even my big toe works. 

    Personally, I doubt it, given the weeks of frustration I had since the 5S launch, and based on my 7.0.3 overnight failure.

    I was frustrated too since I got the phone and was even working with a 'Senior Specialist' at Apple 'Corporate Executive Relations' to resolve this.  I was ready to throw the damned phone against the wall.  In my case 7.0.3 seems to have done the trick.  Finger tips and all.

  • by admin0730,

    admin0730 admin0730 Oct 24, 2013 4:23 PM in response to Dreanmachine1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 4:23 PM in response to Dreanmachine1

    Key Learnings: Scan the middle of your fingerprint and not the tip. Only use a single finger.

     

    Take a close look at your fingerprint. Near the tip, there is only horizontal ridges, but further down there are swirls. For the best reliability, you want to scan the middle of the swirl. It may be a little less comfortable to unlock your phone, but you will get used to it. And it's a lot less frustrating that having to enter your passcode. Also, notice how the oils from your finger builds up on the button. Using the same finger all the time will leave the same impression all the time and not confuse the sensor.

  • by Tarot1575,

    Tarot1575 Tarot1575 Oct 24, 2013 4:40 PM in response to Dreanmachine1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 4:40 PM in response to Dreanmachine1

    I just got my 5s and it is doing the same thing. I have erased and rescanned my fingers numerous times. Mine does not work at all, not even hit or miss!

  • by Joe_Fo,

    Joe_Fo Joe_Fo Oct 24, 2013 5:37 PM in response to Abrasha Staszewski
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 5:37 PM in response to Abrasha Staszewski

    Okay, shows promise then. I registered a different fingertip and will see how it goes.

    Oh, also the tip of my nose too. Will keep an eye on both over the next few days. ;)

  • by SuperSizeIt,

    SuperSizeIt SuperSizeIt Oct 24, 2013 5:43 PM in response to Joe_Fo
    Level 3 (579 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 5:43 PM in response to Joe_Fo

    Keep in mind if you have very dry fingers where it's always flaky and cracked, TID will have serious problems working for you.

  • by sacrefrancais,

    sacrefrancais sacrefrancais Oct 24, 2013 5:48 PM in response to Dreanmachine1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 5:48 PM in response to Dreanmachine1

    The center of the swirl on my thumb lines up just below the bottom on my thumbnail. My best scan has been the top 1/3 of swirl to tip. The Scanner Image reflects a centered swirl, which may be misleading. For testing purposes, maybe only use the right or left thumb.

     

    There are several issues, but these jump out:

     

    1) Scanning. Line up the center of thumbnail with opposite-side center of scanner.

     

    2) If it stops working after a day or so, ask yourself if it’s because you’re getting lazy about the process (no offense to anyone as I've made this error). Maybe you’re not mashing it in from sleep mode and gently keeping your finger in place afterwards? The conducive ring is important. I’ve noticed that the fail rate increases exponentially if you start from a live lock screen versus sleep mode.

     

    3) Motion Off setting is brilliant with 7.0.3. Mash, then instant app access. As always, animations are an afterthought with Apple.

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