iPhone 5s Touch ID not working while plugged in on charge, charging.

I just wanted to chime in and give some insight because I too have been having this issue. I live in ohio and bought my 5S brand new there and when I plug it into a wall my Touch ID works fine and all. However I noticed last summer when I stayed with my friends for a few months that when I plugged my phone into charge that my Touch ID didn't work. They live in Tennessee and their apartment complex was recently built a year ago. So I do believe it's something to do with the wiring of the house because why would it work fine in ohio and not Tennessee. And yes I tried all of the outlets in their apartment. Hope this helps and Im using all original apple equipment.

Do you have a Leather Case?

I have problems with the Touchscreen while charging and just discovered that the problem is the Apple Leather Case, when my phone is charging outside the case works fine. Try to use without any case.

I don't have a leather case, but it seems there might be some logic that the case is involved in this issue. I've seen the problem 2 places, plugged into my mac directly (lightning cable), and when plugged into my somewhat generic USB outlet. I tend to discount the latter since its not all Apple and maybe doesn't meet all the right standards. Anyways, since the last post about the case, I removed my case when plugged into the generic USB and that resolved the problem (although there is some wierd soft of vibration/electrical sensation on the back on my iphone...which I suspect is related to improper gounding of something!).

I have not played around with removing my case to see if it fixes the problem when plugged into my mac...I suspect it will. But good idea with the case...I hadn't considered that earlier.

I have the same problem and just tried taking the phone out of the case. It worked! Unlocked with my thumbprint, put it back in the case and it stops working!

Mine seems to work, but when charging the touch screen looks to be very bad at navigating.

Either my charging cable or adaptor is not original and thus screw up. But thats really Apple nick picking or IOS 7.1.1 is not stable

1. I didn't notice this problem until I updated my 5s to IOS 7.1.1. The version required me to re-enter my touch-id. When I tried to enter my fingerprints, they would not register. I thought this weird because improved touch-id was supposed to be one of the features of 7.1.1. Then I discovered that when unplugged, everything worked fine. After reading this thread, I checked and discovered I'm using a 3rd party AC adapter. Then I tried removing my phone from the Apple leather case and discovered everything worked - even with the 3rd party AC adapter. Here's the wierd thing... when i put the phone back in the leather case, it continued to work.

2. I use my phone a lot in my car, connected to the car's USB jack. In this case, I've noticed the touch-id works intermittantly. And, when it does work, the behavior is slighly different. Normally touch-id will unlock the phone within a second after you press your finger/thumb to the sensor - the phone unlocks while your finger/thumb is still on the sensor. When it works in my car, touch-id unlocks the phone only when "removing" my finger/thumb. I touch and hold for several seconds - nothing, then remove it and the phone unlocks.

3. I have a theory that electrical noise is somehow coupled/radiated from power cord into the sensor and affects operation. 3rd party chargers (and maybe other USB power sources such as cars and computers) may have slightly more electrical noise than the apple charger. As a result, behavior with these other power sources is indeterminant. Regarding the case effect, I think it slightly affects the coupling from the power cord to the sensor. Same thing in my car - removing my hand changes the coupling. Interesting problem.

Same here... iPhone 5S 32G (iOS 7.1.1) from Bell Canada. When charging, no Touch-ID and immediately after disconnect, Touch-ID's back!

I'm using a genuine Apple Lightning cable but a Scosche 4.2A (twin 2.1A USB) wall charger. My case is a SlimArmor from Spigen.

But as an IT worker for 15 years, I'm definitely not sure this issue can come from the charger, nor the case. I think it's just a software bug actually. Not very annoying IMO.

I just wanted to share my experience - just noticed it today actually!

When I charge my iPhone 5S using iOS 8 with the Apple OEM charger, Touch ID works perfectly, even through my LifeProof case.

When using the phone by itself, it works perfectly as well, with or without the case.

But when charging with my Belkin powerstrip USB port, or my friend's generic charger, the phone will charge, but Touch ID will NOT work at all, with OR without the LifeProof case.

In fact it won't even register a fingerprint at all (the phone goes back to sleep, instead of saying "Try Again". Also, in settings, I can't add any prints.)

So I'm guessing it's related to the "quality" of the power delivered by the charger. EMF/noise/RF probably disables or at least degrades the Touch ID sensor.

Hope my input and little experiments helped a little!

Same thing here with iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 8.0.2 and leather case. Touch Id doesn't work when I have the case on and connected to power with third-party adapter (haven't' tried with Apple one yet). When I remove the case, it works flawlessly. Who could have thought some case (or what ever it is) could affect this.

Yeah; I have also noticed a similar effect when using my iPhone on my kneeboard while flying. It's a large aluminum and steel clipboard, with pockets and straps, etc. The TouchID often flips out and doesn't work well.

I'm convinced now that the sensor (at least on my 5S, no idea about the new ones) is quite sensitive to electrostatic fields and RMF/EM interference from cheap power sources.

Still pretty cool that Apple has managed to pull it off as well as they have.

... Science!

I Have had this problem with the 5s and now the 6, but not when charging in my car—only the Apple iPad charger and cable. After finding this thread and being in disbelief that removing the case would help, it did in fact help. So then I put the case back on and tried unlocking with one finger on the metal bottom and the thumb on Touch ID. It's a little finicky, but that does work…

Same problem here.

Iphone 6, touch id not working when charging with Apple charger in Apple leather case.

As soon as you ground your phone, by touching the aluminium case with another finger it works.

The electrostatic charge from the loading process is disrupting the touch id.

Grounding your iPhone with your body gets rid of the electrostatic charge, but when using a non connductive

case your phone isn't grounded.

I found a fix for me. I have the same problem, either with an Apple charger or a third party one. But then I tried using a few different household extension cords to experiment. I found that with my longer 15 foot extension cord the touchID works fine! I noticed the shorter cords had the problem. So try a longer extension cord. Perhaps the length does something to change the current by the time it gets to the phone, reducing interference.

The leather case appears to be my issue with my 6+.

But I noticed that I also purchased a new non-Apple charging block as well and the leather case not allowing charge was not an issue prior to the new charger.

I will try another charger and let everyone know.

I later found the cord length was just a fluke. No matter the cord, sometimes touch ID works and sometimes it doesn't. It seems to be due to static charge build up. One time it wasn't working in the living room which has carpeting, by walking on static often builds up. I then walked to the kitchen that has no carpeting, plugged it in there, and then touch ID worked. Then I brought it back into the living room and it worked that time.