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Why did Touch ID stop working to approve family share apps?

Up until 30 minutes ago when a family member want to download an app, it ask for me to approve and enter my fingerprint (Touch ID). Now something happened and it is asking for me to enter my password. I don't want to do this on my iPhone every time one of my kids wants a game or app, i need touch ID to work. I check and it was turned off for app store purchases, so I turned it back on. If I download an app, my touch ID works. But I try to approve one of my kids apps and it asks for my password. How to i get Touch ID back for approving my kids family share app purchases?

Thanks, Dean.

iPhone 6, iOS 8.4.1

Posted on Sep 4, 2015 6:12 PM

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Posted on Sep 4, 2015 7:49 PM

If you powered off the phone, it's necessary to manually enter the password once. The difficulty with the app store is if you powered down the phone two weeks ago (and forgot that you did it) and haven't accessed the app store until now.

90 replies

Sep 7, 2015 6:59 AM in response to Philly_Phan

This isn't quite it. I did power off and had to type my password the first time. However, if I download an app or song on my iPhone, I can use Touch ID to approve it. If my son downloads a game I have it setup to come to me for approval and I used to be able to use my Touch ID to approve it, however, as of Friday evening, it only ask for my password, the default to use my Touch ID for approval is gone and I want to know how to get it back.

Jan 22, 2018 3:05 AM in response to dpiepiora

Same problem for me, touch id works for my app store purchases, but to approve my kids I now have to enter the password overtime, very annoying - not sure what changed.

Sep 28, 2015 9:10 AM in response to K_Deep

Same problem here as well. iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 both with iOS 9.0.1. I spent ~1 hour on the phone with Apple Support yesterday and was told that using fingerprints to approve family share requests wasn't an option in the software. I know that I have been able to use it for at least 6-8 months from my phone and Air 2 and at least this thread confirms that I'm not the only one with the problem.


Power cycling the phone or iPad has not resolved issue and the fingerprint option still works for my personal purchases, etc...


A solution would be much appreciated - approving family requests inbound from 4 devices with my password is a pain and one of the main reasons I upgraded from the iPhone 5 to the 6.

Why did Touch ID stop working to approve family share apps?

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