Touch ID unlocks and locks instantly

[bmot]

When my MacBook Air M4 is open and the screen turned off and i click the touch ID button to unlock the Mac it unlocks and locks back immediately. Always. Is this a hardware or software issue and is this a general problem or specific to this device?
The only way to unlock the MacBook with Touch ID is pressing the space bar first to turn the screen on and then just touching the finger print sensor instead of clicking it.

 

[Bigwaff]

Stop clicking it. Click unnecessary.

 

[benwiggy]

Yes - just rest your finger on the button. Don't press it down.

 

[bmot]

Stop clicking it. Click unnecessary.

What can that button be pressed for then?

 

[hg.wells]

It’s the Mac’s power button, hold it down to power off the Mac.

 

[kitKAC]

What can that button be pressed for then?

Locking the screen.

 

[chabig]

It's necessary to enter recovery mode. Other than that there is little reason to ever press it.

 

[Vincent Hanna]

It’s Touch ID, not Click ID.

 

[bmot]

So touch to unlock. Press to lock.
I don’t understand why Apple implemented this so inconsistently.

 

[hg.wells]

So touch to unlock. Press to lock.
I don’t understand why Apple implemented this so inconsistently.

Not really it’s been consistent since Touch ID had launched on the Mac.

 

[chabig]

So touch to unlock. Press to lock.

A physical press goes to the lock screen (from any state—asleep or awake). A light touch reads your finger. Different functions on one key.

 

[Vincent Hanna]

And press and hold does a hard shutdown if the machine is hung.

 

[bmot]

Not really it’s been consistent since Touch ID had launched on the Mac.

But what is the point of having this useless unlock lock logic when instead the MacBook could just unlock on press of that button just like it locks.
As it is the existing logic feels just buggy and an oversight in consistency with no advantage.

 

[mike.coulter]

It took me a while to realise you don't need to click on the M1 MacBook Air too, I thought I was going mad!

 

[chabig]

But what is the point of having this useless unlock lock logic when instead the MacBook could just unlock on press of that button...

Pressing the would never be enough to unlock the MacBook. You'd still have to authenticate–either with a password, TouchID, or with an Apple Watch.

 

[Parowdy]

But what is the point of having this useless unlock lock logic when instead the MacBook could just unlock on press of that button just like it locks.
As it is the existing logic feels just buggy and an oversight in consistency with no advantage.

The advantage is very obvious, you don’t need to press down the button because finger print sensors can automatically detect if a finger is present.
So in reality it doesn’t matter if the lock screen is show or not, when your MacBook is open you just tap Touch ID to return to whatever you did previously. It’s actually very consistent in that regard. But I understand your confusion.

 

[bmot]

Pressing the would never be enough to unlock the MacBook. You'd still have to authenticate–either with a password, TouchID, or with an Apple Watch.

Yes i am aware. But why not program the logic so that either touch or click of the button unlocks the MacBook. In both cases Touch ID is used.

This way the MacBook wouldn’t behave like it is broken and unlock and lock immediately if the button is pressed in a locked state. As it is implemented it is just a major UI oversight on Apple’s side.

 

[hg.wells]

Yes i am aware. But why not program the logic so that either touch or click of the button unlocks the MacBook. In both cases Touch ID is used.

This way the MacBook wouldn’t behave like it is broken and unlock and lock immediately if the button is pressed in a locked state. As it is implemented it is just a major UI oversight on Apple’s side.

Because pressing it does other things. You will get used to it. Additional functionality is not a UI oversight.

 

[bmot]

Because pressing it does other things. You will get used to it. Additional functionality is not a UI oversight.

What does press of that button do in a locked state other than lock and unlock it immediately?