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jekjones1558

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 27, 2010
324
94
I am new to Touch ID, so I am guessing that I am doing something wrong. My finger scan registers fine but it only works less than half of the time. I mostly have to enter my lock password. I have tried erasing and scanning again but that does not help. I am running 8.0.2. Suggestions about finger placement or something else?
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,742
155
I noticed that laying my thumb flat on the touch ID worked best. Also, if I hold the phone in my right hand and touch the Touch ID with my left thumb, it doesn't work much, although it is registered. I have to hold the phone in my left hand and touch it with my left thumb, just as I did when I set it up.

It works most of the time for me so long as I hold the phone fairly close to how I held it when I set up my fingerprints.
 

Learylvr.

macrumors regular
Nov 18, 2011
202
3
My 5s Touch ID worked 50% of the time while everyone else said theirs worked most of the time. After 2 months of resetting my prints, I returned it. That 5s worked almost every single time. I'd make an appointment with Apple and see about an exchange. My
6+ has been perfect. I entered only 1 scan of my thumb on launch day and it still works like a charm.
 

powerstrokin

macrumors 6502a
May 18, 2013
696
1
Are you using any type of case or screen protector that covers the TouchID button?

I have THIS CASE which has a clear rubber/plastic part that covers and protects the button and I notice a dramatic decrease in reliable scans while the case is on. I'm going to remove this part of the case.
 

kirkhuffy

macrumors 6502
Oct 1, 2012
256
111
Philadelphia
I exchanged my 16gb for a 64gb 6. The 16gb Touch ID worked maybe 2 out of 15 tries. I reset the phone, redid the prints, nothing helped. The 64gb Touch ID works nearly every time. So I think it's faulty Touch ID hardware
 

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
i have the same problem. mine rarely works. but i've attributed it to my fingers. lots of dry skin issues. i used a finger recently that seems to have better prints on it and it works much better (unfortunately it's the index finger on my left hand so it's not really practical). still not great but better. and my daughter's fingers seem to work fine most of the time. so i'm guessing it's my fingers.
 

MinEderPlayz

macrumors 6502a
Aug 3, 2013
723
50
Hamburg, Germany
i have the same problem. mine rarely works. but i've attributed it to my fingers. lots of dry skin issues. i used a finger recently that seems to have better prints on it and it works much better (unfortunately it's the index finger on my left hand so it's not really practical). still not great but better. and my daughter's fingers seem to work fine most of the time. so i'm guessing it's my fingers.

You should go in an Apple Store and try their Touch ID app.
 

willmtaylor

macrumors G4
Oct 31, 2009
10,314
8,198
Here(-ish)
Try registering the same finger multiple times. (There are what, 5 slots? Fill them up with the same finger and see if that helps).

I've had zero issues with mine, so I'd wager it's a bad sensor.
 

naturalstar

macrumors demi-goddess
Mar 9, 2012
2,854
5,834
Mine works every time. I registered both my thumb and my index finger. I wasn't sure how sensitive it was since I never used it before. So when I registered mine, I move my finger around all kinds of ways. Whenever I go to unlock, even with the laziest, half-press, it works right away.

May want to take it in for a genius appointment.
 

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2012
968
171

i'll give it a shot. the issue is that the phone seems to work fine for the first few times, the first 10 minutes or so, and then progressively gets worse and worse. but i've been meaning to make a genius appointment anyway for something else. maybe i'll schedule something and go in a little early and mess with one of the phones. i wasn't sure how i'd be able to test it, figuring they don't allow store models to be locked out using fingerprints. but maybe i'm wrong about that.
 

jekjones1558

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 27, 2010
324
94
OP here. Thanks for responses. I do have a screen protector on my phone and it is not on quite perfectly near the home button. I will try replacing the screen protector. If that doesn't work, I will make an appointment at the Genius Bar to see if I have a faulty sensor. Thanks again everyone!
 

jekjones1558

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 27, 2010
324
94
Try registering the same finger multiple times. (There are what, 5 slots? Fill them up with the same finger and see if that helps).

I've had zero issues with mine, so I'd wager it's a bad sensor.

I just tried this and so far so good! Thanks!
 

SHirsch999

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2011
658
196
Are you using any type of case or screen protector that covers the TouchID button?

I have THIS CASE which has a clear rubber/plastic part that covers and protects the button and I notice a dramatic decrease in reliable scans while the case is on. I'm going to remove this part of the case.

I have this same problem sometimes with my otterbox defender case. There is a thin film that covers the home button that I am thinking about removing. I've also noticed this case interferes with bringing up the control center, so I am contemplating using a different case. Any recommendations??
 

willmtaylor

macrumors G4
Oct 31, 2009
10,314
8,198
Here(-ish)
I have this same problem sometimes with my otterbox defender case. There is a thin film that covers the home button that I am thinking about removing. I've also noticed this case interferes with bringing up the control center, so I am contemplating using a different case. Any recommendations??

That's a question for the iPhone Accessories subforum.
 

ajm222

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2012
968
171
Still trying to decide if i should take mine in today for my afternoon appt. Don't know if it's my fingers or what but it rarely works. After registering fingers dozens of times, i finally got one to work most of the time. But that's it. What's annoying is that all fingers will work fine for about 5 minutes. That's the part I don't understand. Why would they all work fine for a few times and then just stop working completely. Strange. I have messed up fingers (dry skin type stuff) and I am sure that's a large part of it. And my phone is in pretty good shape and I worry about getting an exchange that maybe isn't.
 

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,975
16,888
I'm exchanging my 128 for this reason. has dead/stuck pixels too but the panel itself is nice :( and so is the build :(

i hate the swap game.

But this is frustrating, to not have touch ID work half the time.
 

slookx24

macrumors member
Mar 13, 2009
47
0
Mine gives me fits at times too. I made a Genius Bar appointment and, of course, when there, it started working perfectly fine. The genius probably thought I was making it up because he started to look annoyed at me. For the most part, mine works fine, but it isn't 100% like some other people's here.
 

jekjones1558

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 27, 2010
324
94
It seems that if I wake the phone on the home button with a finger that isn't registered and then use the finger that is registered to try to unlock then it won't work. So I have to be careful to only wake the phone on the home button with the registered finger then keep that finger on the home button to unlock. Kind of a pain.
 

supersalo

macrumors 6502
May 14, 2010
385
137
Make sure when you register your fingerprints that you're holding the phone like you normally do when you unlock it.

If you hold the phone differently when registering then the pictures of your print will be slightly different.

----------

It seems that if I wake the phone on the home button with a finger that isn't registered and then use the finger that is registered to try to unlock then it won't work. So I have to be careful to only wake the phone on the home button with the registered finger then keep that finger on the home button to unlock. Kind of a pain.

That's how touch ID works. Press the home button, then leave your finger on the home button so it can scan your print.
 
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