Of course, such protection was to the taste of users who immediately began to use all the benefits of “Apple products”. However, after some time, numerous complaints began to appear on the official Apple technical support website that the Touch ID setup could not be completed. Such a useful solution turned out to be completely ineffective? Or can the problem be solved? Let's take a closer look in the article.

Reasons

There are many factors that can affect the performance of a smartphone. Some attribute the failure to complete Touch ID setup to the redesigned stock apps, new Siri features, changes to the CarPlay interface, and more. However, the reasons may be much more trivial than it seems at first glance.

Most often, problems with the scanner appear when negative temperatures. In this case, the Touch ID setup cannot be carried out due to the fact that the touchscreen is simply frozen and cannot recognize the user. In addition, in cold weather it also changes on a person’s fingers. Of course, this cannot be seen with the naked eye, but for sensitive equipment this is a huge problem. Therefore, if you were unable to complete the Touch ID setup, return to a warm place and try to repeat the procedure again when the device and your hands are warm.

The second common reason is dirt and moisture. If you try to set up the scanner in the rain or in cloudy weather, when the weather prevails high humidity, then most likely nothing will work out. The same goes for dirty hands. Again, your fingers may look clean on the outside, but this will not be enough for the scanner.

Of course, there are more serious reasons that the Touch ID setup could not be completed. Quite often the problem occurs due to incorrect settings or a short program crash. The reason may also lie in the hardware.

Correct setting

In order for Touch ID to work fully, you need to configure it. To do this correctly, you need to follow these steps:

• Make sure the Home button is clean and free of moisture. Hands must be dry.
• Go to your phone settings and select “Touch ID password”. Enter the code combination.
• Click “Add fingerprint” and calmly touch the Home button without pressing it too hard.
• Hold your finger still until the device begins to vibrate.
• Repeat the procedure. The finger must be lifted several times and pressed against the button again. It is recommended to change its position slightly.
• A new menu will appear on the screen where you will be asked to adjust the fingerprint capture. To do this, you need to take the phone in your hand most in a convenient way and place your fingertip on the Home button. This procedure is also repeated several times.

If you still can't complete the Touch ID setup, you can try using another finger. Or use another method.

Restoring Touch ID

To rollback previous changes and set new settings, you must complete the following steps:

• Go to the main menu and select “Touch ID password” again.
• Enter the access code and delete old biometric data.
• Repeat the procedure for adding a “cast”.

If after this you still cannot complete the Touch ID setup on your iPhone, you can try restoring the system through a backup that was previously made in cloud storage or on PC. To do this, you need to connect your device to your computer and go to iTunes. Next, you just need to click the “Restore” button and select the desired backup date. After recovery, you must re-enter your biometric data as described earlier.

If the problem is hardware

If there is a non-software glitch and you cannot complete the Touch ID setup, then the reason may lie in the device itself. The Home button cable may have come loose. To solve this problem, you need to carefully disassemble the phone. Then you need to disconnect the cable from the button, check if there is any damage on it, and re-insert it. In some situations, this helps fix the error.

However, such experiments should not be carried out without proper experience. If the user is confident in his abilities, then before performing such operations it is necessary to save all data from the smartphone.

If Touch ID stops working in the App Store

Very often, users notice a problem with the scanner only when they go to the official Apple store. However, if the fingerprint is not taken in App Store, this may also indicate a problem with the device.

In this case, you must perform the following steps:

• Go to settings and go to “Touch ID password”.
• Enter the code and find the “Usage” section.
• Disable the App Store and iTunes Store in it.
• Reboot your device.
• Go to the settings again and repeat the procedure, only this time the stores must, on the contrary, be activated.

This usually helps get rid of bugs.

Technical support

If none of the above helped, do not despair. Experienced Apple support technicians can help you figure out why you can't complete Touch ID setup. To do this, you need to go to the company’s official website and create the appropriate ticket. Or you can search in already questions asked. Most likely, there are a large number of discussion threads on the site with similar problems. If the consultants suggest doing everything that has already been stated, then all that remains is to go to the service center and try to diagnose the device. Before doing this, you should copy all the data from the phone again.

From time to time there are complaints about the operation of the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone or iPad. There is always a small chance that the problem lies in the failure of this component of the device, but it is possible that you can solve the incorrect operation of Touch ID on your own. For example, if you recalibrate the scanner, clean it, and also check your fingers for damage. We have collected several useful tips for those whose Home buttons do not work as well as they would like.

Make sure Touch ID is turned on and configured correctly

To do this, you need to go to Settings, then to the “Touch ID and Password” section, and make sure that the use of the scanner is enabled for unlocking the device, as well as purchases in the iTunes Store and App Store. In addition, the required fingerprints must be added - from one to five.

Recalibrate the scanner

Perhaps something went wrong the first time and your fingerprint was not recognized well enough. The solution to problems with Touch ID may be to add fingerprints again. For ease of use of the scanner, it is worth taking at least three slots out of the five available, for example, adding two thumbs and one index finger on the main hand. Be sure to properly label the added fingerprints to reduce the time and effort required for recalibration in the future.

Check that your fingers are dry and undamaged

Do not forget that wet, frozen or damaged fingers can interfere with the operation of the fingerprint scanner. Perhaps you recklessly grabbed something hot, spent a long time in the bathroom, or played unsuccessfully with the cat? All this could affect the quality of fingerprint recognition, and not at all problems with Touch ID.

Clean Home Button

At first glance, the Home button may seem clean, but a barely noticeable ring of dirt accumulates around the junction with the front panel of the smartphone. Over time usable area the scanner becomes slightly smaller, which makes the scanner more difficult to operate and leads to errors in operation. It’s worth making a habit of cleaning the Home button weekly, which will have a positive effect on Touch ID performance.

Do you have an iPhone 6 Plus?

If none of the above helps, you probably have an early release iPhone 6 Plus. It’s difficult to say why, but it’s this smartphone that receives the most complaints from users regarding Touch ID. In the editorial office, we have an iPhone 6 and an iPhone 6 Plus, so we see the difference in the operation of fingerprint scanners from personal experience. While misfires in a compact model are extremely rare and most often due to my fault (I let go of my finger too quickly or placed it inaccurately), sometimes I can unlock the iPhone 6 Plus only after manually entering the password. Possibly supplying fingerprint scanners for different models Different companies were involved in the iPhone, otherwise it is unclear how to explain the large number of complaints about the operation of Touch ID in a smartphone with a larger diagonal.

Recently in the news feed and in social networks there are often discussions and opinions regarding new feature fingerprint recognition called Touch ID in iPhone 5s. Basically, all discussions come down to security issues and future prospects for this method of protecting and accessing the device. For some reason, what seems to me to be a more pressing question is raised much less frequently: is it convenient to use Touch ID in everyday life?

It is clear that initially the fingerprint is entered into memory, followed by a touch, then pressing the “Home” button, and as a result, the device is unlocked. All this is very fun and interesting, but does the process really look so beautiful, simple and easy?

I think it would be quite appropriate here to give a few opinions or, if you like, observations from famous people in the world of “Apple-related” journalism, based on their personal experience.

For example, here's what John Gruber (of daringfireball.net) has to say about it:

Although, this may be technically correct, Dustin Curtis (creator of the interactive magazine svbtle.com, and part-time blogger) that in fact everything is not quite like that:

When the phone is locked, unlocking with Touch ID feels a little clunky; you must touch the sensor on the Home button with your finger, press the button and manage to release it without removing your finger from the sensor, and you must manage to do all this before Siri is activated. It works, but it feels strange.

In general, I will say this - unlocking is truly “instant”, but only if the lock screen is in the active state at that moment. It was funny to watch new owners trying to unlock the device by simply swiping or touching the sensor with their finger. It would seem that a completely simple and logical action - unlocking the iPhone - actually consists of two non-obvious ones: “waking up” by pressing the “Home” button and reading the fingerprint with the sensor. That is, an iPhone in an inactive state simply will not respond to a finger; reading occurs immediately after activating the device by pressing Home as usual.

And John Gruber is at it again:

Touch ID doesn't rely on button presses in any way, and there shouldn't be any lag... Try this: Place your finger on the Home button while your iPhone is locked. Activate your iPhone with the Power button, not the Home button. Unlocking is instant.

What can I say: apparently, I’m somehow wrong, not one of those people who usually unlock the iPhone with both hands...

Touch ID is one of the the most useful functions iPhones and other smartphones with this advantage. It not only protects your phone and its data from prying eyes, but also serves as a key for purchases in the App Store and the Apple Pay payment system. The scanner also protects third-party applications, for example Sberbank Online. However, like any technical innovation, it does not function flawlessly on all devices. In this article, we will figure out what to do if Touch ID on iPhone is not working.

What is Touch ID

First, let's look at what the mentioned fingerprint scanner is. Touch ID, called one of the important functions of the iPhone, first appeared on the iPhone 5s; later models without exception are equipped with this option. The scanner is built into the main working Home button. His device, which is only 170 microns thick (that’s twice as thin as a human hair!) can quickly analyze the subepithelial layer of the skin of a person’s finger touching the button using a fingerprint image with a resolution of 500 ppi. It is not surprising that such a thin system can often be capricious, which is why the fingerprint on the iPhone 5s does not work.

One of the features of Touch ID is that it can be “trained,” customized, and also stored in memory up to 5 fingerprints (either one person or several), each of which will be the key to your device and individual applications in it.

Setting up Touch ID correctly

Sometimes the iPhone 5s fingerprint scanner does not work well due to incorrect initial setup. Therefore, before you start using your new “smart” device, you should set up Touch ID, following Apple’s recommendations:

1. Before setting up the sensor, enter the password for the device (4-6 digits, depending on the OS version). It is he who will help you unlock the device if the scanner suddenly malfunctions.
2. Make sure the Home button and your hands are clean and dry.
3. Go to settings under the "gear" icon, select "Touch ID and password". Enter the code from step 1.
4. Click on "Add fingerprint". After that, tap (don't press hard, just lightly) the Home button. At the same time, it is important to hold the device naturally and position your finger in the way that is most convenient for you.
5. Once you touch the button, hold your finger until it vibrates slightly or until the text appears on the screen: “Lift your finger and place it on the Home key several times.”
6. After this command appears, apply your finger, slightly changing its location.
7. Next, the device will offer to enter a grip that is convenient for you into its memory. Here you should hold the phone in your hand in a way that will be convenient for you to position it in your hand when unlocking the device. At this point, you no longer apply the center of the fingertip to “Home”, but its edges.
8. Once you have stored one fingerprint in memory, you can repeat the procedure for others. For greater reliability of the scanner, the iPhone’s memory should contain up to three of your fingerprints.

"Train" Touch ID

If you are faced with the fact that the fingerprint on the iPhone 5s does not work well, then try “training” your Touch ID. To do this, you need to go to “Settings”, “Tooch ID and password”, enter the required code. Then touch the scanner with the pad of your finger stored in its memory. At this time, the name of her fingerprint on the screen will turn gray.

Start "training" your scanner - keep touching "Home" with your finger in different positions. These manipulations will help increase the speed of both scanning and fingerprint recognition. To achieve best result repeat the mentioned algorithm of actions several times.

Fingerprint scanner not working: universal ways to fix the problem

If you are faced with the fact that the fingerprint has stopped working on the iPhone 5s, then we will offer you the most likely causes of the problem and ways to resolve them:

• First of all, check that the scanner is turned on and configured in accordance with the algorithm from the second subheading. In the "Settings" section "Touch ID and password" the sliders opposite unlock, App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Pay must be active, and in the "Fingerprints" tab at least one finger must be stored in memory.
• Try entering one or more other fingerprints. Please note that each of them can be assigned its own name.
• The reason that the fingerprint does not work on the iPhone 5s may also be the condition of your hands. If you just came in from the cold, for a long time were in water, applied a greasy cream, or there are minor damages on the pads of your fingers (microcracks, scratches), then this may be the reason that the iPhone could not correctly recognize your fingerprint.
• Clean the Home key with a dry paper or cloth. A ring of dirt that is invisible to the eye sometimes accumulates around its circumference, which reduces the working diameter of the key and complicates the operation of the scanner.

Now let's move on to more specific cases of faults.

Touch ID doesn't work in cold weather

If the fingerprint scanner on your iPhone 5s does not work in the cold, then the following life hack is for your attention:

1. To carry out further manipulations, find yourself again in icy conditions and go to the “Touch ID and password” tab located in “Settings”.
2. Click on "Add a new fingerprint". Your hands should already be cold.
3. According to the scheme indicated in the second subheading, add your frozen fingerprint to the device memory.
4. If even this manipulation did not help, then there is only one thing left to do - unlock the phone using a digital password.

Problems after update

The overwhelming majority of users complain that the fingerprint on the iPhone 5s does not work after they have updated iOS to the latest version. The most effective "lazy" way here is to wait for the next "update" in which this bug will be fixed. But if you need a properly functioning scanner on the Home button, then try to troubleshoot the problem using these methods:

1. Close all running programs and perform a Soft Reset (simultaneously holding down the Home and Power keys for 10 seconds). It would be a good idea to clean the scanner itself and your fingertips with a napkin. Go to the “Settings” section “Touch ID and password” and delete all existing fingerprints (swipe left or click on their name, then “Delete fingerprint”). Next, select "Add a new fingerprint" and refer to the detailed algorithm described above in the settings.
2. If the previous method did not help, then you will have to completely flash the device. Before the operation, be sure to save backup copies of the information on your iPhone in a safe place. On your PC or laptop must be downloaded and authorized through your Apple ID iPhone program iTunes. Disable Find My iPhone. Next, connect the phone via a USB cable to its “big brother”. If the PC OS is Windows, then during this manipulation hold down the Shift button on the keyboard, if the Mac is holding down the Alt/Option key. Next, select “Restore”, indicating the downloaded firmware.

Touch ID failure

The fingerprint on the iPhone 5s may not work as a result of a malfunction of the scanner - you will see this message on the screen after several futile attempts to unlock the device using Touch ID. The reasons for this can be different: slight wear and tear on the device itself, conditions that make it difficult to scan a fingertip, etc. The prevention of this problem, according to many users, is a monthly update of the fingerprints recorded in the memory. The latter must be completely deleted and new ones must be added through “Add fingerprint”.

The method for solving the problem is traditional: clean the Home button and fingertips, remove old “fingers” from memory and add new ones using the standard procedure.

Problems with the App Store

Another problem that can be solved is the malfunction of the scanner when using it in the App Store. In this store, Touch ID is actually the key to downloading new apps. In this case, you can “fix” the fingerprint scanner like this:

1. Go to the "Touch ID and Password" section in "Settings".
2. Opposite "App Store, iTunes Store" make the slider inactive.
3. Reboot your device.
4. Return to step 1, activate the slider responsible for “App Store, iTunes Store”.

Touch ID scanner is broken

Failure of the Touch ID system itself is rare, but still possible. In this case, the only solution to the problem is to replace the iPhone 5s fingerprint scanner. To eliminate the possibility of error, delete all fingerprints and restart your iPhone. Add your fingerprint to Touch ID & Password again. If unsuccessful, repeat the procedure a couple more times. If after this the scanner remains blind and deaf to your fingerprints, then only qualified diagnostics and, possibly, repairs at an Apple service center will help it.

As you have seen, the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s does not work or functions poorly for a variety of reasons. You can easily and quickly solve most problems on your own - a visit to specialists is only required if the scanner breaks down - to replace it. For proper and long-term operation, it is also important to configure Touch ID correctly.