Touch ID stops working occasionally on MacBook Pro M4 running macOS Sequoia 15.5

DziugasKr wrote:

I have encountered a strange issue with my Macbook M4 Pro 24 GB running on Sequoia 15.5. After not using laptop for some time I cannot log in with my TouchID. Password works fine but placing my finger on fingertip scanner just seems non existant, there is no reaction on my laptop whatsoever. After logging in and switching accounts and trying to log in with TouchID again works fine, thus suggesting that TouchID scanner works perfectly.

And no, I am fully aware that sometimes the operating system is asking me to unlock laptop only with password but this is not the case.

The problem started and does not end even after a macOS update. Starts to annoy me.

Anyone experienced such problems and maybe found a solution?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

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There are a few instances where Touch ID will not be accepted by macOS:

• If you restarted your Mac, or if you're not logged into your user account.

• If you have not unlocked your Mac for 48 hours.

• If you are trying to unlock Security & Privacy

• If you are trying to unlock Users & Groups Settings (when FileVault is on)

• If 5 wrong fingerprint attempts

Use Touch ID on Mac

Use Touch ID on Mac - Apple Support

"If you have problems with Touch ID"

If Touch ID isn't working on Mac - Apple Support

I have issues with touch ID as well.

It does not unlock my MacBook after upgrading to macOS 15.5.

It is not under any of the following:

• If you restarted your Mac, or if you're not logged into your user account.

• If you have not unlocked your Mac for 48 hours.

• If you are trying to unlock Security & Privacy

• If you are trying to unlock Users & Groups Settings (when FileVault is on)

• If 5 wrong fingerprint attempts

On most Macs with these sensors, there is the ability to store multiple fingerprints. Typically, users assign these for other fingers, or for other Users. I have a different suggestion.

Reliability can improve dramatically if you store multiple sensed prints of the SAME finger. When required, if any of the multiple stored prints matches, it succeeds.

DziugasKr yeah… you are right. It stopped working. And to make it worse… today out of nothing (I was running some Ansible playbooks, large tasks) MacBook locks the screen, I was not able to unlock it, turn off or do nothing. I would enter my password, it would load as normal and goes to the login again, but in a grey screen. Solved that issue, when I log back again, keychain gone, fingerprint gone… all logins gone. Which for me is a good safety measure, but why did it happen in first place? ( FileVault issue related)

I have the exact problem, I tried to delete the fingerprint and create a new one, but now im not able to register another one due to an error.

Update:

today the Touch ID is back working normally. Nothing done from my side.

Same problem with my Macbook Pro M4 Max 36 GB - happens interminently.