Password required over fingerprint hours after using Macbook Air

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Level 1

11 points

Password required over fingerprint hours after using Macbook Air

I'm having this constant annoying issue where when I come back to my MacBook Air it requires I type out my password instead of using my fingerprint. The only information I've found online about it suggests this happens when you haven't used the laptop in more than a day or so. Well I just tested this out after using my laptop less than 10 hours ago and I have to enter my password. I had to enter my password when I used it yestrerday as well.

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to this password requirement. How can I deactivate this feature permanently? I never want to enter my password over the fingerprint unless there is some security issue or my laptop was turned off. Otherwise, what is the purpose in the fingerprint scan if it's never going to work?

MacBook Air (2018 – 2020)

Posted on Oct 20, 2023 10:58 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tiggaknock Author

Level 1

11 points

Oct 21, 2023 08:13 PM in response to WayneJStewart

I just changed this from "5 minutes" to "8 Hours." I find it odd this was set to 5 minutes when haven't used my laptop all day and it didn't ask for the password, I'm not sure what this thing is doing at this point. I was going to set it to "Never" but a message popped up about anyone being able to access my passwords and wallet info. I don't understand this setting unless this means my computer will not ask for a password from now on, including requesting fingerprint. I don't want that. I'll try the 8 hours setting and see what happens.

Honestly, I'd take a 48 hour setting over a few hours or in my case random intervals. This is just ridiculous.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

153,568 points

Oct 20, 2023 01:55 PM in response to Tiggaknock

It's supposed to be > 48 hours.

About Touch ID advanced security technology - Apple Support

Could be related: Set your Mac to log out when not in use - Apple Support. If you log out (automatically or otherwise) you need the password.

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Answer 3

Apr 1, 2024 04:22 PM in response to Tiggaknock

Nobody is understanding the problem. This is not regarding the login requirement for inactivity which results in sleep or screen saver. For that, you can still use the fingerprint to log in.

This is regarding the use of the fingerprint to log in, and the system requiring the password (instead of the fingerprint) after a specific time frame. It is not the same as the setting which is in Security & Privacy.

Users do not have the freedom to say "Only Use Fingerprint," In spite of the fact that there is no additional security risk. The MacBook is not accessible regardless. Whether you use password, or you use fingerprint, it is irrelevant. The same security measures are protecting everything, and nobody is going to clone our fingerprints, we aren't CIA agents living in critical espionage scenarios where we need to be concerned about a FINGERPRINT not being secure enough.

So, why are we being forced to use our password (and not fingerprint) to log back in if the MacBook has been asleep for X hours/days?

Better yet, is there a system library preference which can be changed with Superuser access via the terminal, so that we can change this from X days to Never, or, at the very least, change it to 7 days, so that we are ONLY required to use our fingerprint to log in from inactivity.

Every single time I go to log in to my macbook, I want to use my FINGERPRINT. Because that is the security measure I myself (the owner) have deemed worthy, even MORE worthy than my password, which can, hypothetically, be figured out. Nobody is going to figure out my FINGERPRINT.

Thank you,

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