For quite some time, Macs have been equipped as standard with a Touch ID sensor with which you can unlock your Mac, make purchases in the Mac App Store and can automatically have your passwords filled in via the password app. The fingerprint scanner is integrated on the Mac in the on/off button.
It is possible that Touch ID no longer works at a certain point. This can have a physical cause, for example, if you have cut your finger. It is also possible that a blockade is active in macOS. With the help of the steps below you can get Touch ID working again.
Add your finger to Touch ID again
Touch ID works by scanning your fingerprint with a capacitive sensor, which makes a 3D model of your skin layers. This model compares your fingerprint with a stored encrypted mathematical comparison to check your identity.
Have you cut your finger or is there another reason why your fingerprint is no longer recognized by the Touch ID sensor. Then you can always try to add your finger again or an extra finger for Touch ID. For this you go through the steps below:
- Go to your Mac to  â–¸ System settings …
- Click on Touch ID and password.
- Add your finger or an extra finger and then test whether Touch ID works again.
Check if there are macOS updates available
If, after (again) adding your finger, the fingerprint scanner still does not work, it is smart to check if there are macOS updates available. Apple regularly releases updates with problem solutions and safety improvements. It is good to keep macOS updated (‘up-to-date’) anyway. As follows you can check whether there are macOS updates available:
- Go to your Mac to  â–¸ System settings …
- Click on General â–¸ Software update
If there are macOS update available, they will appear in the screen and you get the option to install it. For safety reasons, it can happen that fingerprint scanner is blocked until a related software update is installed.
After installing the software update, the problem is possible. Is there no new software update available, or has it not helped? Then you can do the problems below.
Give permission again for purchases with Touch ID
Sometimes it can help to give permission for Touch ID to make purchases with it. For safety reasons, Apple has this set by the user. It is possible that this permission is completely off, but you can also try something.
- Go to your Mac to  â–¸ System settings …
- Click on Touch ID and password.
- Deactivate all Touch ID options and wait a dozen seconds before you switch them on again.
When switching on the different authorization options, you may have to fill in the password of your user account.
Log in manually with your Apple account in the App Store
Authorization of purchases via the fingerprint scanner is only active if you have entered the password of your Apple account at least once. You can force this by installing a free app from the Mac App Store.
- Open the App Store app on your Mac.
- Find any free app that you have never downloaded.
- Click on ‘Download’, and then on the ‘Install’ button.
- The Mac will now ask if you want to use Touch ID for future purchases, confirm this by clicking on ‘Yes’.
- Enter the password of your Apple account.
The app that you had chosen will now be downloaded and installed, which you can possibly remove it immediately. By installing the app, your Apple account is linked to the fingerprint scanner for purchases in the Mac App Store.