“Am I the only one disappointed by Touch ID on the new iPhone 5S? ” Anthony Wing Kosner writes for Forbes. “My own experience has been that it worked great the first day after I got the phone and almost not at all since. So I feel a little like I’ve been duped into actually using a passcode (which I never did before) so that I could use this cool new feature (score one for the added security benefits of touch ID!) But then it stopped working. So after five tries (or before) I punch in my passcode. I do that a lot.”
“Did I try rescanning my fingerprints? Yes. Updating my system software? Yes. Resetting to factory setting and starting out with a clean install and not using a backup because it could mess up the firmware?” Kosner writes. “No, not yet. Too much work.”
“If you go to Apple’s support discussions and search Touch ID, the top hit is entitled Touch ID being erratic. It is not a well travelled thread which would indicate that there are not massive numbers of people having the problem OR that not enough users are sufficiently annoyed (yet) to be posting on this forum,” Kosner writes. “But what I found there was essentially my story. It worked well at first and then became erratic.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: All of our iPhone 5s units’ Touch ID systems work perfectly. Nothing erratic at all. Zero issues.
No issues here at all with mine, I’ve had my 5S since 9/25.
works fine. perfectly in fact. I scanned both thumbs into additional finger slots to “saturate” the reader for goofy presentions I make to the scanner – now it registers 100% first try
yeah, that’s a good tip and more people should do it.
Yeap did the same thing with both thumbs. No problem at all not one issue. Into a week of owning the device
Same here! What a coincidence! Since the release day… 🙂
Mine has worked without issue since I got it on 09/20.
It did. Never works anymore for me. ;(
When it does work it’s a joy
Maybe you have dirty hands, wash more regularly.
Also, how you first setup your print is important. Maysure it gets good reading and cover as much of your print as possible during the initial setup. You can always delete and try againt.
Yeah I don’t think that’s the case. I work with my hands and washing before touching my phone (or much of anything else) is a regular routine.
That being said I think I have to re record some fingers now that I’m more attuned to exactly how I’m pressing the button.
I will also say that the touch ID never works after I wash my hands until they are completely dry so that could be the most common issue– moist phalanges
When we implemented the time and attendance system by finger print readers at work, there were a lot of people that the readers were unable to read their fingerprint at least 75% (our systems is happy with just 75% of the finger reading).
Some people had a very good 100%, most of the people pass the 75% minimum data require of the finger, but there was like 5 % of the people that none of their fingerprints could be read, may be that is your case. Do you check at work with your finger? does it works?
You could do like I did:
Register both your thumbs twice, then the remaining 5th your pointer you most commonly use…
It’s a capacitative touch surface.. Water would definitely cause it to not work.. That applies to the screen too.. U believe most people knows that..
Here’s the deal. Mine did not work right out of the box. I could train it just fine but it would not unlock with the scanner. Here is what I found. When I initially set up my 5s i restored my previous settings and apps from iTunes. My touch id did not work. So I restored the 5s back to stock out of the box status and manually set up my 5s without restoring from back up my info. That was it! Something in my previous backup was interfering with the fingerprint sensor working right. I have had it now for 3 weeks and the touch id works flawlessly. Try doing a restore then set up as new like I did. It works. Just to be sure I restored it a second time and put my old back up in again and the touch id quit working again. I then restored it again and set it up as new and the touch id works right every time.
You’re probably just not doing it RIGHT 😉
If your phone is already awake and prompting you to unlock or for your pass code, just place your finger on the sensor without clicking it. If the iPhone displays the message ‘try again’, lift your finger and place it against the sensor again without clicking the home button.
That should do the trick! I had to learn the finite details myself 😀
Try paying attention to how your finger is on the button most of the time, especially when it doesn’t work. Then delete your registered fingers and do it over again with emphasis on the point of your finger you notice yourself using.
And just now I felt bad for being negative and went to try and it worked perfectly — I think my iPhone is f*cking with me 😉
No issues. Works perfectly since day 1
Rock solid… Like a glove!
Works first try 90% of the time. Works better with my thumbs than pointer fingers.
No problems on my phone so far.
Works great for me!
After I eat finger foods require thumb clean-up.
Perfect!
I have my thumb and index finger scanned on both hands .. So it aways works for the different grips i use!
Hit and miss at best! The whole fingerprint recognition process is very inconsistent and frustrating for me on the 5S and yes, I have followed all instructions ‘very carefully’.
Mine works every time. My experience in the past is that it’s the nut behind the keyboard that is the problem.
Works fine. Possibly the only thing not working correctly this idiot from Forbes
Exactly. Slimeball analysts tend to have excessively grubby fingers. It comes from all that lard they rub onto their scalps.
When will people understand? If you have a problem with your iPhone, take it back for a replacement or if you just really want to bitch about it, replace it for an Android. That will give you something to really bitch about then. Otherwise, shut the hell up! People are sick and tired of reading some delusional opinion piece where the author just like to hear himself talk!
My thoughts exactly. He should have done his homework before whining publicly on Forbes….doosh.
Work awesome for me. Plus those polls are stupid. When you calibrate don’t out your finger on the same exact spot. Move it around.
Works great for me I have had few problems. I’ve noticed that when my fingers were wet I had to try them before it read properly.
Works fine every time for me except when I tried to show someone and put the my finger at the right angle but put the phone at an odd angle so they could see better.
It works perfect for me!! I scanned my thumbs in a 180 degrees. Parallel to the bottom of the phone in 1 direction, then all the way around to the other direction. I unlock my phone 50 times a day without issue.
Both of our phones Touch ID fingerprint work fine. Wonderful technology superbly implemented.
Always works within 1 second for me. I have both thumbs and both index fingers scanned in. One or two finger activation is a snap. Occasionally I miss the button and have to reposition my finger. Overall, it is easier then a swipe.
Actually it’s 0.4 seconds from sleep and 0.24 seconds from the lock screen, and possibly a little faster. I made a video of it here:
FUD
Or this guy is an idiot. Mine as everyone works perfect every time! One of the many great Apple ideas.
I’m an early adopter since 2007 (well, since 1984 really) and this is the first time something big hasn’t just worked. I’ve tried everything to get Touch ID to work longer than the day I set the new fingerprints and it just won’t remember the next day. This morning I finally went in to set the pass code requirement to ‘after 15 minutes’ and discovered that the only choices now are Immediate or not using a pass code at all. I was frustrated enough this morning to turn it off entirely — something I’ve never done with all my other iPhones. It’s definitely a real problem for some of us! Will keep my 5S but I do plan to take it back to the Apple Store to see about a replacement that might work properly.
Yeah I’d get on that. It’s pretty strange you’d have an issue out of the box as Apple fully tests their devices prior to deployment.
It was as intended for me.
Now when I have bacon grease on my finger tips it doesn’t work but that’s just me being lazy
No issues on 2 iPome 5S. Sound like a PIBiPAF issue.
Not a single glitch. Easy to set up. Easy to use. Never fails (ok sometimes I try to fool it with the other thumb).
You’re holding it wrong.
My brother-n-law had same story at dinner last night!!! Totally legit.
Haven’t bought one yet – I run my business through both our phones and my wife’s 5 ios6 overheats and starts having problems because she has to recharge 3-4x daily.
4s ios7 no problems except delays between common tasks like going to a recent text. There’s a routing issue [text flags me but doesn’t show up at front of line like it used to] and a delay in displaying it – 4s!
Mine works ok , just can’t figure you can’t use touch Id, when you first power up your phone
That is part of the security function.
Say your phone is stolen (and since Find my iPhone is on) a thief needs to turn off the device so you cannot track it. But by the time they tried to get your fingerprint, it doesn’t want that, it wants your passcode, so then they have to try and break that. And in the possibility that they get passed your passlock, they need to do a wipe in iTunes, but iTunes wants your apple UserID and Password to do a wipe… so you are pretty secure there.
Yes you are the only one. WHINER!
Unfortunately, I have to report that it works maybe 40% of the time for me after multiple attempts. I usually end up having to enter my passcode. I have deleted and reentered my fingerprint twice. It typically starts out well and then degrades in performance with time. I plan to take it to an Apple store to see if I have a bad unit.
That little circle on the top left is actually the camera on the BACK of the phone. Try turning it over and use the larger circle on the BOOTOM with the FLAT of your finger or thumb.
You know where your bootom is don;t you?
Flawless. Every time.
Only time mine doesn’t work is if my finger is wet. I don’t think my fingers have ever been dirty enough not to register.
Mine works perfectly.
MDN — perfect subject for a poll!
It works very well for me. On the first try it takes about 80% of the time. A slight adjustment makes it all good.
Works great for me as long as I use one of the fingers I programmed in. Every once in a while it doesn’t work, then I realise I’m using the wrong finger.
Has worked flawlessly since day one…
PERFECT for me – take this phone into Apple and they will give you another!!!
Suppose he knows enough to take his gloves off?
You can also search ‘ apple smelly phone ‘ and find a discussion page with over 8000 olafactorial views. Go write a story iHater.
I am having issues as well… Of course MDN says everything Apple is perfect! This coming from a DEV who has not updated their App for iPhone 5! LOL Shame on you! A Mac Blog and one who believes 3.5″ is still the norm! HAHA
Apparently the revised app is “coming soon”. But read all of the other “works perfectly” posts here to get the full picture.
The wife and I have had our 5s’s since Day 1, and Touch ID works perfectly.
Interestingly, I was applying wall spackling with my fingers the other day and found that it did something to alter my print and/or other biometric data, because Touch ID had difficulty scanning that finger correctly for a few days.
Then, just yesterday I was painting, got paint on the same finger, and when used with Touch ID, it worked like a champ, this being with dry acrylic paint down in the ‘valleys’ of my print.
It is just this guy. He is either stupid or lying. 99% or more of people are having no problems with the fingerprint reader. “Not ready for prime time” he says? I think it’s time to boycott Forbes completely.
No issues with mine, works every time.
Mine doesn’t work about 30% of the time. It’s pretty often that I have to try twice. Every once in a while three times…
It was failing about 30% of the time so I just got annoyed with it and turned it off. If you are in the middle of a voice memo it will shut off, meaning you have to try and get back into the recording app.
Also, unrelated but annoying… Siri just disappears from the whole system from time to time…not there, until you shut down and restart. This is only minor since I find that Google Voice is almost invariably faster, more accurate (parsing language properly) and carrying out the command rather than getting it wrong or simply not working as Siri seems to.
Who are you trying to kid?
You must use the Touch ID at least once every 48 hours, if you let 48 hours go by without using the Touch ID the iPhone 5s will revert to pass-code and the Touch ID will not work until you log in with the pass-code. Took me a few days to read this and learn that was my cause of problem.
Hope this helps.
Yes you are the only one.
Works perfectly for me.
Works flawlessly since 09.20 and I used a backup from iTunes, not a fresh setup. I was very careful to make sure I captured the sides of my fingerprints of both thumbs. Never had an issue with either thumb.
Good luck!
In response to the article, that’s easy; “YES”!
My first finger was a little difficult, a learning experience… have 3 fingers on each hand scanned and all work fine… once in a while I get “try again”… second try always works… I love it
Worked fine for me until I damaged my thumb print. I had to use my left thumb until my right one healed. Then I deleted old print and re-scanned it and it work fine again. Scans 1st touch 90% of the time. Sometimes I have to reposition.
Writer is doing it all wrong. First he needs to shove it up his butt to moisten it, then the scan button should be able to pick up his load of crap and authenticate him as THE LOAD OF CRAP. Then it will unlock his phone.
Has worked perfectly since day one. No issues.
No problems here at all. FUD
No probs here either.
Waiting for to come on all Apple devices…
Zero issues here
no problems with mine
What are the odds that the unit happens to belong to a Forbes writer. When you cry wolf all the time, I hope you don’t expect us to take your word at face value. And then citing an unscientific online poll to arrive at a 23% failure rate doesn’t help his credibility.
The guy’s not an idiot. It does fail for many users. It’s great that you assholes haven’t had any issues yet but don’t assume that it’s because he’s an idiot. You arrogant buffoons give iOS users (and Mac users, and fanboys in general) a bad name.
Touch ID has worked flawlessly for me until yesterday. No idea why, but last night it started failing and asking for a retry about 90% of the time. This morning I deleted my fingerprints and started over, and now it’s working fine again.
Touch ID is supposed to continue to refine its matching signature for your print over time. It’s possible that the learning algorithms is wrong. Maybe it becomes too restrictive, giving more false negatives over time. Who knows.
But (a) it’s a real problem, and (b) Apple will fix it.
Grow up, children.
Works for me first time 85% of the time even after 2 hours in the pool.
Works fine here, too. I had to rescan one finger. I have both index fingers and right thumb programmed, and is so much better than pass code. Not the left thumb, as I found I don’t want it auto-unlocking when just holding it in left hand and waking up the home screen! Think of use cases when you choose fingers.
It works about 95% of the time. However, I’m sure it takes longer than typing in my code. It is very laggy even though it does work most of the time.
I’ve been an Apple loyalist since getting my first IIGS. Early adapter of every iPhone. So I’m not a hater, OK? However, I’ve also found that the 5S is “forgetting” my fingerprints after about 48 hours. I’ve reset the phone and also done a complete restore of the software, each resulting in only a temporary fix. Maybe mine’s a bad unit. A thread on MacInsider relates that Apple is aware of the problem and working on a software fix.
I’ll see what the folks at the Genius Bar say.
No issues!
Me and my wife have been using our 5S’ with fingerprint since last month, no issues at all. Simple setup and invisible to use, it’s second nature now and very satisfying. Couldn’t be happier. I’m really annoyed with my finger scanner door lock now, it should work like the 5S.
75% at best. Doesn’t like sweat, oil, anything on the sensor. Have rescanned multiple times. Maybe it’s a bad unit.
I love it. Works prerfectly every single time.
I have five new 5S phones for my small business. They work like a charm.
Not a single issue, and with multiple fingers.
Mine works.
works perfectly.
In my family we have 3 iPhones 5s. No one of us ever had a problem with fingers ID. It’s very important, when setup to do a good scanning. Once done, peace of mind and never need password again, except after reboot.
Ivanich
It hasn’t worked at all on my phone…. Ever!
Oh. Wait. iPhone 5. S.
Oh, sorry. I only have a 4s……..
i find that coating my thumbs with a sticky resin of unmentionable origin makes the scanner erratic. damn Apple!
Mine works perfectly. No issues at all!
My very minor problem with it at first was that I would often keep the button pressed long enough to invoke Siri. Then I changed my technique to pressing the button very briefly and then keep my finger on the bottom for maybe a half second. Works 99% of the time now, and no more Siri.
Works fine here. No issues since day one
Mine’s always working with either thumb, and I get the “try again” notice about once in a dozen tries with my index finger.
-jcr
No issues.
Love it! Works flawlessly for a week.
Rock solid for me. Three prints for me, one for wife, one for daughter. All work every time unless we press too hard so passcode screen pops up. I was worried speed was going to be a problem but it reads the prints fast.
Rock solid for me as well. Three prints for me, one for wife, one for daughter. Not one single issue except when we push too hard and passcode screen pops up. Sensor reading of prints is also very quick.
After setting up the button with finger or thumb, remember this is a scanner and simply lay your finger or thumb, or whatever you scanned at setup. Don’t press the button while doing so. That should fix your issue.
Works great unless I try the wrong finger! 100% accuracy so far.
The fact that this report is in Forbes should ring alarm bells…
Worked fine for me from the first day and every day after. It’s a Forbes guy – need I say more.
over the past few weeks my touch id quit working on my iphone 8. my wife’s iPhone 6 also now has the same issue. We have reset the finger prints with only a short period of effectiveness. The finger print rarely works. It is very irritating. The must be a bug in the new version .
In settings it says: Require Passcode with immediatly Checked – how do you uncheck it?