How to Set up Touch ID on MacBook – Guide
Adding Touch ID to your Mac is easy and can save you time. With the latest MacBook Air M1 models or older MacBook Pros with Touch Bar, you can use Touch ID for a variety of tasks, such as unlocking your device, making Apple Pay transactions without needing a password, logging into applications and shopping at iTunes stores, App and Books. Here’s how to set it up.
Where is the Touch ID on my MacBook
Apple’s MacBooks now feature Touch ID, located to the right of the Touch Bar. The dedicated space for this security feature is available on all models from 2019 onwards. See the image below for its exact location.
The latest MacBooks and MacBook Airs now feature Touch ID, conveniently located in the upper right corner of the function keys.
How to To define up Touch ID
MacBook users can now take advantage of the convenience of Touch ID, but only if they set it up when they first got their device. If you missed that step, don’t worry – here’s how to enable Touch ID on your MacBook.
Ensure your fingertips are free of moisture, lotion, sweat or oil before using them.
To access System Preferences, click the Apple menu icon in the upper left corner of your screen.
To enable Touch ID, users must click the icon.
To add a fingerprint to a user’s account, click the ‘+’ icon and enter the password when prompted.
Ensure you cover the entire area with your finger as instructed on the screen.
Choose which Touch ID features you want to enable on your Mac by ticking the relevant checkboxes.
Don’t press the button when adding a fingerprint; instead, gently place your finger on the scanner and lift it when prompted. If authentication is proving difficult, try registering the same finger twice.
How secure is the Touch ID
Apple’s new T series processor, Touch ID, offers a secure way to authenticate logins and payments. The chip includes Secure Enclave, an advanced architecture designed to protect password and fingerprint data. Touch ID does not store any image of your fingerprint but rather a mathematical representation, making it impossible for someone to reverse engineer the actual fingerprint image from the stored data.
Your fingerprint data is securely stored on your Apple device and protected by a key only accessible to the Secure Enclave. This ensures that only the Enclave Seguro can verify if your fingerprint matches the registered data. The Secure Enclave acts as a safe, safeguarding your biometric information.
Apple’s Secure Enclave technology ensures that fingerprints are never stored on Apple servers, never backed up to iCloud or elsewhere, and cannot be accessed by the device’s operating system or any applications running on it. This is how the iPhone has been protecting fingerprint data for years.
Apple’s new MacBooks feature the T2 security chip, which encrypts fingerprint data and enables secure boot.
Where can you use Touch ID on macOS?
Apple users can now unlock their Macs and make secure, private purchases from the Mac App Store or iTunes Store with Touch ID. Apple Pay also makes shopping online easy and secure, as it never stores or shares credit/debit card information with merchants. Additionally, Touch ID authentication can be used to auto-fill passwords in select applications.
Apple Notes and Safari now offer Touch ID authentication for password-protected content, allowing users to quickly and securely access their data.
Users of the same Mac can quickly switch accounts with just a press of their finger, thanks to Touch ID.
Note the limitations of Touch ID
In certain circumstances, users must enter their password instead of using Touch ID for authentication.
Shutting down and restarting your MacBook can be a hassle, as opposed to using the Suspend function.
The user’s account has been logged out.
Your fingerprint failed to be recognized five times in a row.
Your Mac has gone 48 hours without being unlocked.
You have either enrolled or deleted fingerprints.
Final note
Set up Touch ID on your MacBook with ease using this helpful guide. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance. Show your appreciation by sharing the guide with friends and family.
