Losing Fingerprint function on IPhone 5S

Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Has anyone had trouble with the iPhone maintaining it's fingerprint functionality? Can't maintain the function for more than 48 hrs then must use our password instead.
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Had mine quit once thus far.

NOTE: Are you restarting the phone? Every time you power off and power on, you will have to enter your password again before the fingerprint function will work. Also, after an update to iOS 7.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
painaj never came back, apparently, but I'm seeing a degradation of fingerprint recognition over time. If I delete the fingerprint and re-initialize, then it works fine for a while (up to about a week), and then it starts to miss and eventually refuses to open at all without the password. What I've noticed is that if I register three fingers, and I start with, say, my thumbprint, then after about a week it stops recognizing the thumb. At that point I switch to the index finger and get another week then the middle finger and get another week and then I have to re-initialize them all all over again. Anybody else seeing the decay?
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Have not needed to re-initialize.

What I have seen - taking a second touch to open.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
Ottawa
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro Retina
Have had mine for about three weeks now and haven't had any issues with it. Good to know about the 48 hour thing though.
 
C

chas_m

Guest
Jake: I have heard other reports of this behaviour. I am told that Apple is looking into it. It doesn't seem to affect all iPhone 5s owners, however.
 

dbm


Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
498
Reaction score
17
Points
18
Location
Preston, Lancs, UK
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini 2011 i5 2.3/8GB, MBPr 15 2013 with i7/16GB both running El Capitan
I use the finger print capability on my phone (purchased on day 2 of the phone being available) and it works fine. Sometimes you need to try a digit more than once but it always works. Same for my missus who has had hers slightly less time.

One thing to keep in mind - as I understand it, the sensor continues to learn the prints on your fingers, so if you try digit 1 and it doesn't work, then use digit 1 again and if it is recognised the profile of digit 1 is expanded. The natural corollary of this is that: if you use digit 1 and it asks you to try again then you do that with a different digit then you will confuse the system over time.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
@dbm, I understand what you said, but I don't think the logic works. Say I try my thumb first and it doesn't read. If I move to my index finger, the system won't continue to compare to my thumb because of the obvious mismatch. It should move to the rest of the stored digits, finding my index as previously scanned and open. If, in fact, it is updating the thumb based on the index, then the software is totally screwed up.

@chas_m, I had heard of others complaining, so maybe I'll call Apple tomorrow to see what they have to say. I reprogrammed it the day I made the post about it (two days ago) and it's already failing 50% of the time to the point where it forces me to enter the passcode. Not much use to me.
 
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
9,962
Reaction score
1,235
Points
113
Location
The Republic of Neptune
Your Mac's Specs
2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
I'm not having any issues myself, but I have read of reports that some people are. I use one of my thumbs almost exclusively, so maybe that's a factor?
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Initial reports were that there is some percentage of people this particular scanner will not work with (am guessing that would include "reliably over a period of time") - could be yours is one of those. Will be interested to see what Apple has to say.

I've been using one finger only also - just changed that a few days ago so that I can open it with either hand.
 

dbm


Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
498
Reaction score
17
Points
18
Location
Preston, Lancs, UK
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini 2011 i5 2.3/8GB, MBPr 15 2013 with i7/16GB both running El Capitan
For reference, I have four fingers stored and can use any of them successfully. I make sure to complete the process with the same digit if the first attempt doesn't work.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
Well, a reprogram of all fingers worked for 4 days, then lost one finger altogether. Continuing to try ends up at the keyboard and refuses any further input. If I change fingers, it opens about 50% of the time. Haven't yet talked to Apple because I keep reading about how successful other are, so I just keep trying it, and it keeps failing.
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Another thing to add to some of those tips - during the initial scan - I purposely do not put my finger on the button at the same position/angle any two times - I make it work for the recognition - I reposition, use the side of my finger, and tilt in all sorts of angles.

One thing I've found that I have not been able to get to fail:
Being use to entering a code - finally noticed I had this habit of pressing the button and in the same motion lifting my finger off the button a tiny bit, then putting my finger back on the button - this is when I notice I had to lift and touch it a 2nd time to recognize it - by making sure after pressing I do not remove my finger from the button - thus far, this has functioned first time every time and opens a lot faster.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
@chas_m, yep, read that and did all that. No change. Tried the angled touch, no change.

@bobtomay, yep, I've tried that, too. Tried to make it hard for the recognition to be completed. No difference. And if I press/hold on the button, it never opens. I have to remove my finger completely and then return to get it to work at all, when it does.

I saw a headline about us losing our fingerprints as we age. Maybe that's it.
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Can't hold the button down - that starts Siri unless you have it disabled - just don't remove your finger from the button after pressing - still think you may just be one of those for whom it's not going to work...
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
that's what I meant, Bob, click, rest on the button, nada. It eventually goes to the keyboard and says that i HAVE to enter my code.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
@chas_m, it's click to awaken the phone, release the button and then put your finger back on the disk for it to read the fingerprint. As I said, "click, rest on the button, nada."

And it's still nada. I've abandoned it, killed the password and I'll call Apple after Christmas. I don't have the time/will/interest to wrestle with it anymore.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top