Touch ID

iniall

What are iPhone 5s-owners' experience of Touch ID? I've had my 5s for nearly two weeks now and Touch ID hardly ever works. I'm wondering if I have a dodgy fingerprint sensor or if everyone else's is just as bad (surely not)?

Sonics2k

So far it's been very slightly handy, but mostly absolutely useless.

iniall

Sonics2k wrote: »

So far it's been very slightly handy, but mostly absolutely useless.

But does it work for you? It only works for me about one in every 30 attempts.

FourFourRED

Try deleting the fingerprint and starting over, this time moving it around as much as you can in different positions so it catches it from all angles. Also the usual stuff of keeping your fingers clean and dry should help.

If you do that and it still works 1 time out of 30. Contact Apple, you might need a replacement.

Creamy Goodness

also the very first fingerprint apple takes keep your finger still, read the message it says, and then when it asks for different angles etc then move it.

touchID works perfectly, only time it didn't work for me was when my hand was pretty sweaty from being out on a run.

keith_d99

Yeah works just fine - find it very handy!

It does fail the odd time ... usually if thumb is in any way wet

I trust you have tried re-calibrate??

Works perfect for me, dead handy!

iniall

Aodhagan wrote: »

Try deleting the fingerprint and starting over, this time moving it around as much as you can in different positions so it catches it from all angles. Also the usual stuff of keeping your fingers clean and dry should help.

If you do that and it still works 1 time out of 30. Contact Apple, you might need a replacement.

Yeah I've tried deleting and starting over, following the instructions carefully, but it only seems to remember the print for a few hours, then it gets very patchy and eventually becomes unusable.

Judging by the replies here, I might have a dodgy sensor, so I think I'll have to get on to Apple about it.

dave oc

It's been flawless for me. I can count on one hand the number of times it didn't work, and I have the phone since the launch in Belfast. Couldn't imagine using the phone without it now.

dloob

Pretty flawless here too must be at least a 95% success rate.
Much handier than a passcode too and I can have a long passcode as back up without the hassle of entering it all the time.

flexcon

its dodgy for wet sweaty hands.

Also if you work with certain materials during the day its also not great with that.

Its a high resolution image you see

baktag

flawless for me too

GhostInTheRuins

You could try adding the same finger twice. That might help.

Works flawlessly for me.

iniall

Got a replacement phone from Apple because of this, but the new phone behaves exactly the same way when it comes to Touch ID as the old one did. Turns out I'm not alone though:

http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/02/28/apple-preparing-software-update-to-enhance-functionality-of-iphone-5s-touch-id

Looking forward to not having to record my fingerprint every other day...!

Type 17

Works fine for me, except when my hands are dirty (I restore cars at work, so I mostly go straight for the passcode in that case).

1/30 success with clean, dry hands sound like a warranty issue to me...

iniall

Well it is a warranty issue and Apple have already replaced the original handset, but the issue persists. I have to re-add thumbprint every day or two, have multiple prints recorded, still makes little difference. Have never been able to authorise an iTunes or App Store purchase with a thumbprint. Really hoping the rumoured update to Touch ID will make a difference...

PaddyFagan

iniall wrote: »

Well it is a warranty issue and Apple have already replaced the original handset, but the issue persists. I have to re-add thumbprint every day or two, have multiple prints recorded, still makes little difference. Have never been able to authorise an iTunes or App Store purchase with a thumbprint. Really hoping the rumoured update to Touch ID will make a difference...

Any chance your job means that you have a lot of wear on your fingertips? e.g. builder/farmer?

There is a known issue with all finger print based systems - see here where they used palm prints for builders when building the London Olympic stadiums - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/05/olympic_biometric_screening_plan/

Paddy

iniall

PaddyFagan wrote: »

Any chance your job means that you have a lot of wear on your fingertips? e.g. builder/farmer?

There is a known issue with all finger print based systems - see here where they used palm prints for builders when building the London Olympic stadiums - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/05/olympic_biometric_screening_plan/

Paddy

I work with computer keyboards mostly, so there shouldn't be any danger of too much wear on my fingertips...

The Governor

iniall wrote: »

I work with computer keyboards mostly, so there shouldn't be any danger of too much wear on my fingertips...

Just a thought but over time there would be a build up of oil smudges on the keys of the keyboard from the fingers and that. So maybe it could be that's giving the touch an issue detecting the print.

Just out of curiosity, the next time it doesn't work try washing your hands with a bit of soap and then try after.

iniall

The Governor wrote: »

Just a thought but over time there would be a build up of oil smudges on the keys of the keyboard from the fingers and that. So maybe it could be that's giving the touch an issue detecting the print.

Just out of curiosity, the next time it doesn't work try washing your hands with a bit of soap and then try after.

I appreciate the advice, curiosity, etc, but I've had this issue on two iPhones since November and believe me, I've tried every combination and every strategy, bar filing the ends of my fingers. Everytime I add my thumb, everything's fine for 24-36 hours, then it starts to fade and by about 48 hours, it just stops working altogether. So then I record the thumb again and it all starts over. Apple have acknowledged that there is an issue with Touch ID, so I'm hoping a fix sometime in the near future will help. But maybe I just have weird fingerprints...

The Governor

iniall wrote: »

I appreciate the advice, curiosity, etc, but I've had this issue on two iPhones since November and believe me, I've tried every combination and every strategy, bar filing the ends of my fingers. Everytime I add my thumb, everything's fine for 24-36 hours, then it starts to fade and by about 48 hours, it just stops working altogether. So then I record the thumb again and it all starts over. Apple have acknowledged that there is an issue with Touch ID, so I'm hoping a fix sometime in the near future will help. But maybe I just have weird fingerprints...

Ah! Well in that case my I hope it gets sorted at some stage for you

podge018

got the 6s last week and am finding the Touch ID function a pain in the hoop.

It works for a bit after I initially scan my finger but then it gradually gets less responsive over 24 hours. I have 4 fingers scanned and wonder is this a problem? Am I better off only giving it 1 finger to worry about.

I've re-trained the scans a few times too in settings but again it only works for a bit then starts to be really unresponsive.

Is it a gimmick?

Zcott

podge018 wrote: »

got the 6s last week and am finding the Touch ID function a pain in the hoop.

It works for a bit after I initially scan my finger but then it gradually gets less responsive over 24 hours. I have 4 fingers scanned and wonder is this a problem? Am I better off only giving it 1 finger to worry about.

I've re-trained the scans a few times too in settings but again it only works for a bit then starts to be really unresponsive.

Is it a gimmick?

Did you ensure to move your finger around slightly better scans? And when scanning later are your fingers dirty, wet or sweaty?

Type 17

I'm now using a 6plus and it seems better than the 5s, but I made the 5s miles better by registering each thumb twice (left thumb) and three times (right thumb). A bigger database means much better recognition, even with dirty hands.

PS: my wife's 5s failed to the point where we couldn't register new fingers, and was replaced under warranty. The replacement phone worked perfectly.

podge018

I'll try registering the same fingers multiple times.

I need thumb and forefingers registered as my phone spends 8 hours a day on the desk in work and I don't pick it up much, just prod it.

deathtocaptcha

podge018 wrote: »

I'll try registering the same fingers multiple times.

I need thumb and forefingers registered as my phone spends 8 hours a day on the desk in work and I don't pick it up much, just prod it.

remember when you're setting up to scan your finger at multiple angles... i.e. there's a big difference between the print detected when you have the phone in your hand at an angle -v- when it's lying flat on a surface (in which case your thumb will almost be on it's side or at 45 degree angle)...