Revision to iPhone Touch ID Not Working
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| [title|iPhone Touch ID Not Working] | |
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| + | Apple introduced Touch ID with the iPhone 5S, enabling better security, and more convenience when unlocking your phone. But with it comes the extra complications of potential failure. Even though Apple has made this repair more difficult to perform with software locks, you're not out of luck. Have a look at the solutions below to get yourself sorted. |
| == First Steps == | |
| + | Before undertaking any of the more time consuming solutions below, these are a few fundamentals to get you started. |
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| * Restart your phone. This may clear any software hiccups. | |
| - | * Give the home button an external cleaning. Wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. Oils or debris can interfere with the sensors ability see your fingerprint. |
| + | * Be sure you're using a gentle touch. To get Touch ID to activate you only need to rest your finger on the sensor, not press the button. |
| + | * Give the home button an external cleaning. Wipe with a damp microfiber cloth, or gently buff out any oils with a dry cloth. Lingering debris can interfere with the sensors ability see your fingerprint. |
| * Remove your case or screen protector which may be obstructing the sensor’s ability to get a clean reading of your fingerprint. | |
| - | * Enter your passcode. |
| + | * Enter your passcode. The phone will default to passcode entry if you you have recently restarted or left the device locked for more than 48 hours. Touch ID will be unavailable until you do so. |
| * Verify your phone and apps are up to date. | |
| * Check for signs of cracks in the button itself. Similar to a touch screen, capacitive type buttons can lose functionality if the glass is damaged. Change your viewing angle to spot small hairline cracks. | |
| * Since the home button is not a continuous part of the display, it is prone to liquid entry. Damage of this type may be harder to see, but you may note rust, or signs of corrosion with close inspection of the button’s back side. | |
| - | * If this is the case, and Touch ID is important to you, having your screen replaced by Apple is presently the only solution. |
| + | * If this is the case, and Touch ID is important to you, having your screen replaced by Apple is presently the only solution. The Touch ID sensor cannot be replaced independent of the display and Apple's pairing software is necessary to allow Touch ID to function. |
| == ***Torn Cables*** == | |
| Many of the issues surrounding home button functionality are a result of repair attempts. The home button assembly itself uses tiny ribbon cables to transmit its electrical signals. As such, they are easier to damage inadvertently. | |
| - | * Check for tears in the home button cable. They appear most often in corners and can be difficult to spot with the naked eye. If your cable is torn, it's best to replace the button. Although these cables can be repaired, it involves running tiny jumper wires to bridge the two sides of the break, and is not something even many seasoned microsolderers would undertake. |
| - | * The cable which carries the home button signal from the display to the logic board is also commonly torn. It is often the outermost cable and so the first to suffer damage if tools used in opening slip, or are inserted too far. Use a known good display to test if this is the issue. If this restores function, replacing the display is recommended. |
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| + | * The cable which carries the Touch ID signal from the display to the logic board is commonly torn. It is the outermost cable coming off the display and so the first to suffer damage if tools used in opening slip, or are inserted too far. Use a known good display to test if this is the issue. If this restores function, replacing the display is recommended. |
| + | * Check for tears in the flex cables attached to the home button itself. They appear most often in corners and can be difficult to spot with the naked eye. If your cable is torn, and Touch ID is a necessity to you, seek repair from Apple. Repairing the home button cable to restore Touch ID is feasible, but requires running tiny jumper wires. Even many seasoned microsolderers avoid these repairs. |
| == ***Not Native Home Button*** == | |
| The logic board and home button from any iPhone with Touch ID are paired together by Apple during the assembly process. If your screen was replaced by an independent repair shop, or you replaced it yourself, this button needs to be moved from the original screen to the new one to retain fingerprint reading capabilities. | |
| - | * If you still have your original home button use the [[Topic:iPhone|corresponding Guide|new_window=true]] to transplant it to the new display. |
| + | * If you still have your original home button, use the [[Topic:iPhone|corresponding Guide|new_window=true]] to transplant it to the new display. |
| * If you do not, getting a screen replacement from Apple is presently your only option. They alone have the ability to pair a new home button to a logic board. If you have an iPhone SE 2022, you have the option to repair it yourself, but be aware of the [link|https://www.ifixit.com/News/59239/apples-self-repair-vision-is-here-and-its-got-a-catch|caveats of Apple’s Self Repair Program]. | |
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