Fingerprint does not work on iPhone 5S: possible causes and solutions

The Touch ID fingerprint scanner is one of the most useful features of iPhones and other smartphones endowed with this advantage. It not only protects the phone and its data from prying eyes, but also serves as a key for purchases in the App Store and the Apple Pay payment system. The scanner also protects third-party applications, for example, Sberbank Online. However, like any technical innovations, not all devices work flawlessly. In this article, we will figure out what to do if the Touch ID on the iPhone does not work.

What is Touch ID?

First, let’s figure out what the fingerprint scanner is. Touch ID, called one of the important functions of the iPhone, first appeared on the iPhone 5s; later models, without exception, are equipped with this option. The scanner is integrated into the main Home button. Its device is only 170 microns thick (twice as thin as human hair!) Is able to quickly analyze the subepithelial layer of the skin of a finger that touches a person’s button in a 500 ppi print image. It is not surprising that such a thin system can often be "capricious", which is why the fingerprint on the iPhone 5s does not work.

One of the features of Touch ID is that it can be "trained", configured, and stored in memory up to 5 fingerprints (both one person and several), each of which will be the key to your device and individual applications in it.

Proper Touch ID setup

Sometimes the iPhone 5s fingerprint scanner does not work well due to incorrect initial settings. Therefore, at the beginning of using your new “smart” you should set up Touch ID, following Apple recommendations:

1. Before configuring the sensor, enter the password for the device (4-6 digits, depending on the OS version). It is he who will help you unlock the device if the scanner suddenly becomes flawed.
2. Make sure the Home button and your hands are clean and dry.
3. Go to settings under the "gear" icon, select "Touch ID and password." Enter the code from item 1.
4. Click on "Add fingerprint." After that, touch (do not press hard - just a light touch) the Home button. In this case, it is important to naturally hold the device, position the finger in the way that is most convenient for you.
5. Touching the button, hold your finger until a slight vibration or until the text appears on the screen: "Lift your finger and place it several times on the" Home "key.
6. After the appearance of this command, apply a finger, slightly changing its location.
7. Further, the device will offer to enter into its memory a convenient grip for you. Here you should hold the phone in your hand as it will be convenient for you to place it in your hand when unlocking the device. At this point, to “Home” you are no longer applying the center of the fingertip, but its edges.
8. After you have stored one fingerprint in your memory, you can repeat the procedure for others. For greater reliability of the scanner in the memory of the iPhone should be up to three of your prints.

Workout Touch ID

If you are faced with the fact that the fingerprint does not work well on the iPhone 5s, then try to "train" your Touch ID. To do this, go to "Settings", "Tooch ID and password", enter the desired code. Then touch the scanner with a fingertip. At this time, the name of her fingerprint on the screen will take on a gray color.

Start "training" your scanner - continue to touch the "Home" with your finger in various positions. These manipulations will help increase the speed of both scanning and fingerprint recognition. To achieve a better result, repeat the above procedure several times.

Broken fingerprint scanner: one-stop solutions

If you are faced with the fact that the fingerprint has stopped working on the iPhone 5s, then we will offer you the most likely causes of the malfunction and ways to solve them:

• First of all, check that the scanner is turned on and configured in accordance with the algorithm from the second subtitle. In the "Settings" section "Touch ID and password" the sliders opposite the unlock, the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Pay must be active, and at least one finger must be stored in the "Fingerprints" tab.
• Try entering one or more other fingerprints. Please note that each of them can be assigned a name.
• The reason that the fingerprint does not work on the iPhone 5s may be the condition of your hands. If you have just come from a cold, been in the water for a long time, applied a greasy cream, or there is slight damage on the fingertips of your fingers (microcracks, scratches), then this may cause the iPhone to not correctly recognize your fingerprint.
• Clean the Home key with a dry paper or cloth. A mud ring, invisible to the eye, sometimes accumulates around its circumference, which reduces the working diameter of the key and impedes the scanner.

Now we turn to more special cases of malfunctions.

Touch ID does not work in the cold

If on your iPhone 5s the fingerprint scanner doesn’t work in the cold, then the following life hack is for your attention:

1. To carry out further manipulations, once again find yourself in cold conditions and go to the "Touch ID and password" tab located in the "Settings".
2. Click on "Add new fingerprint." Your hands should already be cold.
3. According to the scheme indicated in the second subtitle, add the fingerprint of your frozen finger to the device’s memory.
4. If even this manipulation did not help, then one thing remains - to unlock the phone with a digital password.

Problems after upgrade

The vast majority of users complain that the fingerprint on the iPhone 5s does not work just after they updated iOS to the latest version. The most effective "lazy" way here is to wait for the next "update" in which this bug will be fixed. But if you need a properly functioning scanner on the Home button, then try to fix the problem using these methods:

1. Close all running programs and make a Soft Reset (simultaneously hold down the Home and Power keys for 10 seconds). It will be useful to clean the scanner itself and the fingertips with a napkin. Go to the "Settings" section "Touch ID and password" and delete all available fingerprints (swipe left or click on their name, then - "Delete fingerprint"). Next, select "Add a new fingerprint" and refer to the detailed algorithm described above in the settings.
2. If the previous method did not help, then you will have to conduct a complete flashing of the device. Before the operation, be sure to save in a safe place backup copies of the information available on the iPhone. ITunes must be downloaded and authorized on your PC or laptop through the Apple ID of your iPhone. Disable the Find iPhone feature. Next, connect the phone via the USB cable to the "big brother". If the PC OS is Windows, then during this manipulation hold the Shift button held down on the keyboard, if the Mac press Alt / Option. Next, select "Restore", indicating the downloaded firmware.

Touch ID Failed

A fingerprint on the iPhone 5s may not work as a result of a scanner malfunction - you will see such a message on the screen after several futile attempts to unlock the device using Touch ID. The reasons for it can be different: a slight wear of the device itself, conditions that make it difficult to scan a fingertip, etc. Prevention of this problem, according to many users, is the monthly update of fingerprints recorded in memory. The latter must be completely removed and through "Add fingerprint" to make new ones.

The way to solve the problem is traditional: clean the "Home" button, fingertips, remove the old "fingers" from the memory and add new ones using the standard procedure.

App Store issues

Another problem to be solved is a malfunction of the scanner when using it in the App Store. In this store, Touch ID is actually the key to downloading new applications. In this case, you can “fix” the fingerprint scanner:

1. Go to the section "Touch ID and password" in the "Settings".
2. Opposite the "App Store, iTunes Store", make the slider inactive.
3. Reboot the device.
4. Return to step 1, activate the slider responsible for the "App Store, iTunes Store".

Touch ID Scanner Broken

Damage to the Touch ID system itself is an infrequent phenomenon, but still possible. In this case, the only solution is to replace the iPhone 5s fingerprint scanner. To deprive yourself of the possibility of an error, delete all the fingerprints and restart the iPhone. Add the fingerprint to the “Touch ID and Password” again. In case of failure, repeat the procedure a couple more times. If after this the scanner remains blind and deaf to your fingerprints, then only qualified diagnostics and, possibly, repair in the Apple service center will help it.

As you can see, the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s does not work or functions poorly due to many reasons. With the solution of most problems, you can easily and quickly cope on your own - a visit to specialists is required only if the scanner breaks down - to replace it. For proper and long-term functioning, it is also important to correctly configure Touch ID.