What is a fingerprint called on an iPhone? Apple is using fear to promote this product. Touch ID doesn't work - crash

Touch ID has become a truly revolutionary technology for the entire iPhone line. From the moment the technology was first presented at the presentation, unlocking the device has become not only safe, but also as convenient as possible. There are a huge number of uses for Touch ID besides unlocking the gadget. In this article we will tell you what Touch ID is, how it works and where it is used.

Touch ID is a fingerprint scanner used in the iPhone and other Apple devices. Apple first added it to the iPhone 5S in 2013. Since then, for 5 years, this technology has been actively used in iPhones, iPads and even MacBooks.

Touch ID allows you to unlock your device with just a touch of a special surface. In mobile devices this is the “Home” button, in MacBooks it is a key.

After its introduction, Touch ID quickly gained great popularity, because you no longer have to enter long passwords to unlock your smartphone for a couple of seconds. They put their finger on it and in a moment the device is available for use.

How Touch ID works and how it works

There are currently two generations of Touch ID. They differ in the speed of data reading and therefore faster unlocking. The second generation began to be built in starting with the iPhone 6S, and the unlocking speed is really faster there.

The Touch ID sensor is built into the Home button and covered with sapphire crystal. This allows you to reliably protect the scanner from minor mechanical damage. The built-in sensor scans the fingertip and recognizes the pattern on it. In addition, it does not matter at all at what angle you place your finger: from above, from below, from the side - the device can be easily unlocked. You can add multiple fingers at once to unlock the device with either hand.

What is Touch ID for?

Touch ID provides multi-processor security and speeds up authentication. As we have already said, the first and main task is to unlock the device. You set a passcode and configure the fingerprint scanner. When it is not possible to use Touch ID (wet hands, etc.), simply enter the password. Touch ID helps with payments when using Apple Pay. When you want to pay in store with your iPhone, you need to double-tap the Home button to launch the Apple Pay app and let Touch ID verify that you're the one making the purchase. If yes, the payment will go through. If not, it will generate an error.

Next, Touch ID is used in the App Store. The first time you're about to purchase an app (paid or free, it doesn't matter), your iPhone will ask you to place your finger on the Home button to confirm the action. If you delete an application or game and then install it, you will not need to scan your finger.

The last common use of Touch ID is logging into apps. Usually these are banking services, access to which is undesirable for unauthorized persons. When entering such applications, the system asks you to enter a password or use Touch ID. The second option, as we have already seen, is much more convenient.

In addition, Touch ID allows you to confirm actions with iCloud. The most common usage scenario is that you want to view all saved passwords for websites - you confirm the action with a fingerprint scanner.

How to set up Touch ID

For the best effect and to avoid further inconvenience, make sure that your hands are clean and the button itself is not “stained” with anything. Go to Touch ID & Passcode settings and enter your password. Click Add Fingerprint. Next, lightly touch the “Home” button with one finger.

The system will need several such touches to completely read your finger pattern. Each time, change the position of your finger a little - the picture will show which area has already been scanned and which requires additional touches. Once everything is ready, the system will report success. Likewise, you can add a new fingerprint or use only one.

We recommend indicating the names of the prints if there are several of them. Because later, when you notice that the system does not recognize the index finger well, it will be quite difficult to immediately understand which fingerprint to change.

Hi all! As has been repeatedly noted on the blog, all articles are problems or questions that either I personally or my friends have encountered. This is actually why the site was created - to share personal experiences and help others with Apple technology. And so, my already quite old, but still working iPhone 5S “gave me” another idea for instructions - its Touch ID suddenly stopped working.

And, as it seemed to me at first, this happened completely and irrevocably. No, but what else can you expect? The device is far from new. Chips, scratches, scuffs, falls - all this was and is. Natural wear and tear of the device cannot be avoided :) Therefore, when Touch ID “fell off”, I was not very surprised. The surprise came only later, in the process of solving this problem... however, let's talk about everything in order.

So, a short background:

1. I updated to iOS 10.3.1
2. After some time, I began to notice that the unlocking sensor did not always work. But, as usual, I didn’t attach any importance to it - maybe my hands were dirty or something else.
3. But after I couldn’t log into the client bank using my fingerprint, I got into a solitaire game in my head - Touch ID doesn’t work.

Looking ahead, I would like to note that everything was resolved successfully. But now you’ll find out what actions you had to take to achieve this, let’s go!

It is worth noting that if your iPhone has a non-native Home button (for example, replaced after repair), then Touch ID will not function on it. Never. The fingerprint sensor is “hard-wired” to the system board. One board - one Home button. Also, some sellers immediately sell iPhones with a non-working scanner -.

But we have a different problem - the iPhone stopped recognizing the fingerprint, although nothing happened to it (except for updating iOS). I thought it was a simple system glitch and this is what I did:

And here, it would seem, everything should end. But no - the miracle did not happen and Touch ID still did not work. After this it became clear that the problem was ironclad. And it lies in the cable of the Home button:

1. It may be damaged (moisture, careless assembly or disassembly of the device).
2. It may simply not be inserted (not installed completely).

And it seems that this is not my case. I didn’t get the iPhone wet, and since the last disassembly, the scanner worked great... But still, the device had to be disassembled and this is what happened:

• I took apart the iPhone.
• Disabled the Home button cable.
• I looked at it and, as expected, saw nothing - it is in perfect condition.
• I put it back.
• Touch ID is working.

To be honest, the result surprised me a little :)

I don’t know why simply reconnecting the cable helped, but the fact remains that after this operation the button began to process my fingerprints normally.

Although I have one idea why this could happen - recently my iPhone fell several times, and quite severely. I already thought that it would even come to replacing the screen, but in the end everything worked out. And maybe it was the falls that caused all these problems.

By changing the design one by one, improving performance and demonstrating new interesting features and technologies that ensure comfortable use of the phone. However, it was difficult and very difficult for engineers, designers and other equally important employees of the Cupertino company to invent a new design for the iPhone every year. This is how a permanent model appeared in the line of Apple smartphones with the prefix “S” at the end (and later “C”). These phones were practically no different from their predecessors from last year in appearance, but surpassed them in power and other parameters that are so important for many geeks.

In addition to the above, the improved iPhone models had a certain “trick” - a function or technology that stimulated people to buy. The 4S had it, which performed the role of a voice assistant quite well, although from the very beginning it could only communicate in English, and the iPhone 5S proudly demonstrated an innovative fingerprint scanner Touch ID, allowing you to provide reliable protection to your smartphone from prying eyes and hands, but is fingerprint scanning technology really that important and what negative and positive aspects does it entail? I will try to thoroughly understand all this in this article.

How it all started or who was the first to use the Touch ID analogue

The iPhone 5S currently demonstrates excellent performance in recognizing your fingerprints to protect data, but it is worth mentioning and telling who was the first to use the mentioned technology and experienced all the pitfalls of the mobile device market.

The pioneer was the South Korean company Pantech, which back in 2004 introduced a new cell phone model called Gl100. The phone at that time had a fairly high-quality screen and camera, but unlike other devices, it had a fingerprint scanner, which allowed you to hide numbers and other information.

The scanner was located directly at the top of the screen in the middle of the navigation buttons (up, down, left, etc.). To recognize a fingerprint, the average user needed to move his finger across the surface of the scanner at an average speed for an accurate result. According to assurances, this operation should have lasted 3-4 seconds, but harsh practice has shown that unlocking the phone with your finger took a considerable 14-15 seconds, so the use of revolutionary technology caused ordinary users much more discomfort than convenience. Also, throwing stones towards the Pantech Gl100, I will mention that all hidden information in the phone could also be copied by synchronizing with a computer. This was one of the first attempts to introduce fingerprint recognition technology into a mobile device.

Later, other equally well-known companies introduced an analogue of Touch ID into their devices, but in the end they ran into numerous technical problems and malfunctions. It seemed that over time the idea had completely outlived its usefulness and the market no longer needed devices with a fingerprint scanner, but Apple suddenly changed the situation.

The emergence of Touch ID

Rumors about the introduction of Touch ID appeared on the Internet long before the release itself. I tried hard not to believe it. Pantech’s attempt is firmly entrenched in my memory, but despite all my skepticism, the guys from Cupertino still presented the iPhone 5S, which had a much more powerful processor, an improved camera, a coprocessor, and most importantly, an excellent fingerprint scanner. Right at the presentation, they showed us how easy and convenient it is to use the new Touch ID, how it will make it easier for us to use our smartphone, and how we used to live without it, but put all this rotten sarcasm aside and let’s talk about the facts.

At the time of release, users could add several fingerprints to the iPhone 5S database at once to resolve family issues. It is unlikely that anyone will be pleased when their child comes up every minute asking to unlock the phone; there are many similar situations. Functionally, the scanner allowed you to unlock your smartphone using your finger, as well as link your fingerprint to , which made it possible not to enter your account password every time you purchase an application or other media content from the AppStore.

In addition to all of the above, the iPhone will be guaranteed to be protected in the event of its possible theft or loss - all your data will be protected. On this note, the list of Touch ID features ends. By comparison, Siri had a lot more functionality when the 4S was released. Yes, they did not understand and still do not understand the great and mighty Russian, but the voice assistant could launch an application, find a restaurant nearby, talk about the upcoming weather and more, and the basics of Siri are already used in cars running iOS Car, but let's return to the main thing...

Touch ID and surveillance paranoia

Quite often there were rumors and theories on the Internet that Apple was deliberately conducting covert surveillance of users through mobile gadgets and more, and many of these guesses were completely confirmed. The news about iPhone location tracking and the sudden activation of the iSight camera on Mac computers comes to mind.

The iPhone 5S suffered the same fate, and literally after a while bloggers began to claim that the Apple company scans users’ fingerprints and transfers them to intelligence agencies. Without hesitation, Tim Cook replied that all fingerprint data is stored inside the Touch ID itself and cannot be copied - this is a completely obvious answer. After all, for the CEO of a multibillion-dollar company, it is important to appease his clients and instill in them a sense of security. It is unlikely that any of you will be able to imagine how Tim Cook at the next presentation or interview says: " Yes, we are carefully monitoring you and all your fingerprints have already been sent to the intelligence services to be entered into a special database. Good luck everyone and buy our new iPhone 5S".

I’ll lean towards the option of possible surveillance by Apple. After all, very recent events in the world hint at precisely such methods of fighting terrorism for our own protection. It is worth remembering how, just last year, the FBI carefully pursued a group of people involved in the terrorist attack in Boston, with the help of the almighty Facebook.

It’s time to put everything in its place - yes, we are being watched, yes, many of us don’t care, however, looking at this whole situation, you are imbued with a certain irony. Where is the notorious protection of the iPhone, when the intelligence services are stealing our data right in front of our noses and whether the introduction of a fingerprint scanner was a deliberate move on the part of the same law enforcement services, but this is already too loud a theory and should be put aside.

Touch ID and security

If we talk about security, Touch ID shows amazing results. By continually scanning your fingerprint from different angles, a more accurate image is created over time, allowing your finger to be even better recognized. At the same time, the probability that someone in the world has a separate part of the fingerprint can coincide with yours is approximately 1 in 50,000, when the chance of guessing the password is 1 in 10,000.

It is practically impossible to hack Touch ID, copy too. The fact is that your fingerprint is stored as an encrypted mathematical formula. In addition to encryption, to access the fingerprint, you also need a special unique key; only the native processor of the device knows it (Secure Enclave technology). In other words, if you change the processor or sensor, they will not see each other, since they will not be located within the same iPhone.

Let's summarize. The iPhone 5S turned out to be really powerful, beautiful and interesting in terms of technology, but the introduced Touch ID turned out to be a very controversial innovation and ultimately raised many unanswered questions online - are our fingerprints being stolen, how will the technology revolutionize iOS itself, should we wait for a sensor to analyze the retina, saliva, hair, and so on... In reality, users only got the opportunity to unlock the smartphone and avoid entering a password, which already costs a lot.

If you have not found an answer to your question or something has not worked out for you, and there is no suitable solution in the comments below, ask a question through our

Sometimes iPhones break due to the fault of users. Some breakdowns can be easily fixed at almost any service center. However, there are problems that cannot be fixed without Apple's intervention. For example, a button with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner is tied to the device’s processor. It can be replaced, but the fingerprint scanner will not work. Only Apple can help with this, and it decided to help.

According to Reuters, Apple has begun shipping devices called Horizon Machine to authorized service centers. It is planned to supply devices to more than 200 service centers in 25 countries. You can only change the fingerprint scanner in an iPhone while maintaining its functionality using this device, which will perform the necessary calibration.

It will be great if Horizon Machine appears in every authorized service center. This will make repairing Apple devices more affordable and faster. Unfortunately, there are cities where there are no authorized Apple service centers. It is for this reason that there is an initiative that wants to require tech companies to provide specifications and tools to repair their products. Apple is active

Does the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on a fairly recent iPhone not always work when touched and you have to constantly enter the password? If you encounter a similar problem, then in this material we will tell you how to fix it.

In contact with

Everyone knows that after purchasing a new iPhone, it is necessary to complete the activation procedure and initial setup of the device, which includes setting up the Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the Home button. The user is asked to add a fingerprint with which the iPhone can be unlocked.

From our many years of observations of users setting up a new iPhone, we can say with confidence that adding a fingerprint to Touch ID during the initial setup of the device is often done very quickly and not always with an understanding of the process. Most users hold their iPhone differently than during normal use when setting up the biometric sensor. This is where the whole secret lies.

In addition, after setting up the iPhone for the first time, few people return to the Touch ID options (in iOS settings) to continue the process of improving the sensor's performance. As a result, users continue to use the single fingerprint that was recorded in Touch ID when they first set up the iPhone. But in the sensor parameters you can add as many as 5 prints. So…

Touch ID doesn't work well on iPhone: how to properly set up the fingerprint sensor on iPhone or iPad

1 . Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and go to the Touch ID & Passcode section.

2 . Enter your passcode.

3 . Remove any added fingerprints. To do this, select each fingerprint and click Delete fingerprint.

4 . Click Add a fingerprint.

5 . Hold your iPhone or iPad the same way you would normally hold the device before unlocking it.

6 . Go through the process of adding all five fingerprints this way:

• add your fingerprint twice Right thumb;
• add your fingerprint twice Left thumb;
• add your fingerprint once Index finger of the right hand(if you are right-handed) or left hand (if you are left-handed).

The point of this operation is to add more fingerprints to the most used unlock option. The scheme we have proposed can be changed if desired. For example, if you always unlock the device using one hand, then it would not be superfluous to add 3, 4 or even all 5 possible fingerprints to the Thumb.

Try it now. In the vast majority of cases, this will solve the problem of poor Touch ID performance.

If after completing the procedure for adding fingerprints, the sensor still does not respond well, try rebooting the device. If the reboot does not help, then there are two options left - either you are the owner of hands with an abnormal fingerprint structure (we have met such users) or the problem is still in the Touch ID sensor itself.