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Resolved TouchID requires passcode every week

ThatSomeone

ThatSomeone

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 9, 2016
326
73
Here, where else?
Hello everyone!

Since the very first week of updating to iOS 9, my phone has asked me to enter the passcode to activate TouchID every Sunday morning when I wake up. At first I thought it was normal behaviour, but some Sunday's it doesn't ask and after an iOS update it doesn't ask for weeks, and then it comes back.. The first few months of this happening it said I hadn't unlocked it for 48 hours(even though I used it 8-9 hours earlier), but now it says 'Passcode is needed to activate TouchID'. It never happends on my new iPad Pro 9.7" with TouchID enabled..

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
 
ThatSomeone said:
Hello everyone!

Since the very first week of updating to iOS 9, my phone has asked me to enter the passcode to activate TouchID every Sunday morning when I wake up. At first I thought it was normal behaviour, but some Sunday's it doesn't ask and after an iOS update it doesn't ask for weeks, and then it comes back.. The first few months of this happening it said I hadn't unlocked it for 48 hours(even though I used it 8-9 hours earlier), but now it says 'Passcode is needed to activate TouchID'. It never happends on my new iPad Pro 9.7" with TouchID enabled..

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Is your thumb on the home button directly on so it recgonizes your thumb?
 
My 6s has actually been doing this every so often. Very sporadic but annoying as hell cuz I have a fairly long alpha numeric passcode
 
scapegoat81 said:
My 6s has actually been doing this every so often. Very sporadic but annoying as hell cuz I have a fairly long alpha numeric passcode
Click to expand...

Hm.. So it never occurs on a specific time or day?

I always reboot my devices once a week(and that's on Sunday), I could try rebooting my phone on Saturday instead and see if it helps.
 
Ahonen said:
This happened to me yesterday. I thought WTF? But it's six digits, just takes a second. Still, I'd like to know why it happened.
Click to expand...

Interesting.. Indeed it's quick to type in the code, and I'd also like to know why this is happening. I doubt it's a security measurement since sometimes it doesn't do this, especialy after an iOS update.
 
Happen to me a few times, and I just placed my finger onto the home button again and all was well.
 
ThatSomeone said:
Hello everyone!

Since the very first week of updating to iOS 9, my phone has asked me to enter the passcode to activate TouchID every Sunday morning when I wake up. At first I thought it was normal behaviour, but some Sunday's it doesn't ask and after an iOS update it doesn't ask for weeks, and then it comes back.. The first few months of this happening it said I hadn't unlocked it for 48 hours(even though I used it 8-9 hours earlier), but now it says 'Passcode is needed to activate TouchID'. It never happends on my new iPad Pro 9.7" with TouchID enabled..

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Is your iPhone restarting by itself overnight without you noticing? Usually touchId will ask for a passcode after a restart.
 
Armen said:
Is your iPhone restarting by itself overnight without you noticing? Usually touchId will ask for a passcode after a restart.
Click to expand...

I mentioned earlier that the message is not related to a reboot, but that it wants me to enter the passcode to activate TouchID on almost every Sunday morning.. It used to say "Touch ID requires your passcode after 48 hours"(Even though I had used it 8 hours earlier) but now it's "Your passcode is required to activate TouchID".
 
ThatSomeone said:
I mentioned earlier that the message is not related to a reboot, but that it wants me to enter the passcode to activate TouchID on almost every Sunday morning.. It used to say "Touch ID requires your passcode after 48 hours"(Even though I had used it 8 hours earlier) but now it's "Your passcode is required to activate TouchID".
Click to expand...

My iPhone 5s does the same thing has since iOS 8 (although most complaints are about iOS 9). Find it odd so many people on here don't have this - since it is an incredibly common issue. Seems to be a bug that hasn't been fixed yet.

In my case - it happens roughly twice a month. On different days.
 
I believe there is a time limit on iOS that forces the passcode to be used instead of TouchID, I'm not sure what that limit is, but I believe I heard someone on a podcast say as much when they were explaining TouchID and how sometimes you still need to put in a passcode.
 
jeremysteele said:
My iPhone 5s does the same thing has since iOS 8 (although most complaints are about iOS 9). Find it odd so many people on here don't have this - since it is an incredibly common issue. Seems to be a bug that hasn't been fixed yet.

In my case - it happens roughly twice a month. On different days.
Click to expand...

Sure looks so, I'll make another bug report as soon as the current one I have is under control.

maflynn said:
I believe there is a time limit on iOS that forces the passcode to be used instead of TouchID, I'm not sure what that limit is, but I believe I heard someone on a podcast say as much when they were explaining TouchID and how sometimes you still need to put in a passcode.
Click to expand...

That's probably the 48 hour limit until you must use your passcode to unlock the device, however I use it right before I go go bed and yet I get that message every Sunday morning.. Although recently it changed from the 48 hour message to a new one that's claiming TouchID needs my passcode to be activated... My new iPad Pro or anyone else I know doesn't have this issue. I can also add that I've removed and re-added my fingerprints at one point while running iOS 9(Although the reason for that was that my current ones were inaccurate) without helping.
 
maflynn said:
I believe there is a time limit on iOS that forces the passcode to be used instead of TouchID, I'm not sure what that limit is, but I believe I heard someone on a podcast say as much when they were explaining TouchID and how sometimes you still need to put in a passcode.
Click to expand...

my 6+ never asks me for a passcode instead of touch ID unless I restarted my phone.
 
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