How To Fix iPhone 5s Touch ID Not Working

If you are one of iPhone 5s users who are facing iPhone 5s touch ID not working issue, we are going to share some method to solve that issue. The symptoms are similar to these:

  • iPhone 5s touch ID unresponsive
  • iPhone 5s touch ID with low accuracy
  • iPhone 5s touch ID sometime cannot recognize your fingerprint.
  • iPhone 5s touch ID fails in creating a new fingerprint.

Need to know that Touch ID is a hardware that united with home button and the hardware itself is consisted of sensor and sapphire glass on the surface. Sapphire glass is chosen by Apple for the object readings accuracy, in this case is our fingerprint and also to keep that surface from scratch. Touch ID is supposed to able to read all direction of our fingerprint, our finger not always has to be in vertical. We can place our finger in any positions, 360 degrees and Touch ID will recognize it. We also can register more than 1 finger to add the reliability in unlocking phone or password from certain application that supports Touch ID.

The symptoms of  iPhone 5s Touch ID Not Working is related to iOS 8.x which drives iPhone 5s  or hardware issue which is related to touch ID hardware with home button. Let’s try step by step to fix iPhone 5s Touch ID not working by yourself. Technobezz will divide the troubleshooting into 2 major methods which we call: Do It by Yourself (DIY) Method and Expert Method.

You can do the steps in a sequence and check it whether the issue has solved or not yet. You don’t have to do all the steps if the issue has been solved.

Technobezz Disclaimer: Technobezz will not responsible for loosing data or hardware issue that might appear in doing this troubleshooting. Do it with your own risk. We will provide you with excellent methods but certain thing cannot be predicted. That’s why we recommend you to do this important steps first before you do the troubleshoot:

  • Backup your iPhone 5s, See — Ultimate Guide How to Backup  to Mac/PC because some steps can make you lose you iPhone data.
  • If your iPhone 5s still covered by warranty, you have a full right to report your issue after you do a DIY method. Through a genius bar at Apple Store, make a phone call to Applecare or the nearest Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Read also: How to Fix Proximity Sensor is Not Working on iPhone 4s

Do It Yourself (DIY) Method

Make Sure:

  • Make sure that the sapphire glass on home button of your iPhone 5s is free from water or any other liquid, dirt and dust. If you find it, try to clean it. You can use a special cleaner liquid for electronic stuffs and soft cloth. Important to be noticed, avoid to spray the cleaner liquid directly to home button. Spray it to the cloth first.
  • If your finger has been registered or you are going to register your finger as a Touch ID, make sure your finger is free from dirt, liquid, moisture or oil before you register or use it. Try to clean it first.
  • Make sure there’s no accessories attach to Touch ID on home button of your iPhone 5s.
  • Try to touch or press the home button a bit but not until “click”.
  • If you are facing this issue when you create the new Touch ID, make sure when you tap and untap it several times, you are using various fingerprint sides/positions: left side, right, top side and so on, so that the Touch ID can record your fingerprint perfectly and you can use those sides of your fingerprint.
  • Make sure whether this issue appears after you changed assembly display in unauthorized Service Provider or no? If yes, probably the Touch ID that’s installed is not a native Touch ID of your iPhone 5s and it might cause your iPhone 5s Touch ID not working issue.

iOS Troubleshooting

  • Go To SettingsTouch ID & Passcode, at “use Touch ID” section, swipe off Passcode unlock, Apple Pay and iTunes & App Store, then swipe it on again.
Apple

Source: Apple.com

  • Go to SettingsTouch ID & Passcode, remove all your old fingerprint and create the new one. To remove fingerprint you can swipe to the left on fingerprint list then delete or tap fingerprint then tap delete
  • Restart your iPhone by pressing and holding the power and home button until it restart.
  • Power off iPhone by pressing the power button for some times until Slide Power Off appears, then slide it to the right. Then Switch it on by pressing power button for seconds.
  • Erase all content and settings. Settings — General — Reset — Reset all content and settings.
  • Restore iPhone in recovery mode or DFU mode. To take your iPhone to recovery mode: Plug iPhone to Mac/PC then launch iTunes. Hold down power button and home button until the iPhone restarts and when Apple logo starts to appear, release the power button but keep on pressing the home button until iTunes sign and cable lightning on your iPhone 5s screen are appear.
Source: Apple

Source: Apple.com

To take your iPhone 5s to DFU mode: plug iPhone to Mac/PC then launch iTunes. Hold down power button and home button until iPhone restarts. Count until 5 seconds and release power button but keep pressing the home button. If it succeeds, your iPhone screen will remain dark but iTunes will detect your iPhone 5s in recovery mode.

Source: Apple

Source: Apple.com

choose restore and iTunes will download firmware that is need and restore your iPhone 5s to factory setting.

Read also: how to Fix iPhone 5s Cellular Data Issue Connection Error

Expert Method

Hardware checking and troubleshooting

If you have done the iOS troubleshooting but you’re still facing the issue and if your iPhone 5s is still covered by warranty, Apple will give a replacement for your iPhone 5s. This is a typical service to fix iPhone 5s touch ID not working issue, a replacement to the new one. They will not do a hardware troubleshooting inside or replace certain part. For you who are curios and have read our disclaimer, we will try to give you a general description of what you can do on hardware troubleshooting.

  • Try to re-seat the front panel assembly from logic board iPhone, then unplug the battery on iPhone for 6 seconds then plug it back and switch on the iPhone
Source: iFixit

Source: iFixit.com

Source: iFixit

Source: iFixit.com

  • If those steps above could not fix iPhone 5s touch ID not working issue, then it really difficult to be fixed. It because there is no hardware store who sell home button with Touch ID feature. The Touch ID itself has a pair hardware in logic board which is unique for each iPhone that is produced. It needs chip modification in logic board which seems has a possibility of repair failures. Exchange the whole unit at Apple Authorized Service Provider seems to be the only solution.

Read also: The subscription price for Apple Music can be different for each country Check Your Country

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