Don’t worry — this is a common issue and usually easy to fix!
“Unable to Activate Touch ID”
What This Means (In Plain English)
The fingerprint reader on your iPhone is not working. You can still use your passcode to unlock your phone.
Common Causes
- •Wet or dirty fingers
- •A dirty Home button
- •A screen protector interfering with the sensor
- •Hardware damage from a drop
How to Fix It — Step by Step
- 1
Make sure your finger and the Home button are clean and dry.
- 2
Restart your iPhone.
- 3
Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and try deleting your fingerprints, then adding them again.
- 4
When adding a fingerprint, move your finger slightly between taps to capture different angles.
- 5
If Touch ID still does not work, make sure there is no screen protector covering the Home button.
- 6
A hardware problem may require an Apple Store visit.
How to Prevent This in the Future
Keep the Home button and your fingers clean and dry. Register multiple fingers in case one does not work well.
Related Errors You Might See
Face ID Is Not Available
The facial recognition feature on your iPhone is not working right now. You can still unlock your phone with your passcode.
iPhone is Disabled, Connect to iTunes
Too many wrong passcodes were entered and your iPhone has locked itself for security. This is a safety feature to protect your data.
Still stuck? Don’t worry!
If the steps above did not solve the problem, ask a trusted friend or family member for help, or contact us and we will do our best to assist you.