What is toch id? How to Improve Touch ID on Your iPhone

The Touch ID fingerprint scanning system has become one of the main iPhone chips 5S and now with everyone year of Apple can't help but add Touch ID to their devices. This function still delights users of Apple phones and tablets. Using your fingerprint, you can unlock your phone, pay in App Store or iTunes. But, unfortunately, very often users Apple technology facing the problem of poor Touch ID performance. Regardless of the generation and year of manufacture of Touch ID, it periodically makes minor errors in operation, does not respond to the finger, or begins to work more slowly than usual.

This article will talk about ways to help you improve the Touch ID experience on your iPhone or iPad.

1. Duplicating your fingerprint

On this moment duplicating your fingerprint several times is the most important and most in an effective way. To make Touch ID recognize your fingers faster and more accurately, simply make multiple copies of the same fingerprint.

To do this, you need to go to the device settings, then to the Touch ID and passcode tab. By adding the number of prints you need, you can give the print your name. But if Touch ID starts to work slowly for iPhone unlocking If it starts to require more time, then you need to delete all registered fingerprints and re-add only the most necessary ones.

2. Touch the metal ring

When Apple released the iPhone 5s, the company added Home button, a thin metal ring that plays an important role in unlocking the iPhone.

When unlocking, it is important to completely touch the metal edge of the Home button with your finger when scanning the fingerprint.

In this way, the sensor will receive from you the most complete picture of the identification fingerprint and will be able to more accurately and quickly recognize the fingerprint offered to it.

3. Leave prints at the right angle

When storing your fingerprints in the phone's memory, try to do it as naturally as possible. Imagine that you took the phone in your hand in order to unlock it or do some other familiar action. You should not try to completely imprint your entire finger and make a perfect copy of your fingerprint. Feel free to place your finger on the button in a way that suits you, at any angle. The stability of your fingerprint perception is important for Touch ID to work properly.

4. Update

Surprisingly, upgrading your iPhone to one that supports a fingerprint scanner will actually noticeably improve Touch ID performance. If you feel that your smartphone has become a little slower to unlock, then you should install new version firmware for your iPhone. This method will significantly improve Touch ID performance.

5. Keep it clean

Maybe this advice may seem too banal to you, but it is also important for maintaining correct work Touch ID on your iPhone. Before adding a new fingerprint, you should wash your hands thoroughly and do not make a fingerprint with wet or damp hands. The fingerprint may come out with gaps or blurred, which will worsen the performance and speed of Touch ID. And don’t forget to wipe the Home button with a dry cotton pad or dry wipes. The layer of dust and grease that accumulates on the surface of the sensor makes it difficult for Touch ID to properly scan your finger.

The methods listed in this article will help you improve the performance and speed of Touch ID on your device.

What password can be called the most reliable and at the same time constantly accessible to the owner of the equipment? Fingerprint. IN new development Touch ID uses a fingerprint sensor as a means of identification. This method allows you to quickly connect to another Apple device and at the same time be confident in the security of the stored data.

Of course, the question immediately arises: Touch ID - what is it? The device itself, the technology or, in general, the phone model? Apple Touch ID is a technology that involves the use of a sensor that recognizes the user's unique fingerprint pattern. The unlocking process is simple: just place your finger on the Home button. The installed sensor reads the received data from absolutely any angle and in any way the iPad is positioned.

Unlock button iPad mini 3 is made of sapphire crystal, which is enclosed in a stainless steel ring. Each part: the ring detects touch, and the glass part transmits fingerprint data to the sensor. The reading program carries out comparative analysis and signals compliance. It is noteworthy that the Touch ID sensor performs the entire operation within a fraction of a second.

Advantages of the technology:

• Response speed and minimal amount necessary operations.
• Security of confidential information (thanks to the specific architecture of the A7 processor).
• Information Security user (the password and fingerprint used cannot be copied or transferred in any way, and is also not available to the OS and applications).
• Authorization in applications (Touch ID technology is already integrated to simplify the process of confirming actions or signing).
• Using a fingerprint, you can confirm the purchase and iTunes - using Touch ID technology will eliminate the need to enter payment data and passwords.

How to enable and configure Touch ID?

Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to put a single checkmark to implement the functions of the technology. Then a logical question arises: how to enable Touch ID?

Initial setup

First of all, you should deal with the initial setup. She :

1. Before starting the process, thoroughly wipe the button and fingers.
2. Enter a four-digit password that you have created, which the program will use without recognizing the fingerprint (the request is also possible after a reboot, two days after the last unlocking of the device, or to access functions).
3. Holding the device as if you normally press “Home”, place your finger on the button (a light touch is enough) and hold it until there is a slight vibration or until the system signals that you can remove your finger.
4. After the initial recognition is completed, the system asks you to change the position of the pad - this is necessary to complete the scanning. Now you need to attach the edges of the fingertip.

If the device is activated, then initial setup can be done through the main menu: by going to “Settings”, select “Touch ID and password”, then “Fingerprints”. The system itself will offer to go through the described registration process and about fingerprints.

Activation methods

If you can't set up Touch ID, you can use the sensor for purchases and password entry. To unlock an iPhone using technology, simply wake it up from sleep mode by pressing the “Power” or “Home” buttons, and then place your finger on the “Home” button. To use the sensor as an account identifier, you need to go to the settings section, then select “Touch ID and password” and activate “ iTunes Store,App Store". When downloading content, the system will inform you that you need a fingerprint on your iPad or other device.

Authorization using a scanner is activated separately, in the settings. Below are the relevant actions for Touch activation ID on iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 8 and updated iPhone 6 free application 1Password:

1. Open “Settings” (tab located on the bottom panel of the program).
2. Select the “Security” section.
3. Scroll to the tab with the name of the technology.
4. Switch the toggle switch to the “On” position.

Now the entrance to the program is available after pressing the fingertip against the sensor for a second!

Non-working function: defective or improper operation?

Undoubtedly, but what should you do if Touch ID stops working or does not work initially? There may be several reasons for this:

• Household reasons (incomplete coverage of the button with a fingertip, contamination of the sensor, and even others). It should be noted that most of the complaints about Touch ID not working well fall precisely under this and the next category.
• Just a glitch in the recognition program. In this case, it is better to register a different fingerprint.
• There is, unfortunately, such an option as marriage. An indicator of such a situation is the lack of effect from rebooting the device and a scanning error. Moreover, it does not matter whether the defect was made at the production stage or by a rogue seller who assembled one iPhone from two without taking into account the linking touch sensor ID to “its” processor, the phone will still have to be taken to a service center.

With customization of the functionality, the functions in each application are more than covered by convenience, speed of operation and optimization of purchasing processes. Although the possibility of a marriage that could bring trouble cannot be ruled out.

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 every year new design for iPhone. So in line apple smartphones a permanent model appeared 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 to many geeks.

In addition to the above, improved iPhone models had some kind of “trick” - a function or technology that stimulates 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 put reliable protection on your smartphone from unnecessary eyes and hands, but is fingerprint scanning technology so important and what are the negative and positive sides it entails. I will try to thoroughly understand all this in this article.

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

iPhone 5S currently showing great job with recognition of your fingerprints to protect data, however, 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 new model cell phone, referred to as 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.). For fingerprint recognition to the average user it was necessary to move your finger across the surface of the scanner 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 brought ordinary users much more discomfort than convenience. Also, throwing stones towards Pantech Gl100, I will mention that all hidden information it was also possible to copy on the phone by synchronizing with a computer. This was one of the first attempts to introduce fingerprint recognition technology into mobile device.

Later and others no less well-known companies implemented an analogue of Touch ID into their devices, but ended up encountering multiple 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 much 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 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 them to unlock their 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 a password for account 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, however 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 under iOS control Car, but back to the main thing...

Touch ID and surveillance paranoia

Quite often there were rumors and theories on the Internet that Apple was deliberately covert surveillance for users via mobile gadgets and not only many of these guesses were completely confirmed. News about coordinate tracking comes to mind iPhone locations and sudden turning on of the iSight camera on Mac computers.

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 ours 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 that notorious iPhone protection, 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, however, 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. Constantly scanning your fingerprint with different sides, over time, a more accurate picture is created, allowing you to recognize your finger even better. 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, a special unique key is also required to access the fingerprint; 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 as a result 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

The appearance of any new feature in Apple devices (and not only) causes a wave of discussions, disputes, and criticism. This fate did not spare the fingerprint scanner built into the iPhone 5s and called Touch ID.

The Canadian newspaper Toronto Star published an article entitled “The fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5s: 10 reasons why it’s a bad idea.” The title of the article speaks for itself. But let's try to figure out whether Touch ID really deserves criticism - let's take the arguments of the Toronto Star writer and look at them more closely.

1. There is a video of a cat unlocking an iPhone. How soon will hackers get to the scanner?

Well, yes, such a video exists. Moreover, there are hundreds of similar videos where Touch ID is unlocked using various parts of the body (including intimate ones), but what does this mean? Only that the scanner is capable of reading fingerprints not only from fingers. This is bad? No. Less secure? Also no. Your cat will only be able to unlock your iPhone if you have added its pawprint to your trusted list. Well, of course, hypothetically we can assume that the attackers, having stolen your iPhone, will also grab your cat in order to unlock the device with its help... Sounds stupid, doesn’t it?

Well, as for hackers, they have already reached the scanner, but methods of deceiving Touch ID are still far from being generally used.

2. If Apple did something wrong, it would set the biometrics industry back years.

What does “did something wrong” mean? And why should this have such a serious impact on an industry that developed before the advent of Touch ID, and will continue to develop after, even if it turns out that Apple actually got something wrong.

3. Touch ID is a solution to a non-existent problem

Here the author of the article asks a question that is painfully familiar from forum battles - why should people buy an iPhone 5s, pay a lot of money for it, if they are satisfied with the iPhone 5. As on the forums, it is very difficult to answer such a question. Or very simply: satisfied old model- Well, don’t buy a new one.

4. Apple is using fear to promote this product.

Well, this is actually funny. Fear of what? Before the possible theft of the device? Before possible access to confidential data? But Touch ID does not have any extra security, it simply makes user identification more convenient compared to the usual password entry.

5. Wet and dirty fingers negatively affect the operation of the sensor, causing errors

A compelling argument. Also, wet and dirty fingers do not work well with touch screen. So they just need to be washed and dried.

6. Your fingerprints will be stored somewhere on your smartphone, and someone can use them

First of all, Touch ID stores its data in a completely separate place designed specifically for this storage. And only the result of the form “ID verification successful/unsuccessful” is transmitted to the rest of the smartphone’s hardware. And it is impossible to intercept this data from the outside in any way.

Further. iPhone does not store fingerprints. When adding a fingerprint, the finger is scanned and converted into a set of data, which is stored in the smartphone. Then, during identification, the finger is scanned again, another set of data is obtained, which is compared with the first. If the data matches, the user is identified. Moreover, these data sets are specific to the iPhone; using them elsewhere (even assuming that they can somehow be stolen) simply does not make sense.

The kidnapper will receive gibberish, converting it back into a fingerprint will be as “simple” as recreating the original culinary masterpiece with all the decorations and cream inscriptions from a half-eaten cake, and even broken into small pieces. This comparison was made by a specialist familiar with this issue.

7. This is complex software, which can lead to problems.

The author means that complex software less resistant to hacker attacks. What to answer to this? iPhone 5s is not the only one in the world electronic device with complex software. And it’s okay, others somehow live and cope...

8. This is only intended for part of the market. Most people don't care about safety

Well, don't let them worry. No one is forcing anyone to use Touch ID, just like no one is forcing anyone to use a password. But since the authentication procedure with a scanner is much simpler than with a password, perhaps some of those who have not thought about security before will still use Touch ID?

9. Possible technical problems with the new product

Yes, this happens. But so far no problems have been noticed, in fact, users report that Touch ID “just works” and works fine. And if we proceed from the logic that every new product may encounter technical problems, and therefore it is bad - then it’s better not to release new products at all, isn’t it?

10. People will use Touch ID initially, but then they will refuse because the wear and tear of the sensor will delay identification.

Will there be this delay? Can anyone say this with certainty? Now there is no delay, the device works quickly and does not cause problems.

And as a result. Once again, no one is forcing you to use Touch ID. The sensor simplifies identification - and that’s all, it’s not a panacea for all ills, but it’s not their source either. Whoever wants it will use it, the rest will simply use the smartphone in the manner familiar from previous models.

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 scanner Touch fingerprints ID is tied to the device processor. It can be replaced, but the fingerprint scanner will not work. Only one can help with this Apple company, and she decided to help.

According to Reuters, the company Apple started deliver 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 do the repairs Apple devices more accessible and faster. Unfortunately, there are cities where there are no authorized service centers. Apple 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