How to Fix Touch ID Not Working in macOS Tahoe 26.2
Touch ID suddenly stopped recognizing your fingerprint or the option disappeared from Settings?
The full fix is in The Fix section below. Verified on macOS Tahoe 26.2.
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The Symptom
The sensor doesn't react, or it says "Touch ID limit reached" when you try to add a new finger.
The Fix
- Reset the SMC/T2/Enclave
On Apple Silicon, just restart. On Intel Macs with T2, shut down, hold Left Control + Left Option + Right Shift for 7 seconds, then press Power.
- Delete the Biometric Database
In Terminal:
sudo rm /var/db/PairingRecords/*
*(This forces macOS to re-verify the secure handshake with the Touch ID sensor.)*
- Check for "Biometricd" Hangs
sudo killall biometricd
Pro Tip
If you just replaced your screen or keyboard, Touch ID may be hardware-locked. It is cryptographically paired to the original logic board.