How to set up and disable Touch ID on your iPhone, iPad

Using Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad is an easy way to use your fingerprint instead of a password for many common operations. With just a touch of your finger, the sensor quickly reads your fingerprint and automatically unlocks your device. You can use it to securely and conveniently unlock iPhone or iPad, authorize purchases and payments, and sign in to many third-party apps by pressing the fingerprint sensor with your finger or thumb. Here’s the step-by-step guide on how to set up, use, and disable Touch ID on your Apple® device.

What is Touch ID?

Touch ID is a biometric security feature that scans a user’s fingerprint to allow logins, purchases, and more. It’s useful because it allows device owners to verify their identities without having to repeatedly enter PINs or passwords. Your Touch ID fingerprint information is encrypted locally in a "Secure Enclave" and is not accessible by Apple or other companies.

Where is the Touch ID sensor located?

The Touch ID sensor is either in the Home button or—on iPad Air (4th generation) and later and iPad mini (6th generation)—the top button.

Which devices use Touch ID?

Apple introduced Touch ID on the iPhone 5s in 2013. Since then, it has appeared on 12 major models of iPhone (and some iPad models as well). As of February 2025, Apple currently only makes one iPhone model that supports Touch ID, the iPhone SE.

Here’s a list of iPhones with Touch ID:

iPhone SE (2022)
iPhone SE (2020)
iPhone SE (2016)
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6 Plus
iPhone 6
iPhone 5s

Here’s a list of iPads with Touch ID:

iPad mini (7th generation)
iPad Air (6th generation)
iPad (10th generation)
iPad Air (5th generation)
iPad mini (6th generation)
iPad (9th generation)
iPad Air (4th generation)
iPad (8th generation)
iPad (7th generation)
iPad mini (5th generation)
iPad Air (3rd generation)
iPad (6th generation)
iPad (5th generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
iPad Pro 9.7-inch
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
iPad mini 4
iPad mini 3
iPad Air 2

How to set up Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad

Before you can set up Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad, you need to create a passcode for your device.

Create a passcode

Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode.
Tap Turn Passcode On.
Enter a six-digit passcode. Or tap Passcode Options to switch to a four-digit numeric code, a custom numeric code, or a custom alphanumeric code.
Enter your passcode again to confirm it and activate it.

Turn on fingerprint recognition

You may have already turned this on when you initially set up your device, but if not, follow these steps:

Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode.
Turn on the options you’d like to use, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Set up Touch ID

At this point, you’re ready to set up Touch ID. Here’s how:

Make sure that the Touch ID sensor and your finger are clean and dry.
On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
Tap Add a Fingerprint and hold your device as you normally would when touching the Touch ID sensor.
Touch the Touch ID sensor with your finger—but don’t press—so the device can begin recognizing your fingerprint. Hold your finger there until you feel a quick vibration, or until you’re asked to lift your finger.
Continue to lift and rest your finger slowly, making small adjustments to the position of your finger each time.
The next screen asks you to adjust your grip. Hold your device as you normally would when unlocking it, and touch the Touch ID sensor with the outer areas of your fingertip, instead of the center portion that you scanned first.
If you have trouble enrolling one finger, try another.

How to add multiple fingerprints

You can add multiple fingerprints (both of your thumbs and forefingers, for example). Here’s how:

On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode.
Tap Add a Fingerprint.
Follow the onscreen instructions.

How to unlock, sign in to apps and buy stuff with Touch ID

After you set up Touch ID, you can use it to unlock your iPhone or iPad. You can press the Touch ID sensor and simultaneously wake your device and unlock it, or if your device is already awake you only need to place your finger on the Touch ID sensor until the device unlocks and goes to the home screen. Just remember to use the finger that you registered with Touch ID.

If you need to log into an app or approve a purchase, you simply place your finger on the Touch ID sensor(without actually pressing it in). It only takes a fraction of a second to analyze your print to unlock your iPhone or iPad, approve your login and authenticate your purchase on a website.