Touch ID sensor is currently unavailable.

NBG
NBG
Community Member
in Mac

I am getting an error "Touch ID sensor is currently unavailable. You need to sign in using your account password." This started recently, and when I checked Settings > Security > Unlock, both Touch ID and Apple Watch were unchecked. I re-checked them, but it did not fix the problem.

It's worth mentioning, I have seen at least one other community discussion about this, but that thread was closed, so I had to start a new one.

1Password Version: 8.10.39
Extension Version: 2.27.1
OS Version: Mac OS Sonoma 14.6.1
Browser: Safari

Comments

  • NBG
    NBG
    Community Member

    Recently I started getting a notification from 1Password "Touch ID sensor is currently unavailable. You need to sign in using your account password." I had gone into 1Password settings and Unlock > Touch ID (and Apple Watch) were unchecked now, but I rechecked them. Still having the issue.

    Although this discussion was closed:
    https://1password.community/discussion/146660

    I am having the same problem.

    1Password Version: 8.10.39
    Extension Version: 2.27.1
    OS Version: macOS Sonoma 14.6.1
    Browser: Safari

  • NBG
    NBG
    Community Member

    I am getting an error "Touch ID sensor is currently unavailable. You need to sign in using your account password." This started recently, and when I checked Settings > Security > Unlock, both Touch ID and Apple Watch were unchecked. I re-checked them, but it did not fix the problem.

    It's worth mentioning, I have seen at least one other community discussion about this, but that thread was closed, so I had to start a new one.

    1Password Version: 8.10.39
    Extension Version: 2.27.1
    OS Version: Mac OS Sonoma 14.6.1
    Browser: Safari

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    Hello @NBG! 👋

    I'm sorry that Touch ID unable isn't working for 1Password on your Mac. Are you able to use Touch ID to unlock the Mac itself? If you can then I'd like you to please try the following:

    1. Completely turn off your Mac and then turn it on to restart it. (Don't skip this step.)
    2. Open and unlock 1Password for Mac.
    3. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Touch ID & Password.
    4. Turn off all of the features, then turn all of them back on again.
    5. Go back to 1Password and choose 1Password > Settings from the menu bar.
    6. Click the Security icon, then turn "Touch ID" off and then back on.
    7. Lock 1Password by choosing 1Password > Lock from the menu bar.
    8. Now try unlocking 1Password using Touch ID.

    If that doesn't work then let me know.

    -Dave

  • NBG
    NBG
    Community Member

    Hi there, I can use the Touch ID on the Mac without issue. I should mention, 1Password seems to be having this issue sporadically. I will try your outline, see if it happens again.

    But, for example, it didn't happen this morning when I opened the app. But it happened last night. No restart on my computer, it was just asleep.

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    @NBG

    Thank you for the reply. If the issue is intermittent, and you can use Touch ID to unlock 1Password some of the time, then you can skip the steps listed above for now since they're meant for cases where Touch ID isn't working at all. The next time that the issue occurs can you try the following:

    1. Click on the  in the menu bar.
    2. Click System Settings.
    3. Click Privacy & Security.
    4. Click Advanced.
    5. As a temporary troubleshooting step, turn on "Log out automatically after inactivity".
    6. You'll now see a macOS system prompt asking you to confirm the action using Touch ID.

    Are you able to use the Touch ID to authenticate the macOS system prompt? Once this test is complete you can turn off "Log out automatically after inactivity" if you wish.

    Can you also tell me how you resolve the intermittent issue when it does occur? Does Touch ID just start working after some time? Or do you need to restart your Mac or 1Password?

    -Dave

  • baldyauldeejit
    baldyauldeejit
    Community Member

    The error is intermittent for me (well, it was after restarting in the first set of troubleshooting steps) but I did not see the system prompt asking me to confirm using Touch ID as in the second set of steps.

    This particular error has only appeared since the most recent update. However, in the past month or so, I have had to unlock both the main application and the Safari extension – even when I'd just unlocked the main app – which I don't believe was the case before.

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    @baldyauldeejit

    I'm sorry that you're also running into trouble unlocking 1Password. So that I can better understand the situation in your case can you tell me the following:

    1. Do you see the same "Touch ID sensor is currently unavailable" error message that the original poster of this thread saw?
    2. Are you still able to unlock the desktop app using Touch ID? Or is Touch ID not working in either the desktop app or 1Password for Safari?
    3. Is Touch ID for 1Password enabled using these steps: Use Touch ID to unlock 1Password on your Mac

    I look forward to hearing from you.

    -Dave

  • baldyauldeejit
    baldyauldeejit
    Community Member

    Apologies for the delay in replying.
    1. I did see the same message.
    2. Touch ID is still working in the desktop app but not the Safari extension.
    3. Yes, enabled as per those steps.

    The second set of instructions above (even though I didn't see the Touch ID system prompt) seemed to temporarily fix the issue.

    However, the extension is now not reporting the error but is instead asking for the password every time I try to use it. Uninstalling/reinstalling the extension didn't fix the issue, nor did either of the set of steps above.

  • kevin.li
    kevin.li

    Hi @baldyauldeejit ,

    We've identified a connection problem between the 1Password for Safari web extension and the 1Password for Mac desktop app, which is causing 1Password for Safari to require a separate unlock from the desktop app. Our development team is working on a fix, though I don't have an exact timeline for when it will be available. You can monitor the status of this issue here:

    In the meantime, the connection should work properly in other supported browsers, such as Chrome or Firefox. I apologize for the inconvenience and any confusion this may have caused, and I appreciate your understanding.

    -Kevin