# Touch ID



## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

While Supercharging today, I was fiddling around on the App and noticed the "Touch ID" toggle in settings. I think it has been there for a while, but I've never tried to access it until today. Apparently it's supposed to allow fingerprint authentication(within the app?). Would this mean that, on those rare occasions when you need to log back into your account, you can do it with a simple fingerprint ID? Is there a downside to initiating this functionality?

At any rate, when I turn the toggle to on, I get this message "To set up Touch ID, first go to settings > Touch ID & Passcode, and set a passcode." This message has a blue OK prompt below it. When I hit this OK, the Touch ID toggle returns to the off position every time. Where is this Touch ID and Passcode to set up a passcode? Is anyone using this functionality? What am I missing/doing wrong?


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## skygraff (Jun 2, 2017)

In answer to your first question, no. Because of that, it seems like a waste to me but I still have it toggled on.

It sounds like you never set up Touch ID for your phone. If you have a newer one with Face ID, that would make sense but not sure why the label for that toggle wouldn’t be device specific. If you have a device with Touch ID, go into settings > Touch ID & Passcode to turn it on and teach it fingerprints. If you’ve already done that and it keeps happening, you might have to delete and reinstall the app but, again, referencing the first question’s answer, not sure it’s worth the effort.


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## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

You're right, I haven't set up touch ID in my phone(I do have it). The app's instructions don't make that very clear, and I don't think it's worth the effort for me. Thanks for the reply. Anyone else using this functionality that cares to curse it or to sing it's praises?


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## iChris93 (Feb 3, 2017)

I turned it on both on when I had touchID phone and now on faceID phones. The app never used either, that I can tell, for any authentication.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

My guess is that this will only be used when you need to re-authenticate for things like purchasing over-the-air upgrades.

That's generally how it's used on other apps (on my Android phone) - not to log into the account, but to confirm that it really is you before charging you money.


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## iChris93 (Feb 3, 2017)

garsh said:


> My guess is that this will only be used when you need to re-authenticate for things like purchasing over-the-air upgrades.
> 
> That's generally how it's used on other apps (on my Android phone) - not to log into the account, but to confirm that it really is you before charging you money.


There are both in iOS. Bank apps will use it to log you in before giving access. The app store will use it only for new purchases.


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## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

Dumb it down for an old bastard, please. Does anyone currently use it as offered by Tesla? Am I missing anything by not using it today? Tomorrow?


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## Long Ranger (Jun 1, 2018)

FRC said:


> Dumb it down for an old bastard, please. Does anyone currently use it as offered by Tesla? Am I missing anything by not using it today? Tomorrow?


No you're not missing anything by not using it for the Tesla app.

However, just for general iPhone use, Touch ID is pretty useful. How do you unlock your phone?


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## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

Long Ranger said:


> How do you unlock your phone?


My phone's not locked, my house is not locked. My laptop has a four digit PIN, that ticks me off. I manage to survive anyway.


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## Long Ranger (Jun 1, 2018)

FRC said:


> My phone's not locked, my house is not locked. My laptop has a four digit PIN, that ticks me off. I manage to survive anyway.


Dad, is that you??? Oh wait, no, my dad doesn't own a smartphone or a Tesla.


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## msjulie (Feb 6, 2018)

@FRC Touch ID and Face ID work the same for the Tesla app (My current phone has Face ID, prior had Touch ID)

The biometric auth (that's apple's fancy name for these things) prevents you from having to log into the app "the hard way" all the time, instead it will use finger print or face, etc. It's not 100% foolproof as every once in a while it wants me to actually log in again. Because I let my phone remember these passwords, I can retrieve them to auto-fill the fields to make it a little less sucky. Touch ID and/or Face ID work here too.

On your phone, Settings -> Touch ID & Passcode -> go there to add fingerprints.

You can have Touch ID unlock the phone vs typing in your (hopefully strong alphanumeric) passcode (this general advice comes back every one in a while it seems https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59jq8a/how-to-make-a-secure-iphone-passcode-6-digits)

Good luck


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## AutopilotFan (Oct 6, 2018)

FRC said:


> Dumb it down for an old bastard, please. Does anyone currently use it as offered by Tesla? Am I missing anything by not using it today? Tomorrow?


Touch ID or Face ID aren't a function of the Tesla app. They are features of your phone's operating system. Basically they give you a way to authenticate to apps via something other than typing in your password. It's up to you as to whether you want to use them.

I have an Android phone with a fingerprint sensor. I do use the fingerprint ID for apps where my exposure if my phone was stolen are not too bad. Someone would need either my passcode or my fingerprint to unlock the phone anyway.


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