Tired of Passwords? Here’s What You Need to Know About Using Touch ID on Older Macs

Every time Apple releases a new Mac, you get inclined towards the same because of new features. However, your current Mac works equally fine. As long as your old Mac is getting software updates, there’s no need to get a new one.

If you’re unfamiliar with using Touch ID to unlock your Mac on your old system, you’re missing something huge. Unlocking your Mac by a single tap with your finger is a convenient option than typing the whole passcode.

Fortunately, even if your Mac doesn’t have the necessary hardware, Touch ID is still a feature you could enjoy. The credit goes to the application named MacID, which enables you to unlock your system, control music, enable screensaver on Mac, etc. Furthermore, you can control all these actions using your iPad or iPhone. Do you want to know more about how it’s done? Here’s what you need to know!

Before getting started, make sure that you have the MacID application on your iPhone or iPad and Mac. To get the same, download the app from the App Store for $3.99. However, the Mac version is free to download.

Setting Up MacID on Your iPhone (or iPad) and Mac

Setting up the MacID app on both your iPhone or iPad and Mac is essential. Therefore, the steps to do the same are:

Install and launch MacID on your iPhone or iPad.

On the other hand, open MacID on your Mac.

A list of devices will appear in the MacID window on your Mac. Select your device out of the same.

Note: If your device doesn’t appear, reset the Bluetooth connection.

Type Mac’s login password in the given space.

Enter the password again for confirmation.

Hit the ‘Continue’ button.

You may also set up MacID on your Apple Watch.

Next, your iPhone or iPad will list your Mac as a connected device in the MacID application.

Using Touch ID on Older Macs Using MacID

Once you’ve downloaded the apps on the two devices and set them up, you are ready to use the Touch ID feature on your older Macs using MacID.

Unlocking Your Mac with Touch ID or Apple Watch

The steps to unlock your Mac with Touch ID or Apple Watch are:

Wake your Mac while the screen is locked.

Use the Touch ID on your iPhone to unlock. Tap ‘Unlock’ on your Apple Watch.

Setting Up Proximity Auto-Lock

It is possible to lock your Mac while you walk away from the same. Also, make sure that you move your iPhone away from the system for the feature to work. The steps for setting up the proximity auto-lock feature are:

Select the ‘MacID’ option from the menu bar on your Mac.

A drop-down menu will open. Select the ‘Auto-lock when away from Mac’ option.

Select one of these options: low, medium, high, or custom, to set up the distance.

Your Mac will get locked by default when you move away as per the distance selected.

Setting Up Proximity Wake

Using the proximity wake feature will wake up the Mac as soon as you come near it. Again, you need to move your iPhone closer to the Mac for this to work. The steps are as follows:

Select the ‘MacID’ option from the menu bar on your Mac.

A drop-down menu will open. Select the ‘Proximity wake’ option.

Select ‘On’ from the pop-up menu.

Select the ‘Custom’ option to set a custom timing for the Mac to wake. You can also select the ‘Unlock automatically’ option to wake and unlock simultaneously.

Controlling Audio Playback on Your Mac Using MacID

As mentioned in the beginning, you can also control audio on your Mac using the MacID app on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. The steps to use the same are:

Play music on your Mac and go to the MacID app on your iPhone.

Tap play/pause or skip on the connected device. If you’re using an Apple Watch, tap on the musical note and then tap on the play/pause or skip buttons.

Note: You can also control volume and mute audio using the Apple Watch.

Enabling Macs Screensaver Using MacID

You can instantly trigger the screensaver on your Mac using the MacID. Follow the steps mentioned below to do the same:

Go to the MacID app on your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Swipe left on your connected device on your iPhone. Tap on the ‘ellipsis’ icon on Apple Watch.

Select the ‘Screensaver’ option.

This is it! Using MacID on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch to control actions on Mac might seem clumsy. However, once you get hold of the same, it will be the most convenient option for you.

Source: Tired of Passwords? Here’s What You Need to Know About Using Touch ID on Older Macs