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That's the best way I can describe it on one line.
This is a 2021 M1 iMac with extended Magic Keyboard. Updated to Ventura 13.3.1 during this investigation, but started on Monterey 12.2 - no change in symptom.

For a time after boot [& initial regular typed login], the Touch ID button/sensor works perfectly, for passwords & also to lock and unlock. So long as the machine is attended & 'working' it continues to function as expected.
If left alone to sleep the screen [but not the Mac] - it seems to be the time designated as 'Require password nnn after sleep or screen saver begins" - then TouchID is no longer recognised. The login screen at that point says "TouchID or Enter Password" but only the password will register. If left for even longer, the login screen changes to just 'Enter Password', as though no TouchID button was recognised.

I've realised that though this might require the time for 'sleep' the Mac rarely actually sleeps during the day - we have an internet radio running, which prevents it. So it's not the sleep process itself, but some other timeout.

ID & PW PW only

This lack of recognition extends to using the same button to Lock the Mac. It simply no longer works; so it's not just the fingerprint sensor, but the entire key that's ignored/forgotten.

I have tested with & without safe boot, through to creating a new Admin account & trying to register a new fingerprint. The button is not recognised at all. After a reboot all is once more OK & I can finish the add fingerprint process. This new account then behaves as the original - with this strange 'timeout'.

I have a workaround which points to something, though I'm not certain quite what.

If I plug the keyboard into USB & leave it connected, after a while the TouchID is once more recognised & stays recognised so long as it's connected over USB rather than Bluetooth.
I can cycle between these behaviours repeatedly, without rebooting.

I'm left trying to diagnose if this is essentially a software or hardware issue, keyboard or Mac, without really knowing what to look at next. The Mac is quite 'clean' as far as non-standard & third party software is concerned. I ran EtreCheck & tidied out a couple of things we can live without, but there should be nothing that could get in the way of Bluetooth.

Any suggestions as to next approach?

Late Edit
No change on macOS 13.4
As there are a couple of confirmations of this behaviour in comments, I've submitted a bug report to Apple [12 June 2023].

Tetsujin
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  • Have you tried forgetting the keyboard when using bluetooth? (And then repairing) – Thinkr May 01 '23 at 07:19
  • I've done a simple unpair/pair, but the debug options to do a full reset seem to have gone in Ventura. – Tetsujin May 01 '23 at 08:11
  • Oh, then try to reset the bluetooth module by pressing and holding Shift+Option and clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. Then click on "Reset Bluetooth module". – Thinkr May 01 '23 at 08:13
  • The debug mode is gone. You get more info, but not the full diagnostic/debug mode - https://i.stack.imgur.com/IsyHg.jpg – Tetsujin May 01 '23 at 08:18
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    Note to self: test on 13.4 next week [by 20.5.23?], with expected Bluetooth fixes for known bugs. – Tetsujin May 13 '23 at 16:29
  • I suspect you have a malfunctioning keyboard. Unfortunately, since you’re not a repair shop, it’s not easy to just swap out a different keyboard to verify. Though, most retailers including Apple have a 30 day return policy. Just saying… – Allan May 22 '23 at 00:05
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    I am having this same issue - and I did go to apple and swap out my keyboard, TWICE! - and no change. Still not working on 13.4. Found this thread because I thought it might be a 13.4 issue, since it just started happening in the last few days for me. – Daniel May 30 '23 at 11:33
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    I'm having the EXACT same issue also on 13.4 .. I hope someone comes with the fix or that Apple creates a fix for this issue. – Riccardo Jun 12 '23 at 07:27

2 Answers2

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I've also had a Magic Keyboard whose TouchID stopped working.

According to this Apple Support document, they suggest turning the keyboard off, using its physical switch, and then turning it back on.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT212225

I waited a few seconds before switching it on again. This seems to have cleared the problem for me.

benwiggy
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  • I've tried forgetting & re-pairing with no joy. Our solution has been to leave it permanently connected on USB. – Tetsujin Aug 23 '23 at 08:10
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    @Tetsujin Mine is permanently connected via USB, but stopped working recently. The keyboard went all weird at the same time -- letters were in caps, some didn't work, etc. I'm hoping, given the number of complaints, that it's a software issue, rather than a defective keyboard. Things seem to be OK now -- touch wood. – benwiggy Aug 23 '23 at 08:33
  • @Tetsujin No -- it's gone again. Grr... – benwiggy Aug 23 '23 at 10:34
  • So is it doing the same thing - works on USB, breaks on Bluetooth? – Tetsujin Aug 23 '23 at 12:38
  • @Tetsujin No: It breaks after ... some period of time, while on USB. But I can restore it by unplugging, disconnecting and forgetting; then plugging back in. – benwiggy Aug 23 '23 at 12:41
  • Ah, OK - similar but annoyingly different. – Tetsujin Aug 23 '23 at 13:58
  • @Tetsujin Aha! I'd completely forgotten that these things have a power switch. Presumably, the controllers inside had got into a state, and just needed a reset. – benwiggy Aug 24 '23 at 07:48
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In my case, I repaired the problem only by re-pairing (oh, the pun!)

  1. Disconnect the Magic Keyboard from USB (if connected)
  2. Turn off the keyboard
  3. Disconnect and forget the Bluetooth connection
  4. Turn on the keyboard again (I waited a few minutes just to be sure that no capacitors were still charged)
  5. Connect the keyboard via USB and pair it again with the Mac. I had to authenticate myself again by double-clicking the power-button and then I could set up TouchID
nd.
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  • Yeah, already tried re-pairing [sorry, it's mentioned in comments rather than in the question body itself]. One commenter even said they'd had three different keyboards, all with the same issue. – Tetsujin Sep 08 '23 at 08:35
  • I did it the other way round: I ignored the Bluetooth connection at first (did not have any USB), then turned it off, then turned it on again, then paired my keyboard / mouse set, and I had Touch ID back. – questionto42 Oct 06 '23 at 20:24