Make your own Touch ID Button

TouchID-Keyboard-Components.md

Tools Needed

• iFixit iOpener Set
• T4 Screwdriver
• T3 Screwdriver

Steps

1. Soften adhesive using iOpener

2. After about 60~90 seconds, use Opening Picks (or a slot screwdriver that's thin enough to fit) to pry open the back cover from upper right corner

3. Apply more forces to completely remove the back cover

4. Disconnect the battery

5. Remove the screws (T4) that keeping the black plate attached to the frame and remove the black plate

6. Disconnect all 3 connectors from the logic board and take out the logic board from the Keyboard frame

7. Remove the Lightning connector (T3)

8. Remove the power switch from upper left corner (T3)

9. Carefully remove the sticker(?) from the connector and disconnect Touch ID sensor from the connector

10. Unscrew the mounting screws around the Touch ID sensor (T3), and remove the Touch ID sensor

11. Carefully remove the flex cable used to connect Touch ID sensor

Now you have all the parts to put together a standalone Touch ID device for your Apple silicon Mac.

After connecting the Lightning connector and Touch ID sensor back to the logic board, you can pair the Touch ID sensor with your Mac under System Preferences.

If the pairing step doesn't appear when you go to Touch ID settings -> add a new fingerprint, make sure the Touch ID sensor is correctly connected and try power cycle the Touch ID device.

I still need to 3D print the keycap (h/t to @humza2000 for the idea and file, I was originally planning on replacing the nob instead), but it turned out really well. I used a mill to remove enough aluminum on the lower case of a Keychron Q10 to get the lightning cable through. The female connector is just taped to the underside of board on the inside so it has enough hold to not move around, but I had to plug the cable in before shutting the case. I don't disconnect my keyboard very often so I'm ok with this compromise but might revisit in future if it starts to bother me.

The random gashes in the aluminum are due to the tray coming out of the vise mid operation in the mill. After that I cleaned it up with a file and I think when I do my second one of these for my work keyboard, I'll just do the whole thing with a file. It goes fairly easily manually.

Do you know how to make it smaller? Only using the components needed for touch id and removing the rest? I also wonder if you could use a slim touch id button from the new iPad mini in place of the original. I’d love to mod this into my Logitech vertical mouse if my questions/suggestions would work.

Would anyone happen to have a model that encapsulates the battery as well?

Does anyone know if the Ukrainian Apple Magic Keyboard would work ( I don’t really see why not). It’s $30+ cheaper than the regular American version.

Does anyone know if the Ukrainian Apple Magic Keyboard would work ( I don’t really see why not). It’s $30+ cheaper than the regular American version.

Yes it should work just fine. I bought the cheapest refurbished keyboard off eBay (Italian layout) and it's been great.

Does anyone know if the Ukrainian Apple Magic Keyboard would work ( I don’t really see why not). It’s $30+ cheaper than the regular American version.

Yes it should work just fine. I bought the cheapest refurbished keyboard off eBay (Italian layout) and it's been great.

That's great to hear! I ended up buying a used one off ebay as well.
I'd highly recommend ebay for anyone looking for a cheap alternative. I got mine for $61.67 total.

Has anyone tried to attach a spare Macbook Touch ID button to the Magic Keyboard Logic Board? 😏

@matthewryan would it be possible to have more details about the wood model you made? that looks super clean!
thanks in advance!

Thanks added one recently to my Keychron Q1

@mattiacolombomc it was actually a pretty simple implementation:

• A small length of pine;
• a large hole drilled through the centre (10.5mm from memory) -- the plastic keycap around the sensor is easily removed;
• a bunch of patience using fine chisels to remove the space for internals (rough, but worked fine);
• spray lacquer and fixed the components with a dab of superglue and some small screws

I've actually revisited this and had another crack at it, installing the whole thing (inc. battery) into a Keychron K8 keyboard... it all somehow fits!

@KhaosT Do you know if this works with both versions of the TouchID magic keyboard? The one with and without the number pad?

I assume so, but I would like to know if anyone can confirm that.

@KhaosT Do you know if this works with both versions of the TouchID magic keyboard? The one with and without the number pad?

I assume so, but I would like to know if anyone can confirm that.

The logic board for the one with number pad is a lot longer than the one without. Depending on your use case, that might not be desirable. But yeah, both can be taken out and use standalone.

As I don't own the iFixit iOpener Set, I heated the keyboard on my Prusa MK4 heatbed (75 degrees Celcius). It worked very well. I did some prying, some heating, more prying, more heating, and so on (I'm not 100% sure it was needed, but didn't hurt). I used a metal nail polisher as a lever. You need to put some force when tearing the back plate off.

It's difficult to open the keyboard without leaving any marks, but I guess the keyboard without Touch ID and the controller isn't worth much anyway.

lol i used a hair dryer and a kitchen knife. totally destroyed the keyboard but it was worth it!

Done! 3d files: https://www.printables.com/model/399770-touch-id-keycap-for-mechanical-keyboard More photos:

it wont let me upload new photos :(
this is what the io and insides look like:

I followed the tutorial, and the button is working in general. But I have an issue. Once or twice a day, after a break from using my MacBook, the extracted Touch ID button seems to stop working. The Magic Keyboard is seen in the System Preferences. The issue goes away after reconnecting the Lighting cable, but I have to input the password manually at least once in such a case. Does anyone have the same problem?

I'm so dumb, I teared appart the battery cable when removing the backplate, does anyone knows where can I buy one ? or find a way to replace it 😭

The battery is model number A1645

You can find them online: https://www.google.com/search?q=a1645+battery

@spkane - you don't need the battery for this to work. I removed it and only use it powered over the lightning port. macOS will just report it being at 0% all the time.

@spkane - you don't need the battery for this to work. I removed it and only use it powered over the lightning port. macOS will just report it being at 0% all the time.

Thanks. I know that. Indeed, you only need it if you want it to remain wireless.

I was just answering the older post about where you can get a replacement if you want one. The batteries are online, both originals and cheaper knockoffs.

Would anyone happen to have a model that encapsulates the battery as well?

These are some options that include the battery.

https://www.printables.com/model/885599-clickable-touch-id-box-tkl-board-wireless-version
https://www.printables.com/model/307249-mac-keyboard-touchid-button-case-with-battery

Another note for others, some/many of the 3d printed boxes expect you to have some of the screws and the spring plate, so you may want to avoid throwing things away until you have reassembled everything as you want it.

I love Apple Extended Keyboard II, and I use it everyday with my Mac. So naturally I wanted to improve it with a Touch ID — and I finally did, using this tutorial, some other videos and some creativity. After retrieving the components, I mounted them at the bottom of my AEKII

(it required some trimming of plastic molds but nothing major)

I had to cover the battery with some extra layer of thick paper to prevent it being poked by the soldered ends from the PCB:

I used one of the port openings on the side for installing the Touch ID sensor

In a typical Apple fashion, I did the Lighting port at the bottom — I figured I don't need to charge it too often, so it will do.

I paired it with my Mac, and it works, which is kind of amazing! :)

Thank you everyone for a ton of input here, it definitely helped me not to screw up things.

The picture from the bottom

@alexmakus Wow, do you have a full pic of your gorgeous m0118?

@alexmakus Wow, do you have a full pic of your gorgeous m0118?

this is the end-result, although I'm considering moving the Touch ID sensor inside.

Is it possible to use a third-party battery? I want to integrate the touch sensor into a wireless split keyboard and I don't have enough place for the mac keyboard battery...
Is it possible to solder another battery or it should be exactly the same battery with apple's connector?