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.

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?