Configure Touch ID for sudo access in Terminal.app without prompting for a password to authenticate.

Units listed beneath have fingerprint scanner (Contact ID) to simplify login course of however this isn’t uncovered in Terminal.app. So every time you run instructions with elevated privileges it is advisable to kind in your password.

Compatibility record:

• MacBook Air Retina, 13″ (2018-2020)
• MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
• MacBook Professional (13″, 2016-2020 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• MacBook Professional (15″, 2016-2019)
• MacBook Professional (16″, 2019,2021)
• MacBook Professional (13″, M1, 2020)
• MacBook Professional (14″, M2 2021)
• Magic Keyboard with Contact ID (21 Could 2021)
• Magic Keyboard with Contact ID and Numeric Keypad (21 Could 2021)

Magic Keyboard’s Contact ID performance is appropriate with the next MacBook/iMac fashions:

• MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
• MacBook Professional (13″, M1, 2020)
• MacBook Professional (14″, 2021)
• MacBook Professional (16″, 2021)
• iMac (24″, M1, 2021)
• Mac mini (M1, 2020)

Please be aware that the keyboard will nonetheless pair and performance with gadgets older than these listed, however that Contact ID performance is not going to be enabled.

Setup PAM module to make use of Contact ID:

To permit Contact ID in your Mac to authenticate you for sudo entry as a substitute of a password immediate it is advisable to do the next easy modifications.

Open Highlight:

Sort terminal in Highlight enter subject and open it:

Open Terminal:

Swap to the root consumer.

Swap to the root consumer by typing the command sudo su - and enter the password:

sudo su -

Open the /and so on/pam.d/sudo file with you favourite editor corresponding to vim or nano:

nano /and so on/pam.d/sudo

The contents of this file ought to appear to be one of many following instance:

Add the next line to the highest of the file:

auth       enough     pam_tid.so

The modified contents of /and so on/pam.d/sudo file ought to appear to be following instance:

Save the file:

• for nano, press the required mixture (with signal “+”) of keys concurrently:

CTRL+o 
CTRL+x

<ESC>
:wq

Enable the system to save lots of the modifications.

Press OK button:

Additionally be aware that pam_smartcard.so might not be current on older MacOS variations. Examined with macOS Ventura (13.1).

Exit from the root shell by typing command: exit.

Attempt to use sudo, and try to be prompted to authenticate with Contact ID as proven beneath.

In the event you click on ‘Cancel,’ you possibly can simply enter your password on the terminal immediate. In the event you click on ‘Use Password’ you possibly can enter your password within the dialog field.

In the event you connect with your macOS through SSH, it’ll revert to utilizing your password, since you can not ship Contact ID fingerprints over SSH.

Notice: Current MacOS updates might take away the entry. If Contact ID stops working for sudo then verify if the entry was eliminated and add it again in, following these directions once more.