Although the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Touch Bar officially support Touch ID authorization of both App Store and iTunes purchases, setting it up can be a bit of a process. At first, I couldn't get Touch ID to work at all in either application; thankfully, through some troubleshooting, I managed to figure out a good process for enabling the feature for both stores. Here's how to get Touch ID working with each app.

First: Check your software

In order to use Touch ID for iTunes and Mac App Store purchases on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, you need the latest software. As such, you need macOS Mojave 10.14, which comes bundled with the latest version of iTunes (currently 12.9). You can check this by doing the following:

  1. Go to the Apple menu in the upper left corner.

  2. Select About this Mac. You should see MacOS Mojave with the version number under it (version 10.14). If you are running an older version of macOS, update it now.

  3. Open the Mac App Store.
  4. Go to the Updates tab to check for updates.
  5. Download any iTunes updates, if present.

Note: In macOS Mojave, system updates are no longer available in the Mac App Store. Click on System Preferences > Software Updates to update to the latest build.

How to set up Touch ID for iTunes and Mac App Store purchases on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

  1. Go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
  2. Select the Touch ID preference pane.
  3. Uncheck the iTunes & App Store checkbox under "Use Touch ID for".
  4. Check the iTunes & App Store check box.

  5. Enter your computer password (not the password for your Apple ID).

  6. Visit iTunes or the Mac App Store apps and navigate to an item you'd like to download.
  7. Press the Buy button on an app or song you'd like to download.
  8. Enter your Apple ID password.

  9. Press Yes when it prompts you to use Touch ID for future purchases.

  10. The item you've chosen will begin to download; afterward, you'll be able to use Touch ID for all future purchases in that app.

The iTunes Store and Mac App Store have separate Touch ID authorizations, so you'll need to repeat steps 5-8 in the other app if you'd like to use Touch ID in both stores.

How to use Touch ID for iTunes and Mac App Store purchases on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

  1. Visit iTunes or the Mac App Store apps and navigate to an item you'd like to download.
  2. Press the Buy button on an app or song you'd like to download.

  3. Scan your fingerprint on your Mac's Touch ID sensor when prompted.

Questions?

Let me know in the comments.

Updated November 2018: Updated for MacBook Air.

Serenity Caldwell contributed to an earlier version of this guide.

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