If you're a nerd like me and use long, complex passwords (because security ✨), typing them over and over in Terminal can be a pain. Good news: you can enable Touch ID for sudo on macOS and never type your password again when using the command line.
✅ Why Use Touch ID for sudo?
By default, every time you run a sudo command in macOS Terminal, you’re prompted for your password. With a quick tweak, you can authenticate with your fingerprint instead — just like unlocking your Mac.
🔧 How to Enable Touch ID for sudo
1. Open Terminal and edit the sudo PAM config
sudo nano /etc/pam.d/sudo
Enter your password one last time the old-fashioned way.
2. Add the following line at the very top of the file:
auth sufficient pam_tid.so
This tells macOS to allow Touch ID as an authentication method for sudo.
3. Save and exit:
• Press Control + X to exit
• Press Y to save
• Press Enter to confirm and exit
4. Try it out
Run any sudo command, like:
sudo ls /var/root
You should see a Touch ID prompt instead of being asked for your password.
🛡️ Notes
• This only works on Macs with Touch ID (Apple Silicon or Intel with T2 chip).
• If Touch ID isn’t available, it will fall back to your password.
• Be careful editing system config files — a typo can break sudo access.
🙌 Enjoy a faster, more secure terminal experience
This small change can save you keystrokes daily and make your command line life just a little more delightful.
Have questions or improvements? Drop a comment below!
Top comments (0)