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So here is a hypothetic scenario:

I'm at work presenting something to a colleague and we are both looking at my screen, when suddenly I have to access a service that requires a password. I use 1Password as my password manager, so I hit the key to autofill the password and when 1Password prompts me I will use Touch ID to identify myself. But here is the deal - things went a little fast and I did not notice that 1Password was expecting my to type a password and not use Touch ID and when I pressed the Touch ID button Mac OS would instantly switch to my "private" user and resume my "movie watching session" from last night, providing a greatly amusing experience to my colleague and less so for me.

How do I disable this stupid feature without actually disabling the ability to sign in with Touch ID? I'm perfectly happy with doing a few mouseclicks when switching user, but I fill in passwords many, many times a day and I'm not interested in being switched to my secondary user by mistake.

I've checked the system preferences panes for Touch ID and users and found nothing.

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It’s not possible to just disable Fast User Switching with Touch ID without disabling unlocking with Touch ID. However, it should be noted that the action of switching user with Touch ID is with a press of the Touch ID button, whereas a fingerprint read for the purpose of providing authentication is with a rest of your finger.

  • When prompted for Touch ID for authentication, such as by 1Password or a system dialog, rest your finger on the Touch ID button. Don’t depress the button.
  • When you want to use Fast User Switching, when no prompt for authentication is present, press down and click the button with your finger on Touch ID.

These are two distinct actions, with the former performing no action if there is no active prompt for authentication requiring Touch ID. Therefore you won’t inadvertently perform a user switch.

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  • Yeah, over time I've taught myself to distinguish between these two actions and I no longer accidentally switch user. I do however some times find my finger roaming to the edge of the touch id sensor when searching for the backspace key and this swiftly sends me to the login screen. The touch id sensor is amazing, but the touch bar and keyboard design is an absolute disgrace!
    – zkwsk
    Commented Mar 21, 2019 at 13:34

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