How to add a touch-ID-enabled MacBook as a new device to an existing Internet Identity?

Other devices attached to the existing II include a Yubikey and an iPhone.

When attempting to add the MacBook from the iPhone, clicking “Add New Device” prompts the question, “Do you want to allow ‘identity.ic0.app’ to use Face ID?” And when I click “Continue,” the activity indicator spins without resolving.

When attempting to add the MacBook using my other computer with the Yubikey, clicking “Add New Device” prompts me to enter my security key and touch it, after doing which the prompt answers that I have already added the given Yubikey. Presumably this means I can only add another token using this workflow.

When attempting to add the MacBook using the MacBook itself, by clicking “Already have an anchor but using a new device?,” I am prompted to “insert [my] security key and touch it” - but this MacBook doesn’t have a port to enter the Yubikey.

So how does one add a touch-ID-enabled MacBook?

I should add that, until this evening, my touch-ID-enabled MacBook was already attached to this Internet Identity. But at one point when logging in this evening, II without warning started asking for a security key for authorization, instead of asking for touch ID authorization, as it has done until now.

So using one of my other devices, I removed the touch-ID-enabled MacBook as a device attached to my II, planning to add it back using what I assumed would be a straightforward workflow.

These difficulties taken together are quite troubling to me, and it is quite uncomfortable being down a device - especially since it’s the device I’m using to develop on the IC, integrating with II for user authentication.

Many thanks in advance for any insight here.

I think you should add your Macbook after you logged in on your other computer which has registered with your Yubikey. Click “Add devices” and go with the instructions.

Thanks cyaolong - I’ve tried this, and it doesn’t work. Please note above:

Update: this morning, I restarted my touch-enabled-MacBook, and then attempted to add the MacBook as a new device to II from the MacBook itself, at which point II presented the option of either using a security key or the MacBook’s Touch ID. With that option available, adding the new device was straightforward.

My two takeaways:

  1. Restart the misbehaving device, then retry.
  2. Unclear to me why Touch ID for II on the MacBook started failing in the first place - would be curious to hear if this is a known occurrence.
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