Face ID Not Working - How To Fix
Apple first introduced Face id in 2018 with the iPhone x. Now four years and five generations later, Face ID has become an important part of the Apple iPhone and iPad experience, and the technology itself has come quite a long way from when it first launched with the iPhone x.
With Face ID being such an integral part of the Apple iPhone experience, it can be very frustrating and disappointing when it malfunctions or doesn't work at all.
In this article, we'll take a look at some reasons why your Face ID Isn't working and what to do.
Possible Reasons Why Face ID Isn't Working And How To Fix It
Check If Face ID Is On
Go to settings and check if Face ID is turned on for whatever feature/app you want to use it for. It might seem like a "too obvious to miss" thing, but some people miss this and end up thinking their phone has a problem when Face ID might have never been enabled for the feature/app or was recently disabled. Here's how to check:
- Open the Settings app
- Go to Face ID and Passcode
- Check to see if Face ID is set up properly. Also, check to see if the feature or app which you are trying to use Face ID, such as iPhone unlock or Apple Pay, is turned on.
Take Off Any Face covering
Although Face ID has gotten way better since its release and can recognize some level of changes in your look, it still has trouble recognizing you when you're wearing things like sunglasses, face masks, or other facial clothing.
The trick here is to remove whatever you are wearing on your face when you want to use your Face ID.
Make Sure The True Depth Camera Isn't Obstructed
The True Depth camera is the sensor responsible for Face ID. It's located inside the notch on the front of the phone.
The True Depth scanner works for Face ID by scanning your face with over 30,000 infrared dots and comparing it to the image you scanned when Face ID was set up.
So if anything is blocking the True Depth Camera(thereby the infrared dots), Face ID won't work properly, if at all.
So, all you need to do to fix this is to get a soft dry piece of cloth to clean the notch on the screen.
Check For Any Software Update
Bugs and other software-related problems are usually addressed with software updates. So check your iPhone to see if there is any update available. It might just contain the solution to your Face ID problems. Here's what to do:
- Plug in your charger, and connect your iPhone to the internet using Wi-Fi.
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to General.
- If you see that a software update is available, tap Install or tap Install Tonight if you would prefer that the update be installed while you are asleep. Just be sure to plug in your iPhone when you go to bed.
- Once you have installed the update, check to see if your face ID is working properly.
Add An Alternate Appearance
Face ID is pretty good at recognizing your face even if there are changes like a beard, glasses, or longer hair. Where things get difficult for Face ID is when your face goes through radical changes, so if you like to change up your look every now and then, it's best to set up an alternate appearance to help Face ID do its job better.
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Face ID and Passcode.
- Tap Set Up an Alternate Appearance.
- Follow the instructions to let Face ID scan your face and save it as a secondary appearance.
Restart Your Device
Sometimes the solution to seemingly difficult problems might be as simple as restarting your device. Turn off your device for a minute or two, then turn it on again.
Reset Your Face ID
If you've gone through all the troubleshooting methods on this list and nothing seems to be working, the next self-help thing to do is reset Your Face ID.
After this, you'll have to set up your Face ID all over again on every app or feature you use it for. Although this sounds like a lot of work, it doesn't take as much time as you'd think to do it all, or you could easily spread out the setup of Face ID on features/apps by setting it up when you want to use Face ID on the app/feature and not all at a go.
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Face ID and Passcode.
- Tap Reset Face ID.
- Tap Set Up Face ID and set it up again according to the directions detailed earlier.
If every thing fails, then it's probably time you visit the Apple store closest to you. Or a trustworthy third-party repair service.
