Face ID not working? 10 fixes for iPhone and iPad

Face ID uses the TrueDepth camera at the top of the screen. It projects thousands of invisible infrared dots onto your face, reads the pattern with an infrared camera, and compares it with the map stored securely on your iPhone. Anything that blocks those sensors, confuses the map or breaks the camera stops it working. That is why the fix depends on what the iPhone tells you.

What message are you seeing?

Why is my iPhone asking for the passcode instead?

Sometimes Face ID is working fine, and iOS is asking for the passcode on purpose. Apple requires the passcode when:

• The iPhone was just turned on or restarted.
• It has not been unlocked for more than 48 hours.
• The passcode has not been used in the last six and a half days, and Face ID has not unlocked it in the last four hours.
• Face ID failed five times in a row.
• You pressed and held the side button and a volume button to show the power off or Emergency SOS screen.
• The iPhone received a remote lock command, for example from Find My.

Enter your passcode once and Face ID works again. If it asks for the passcode every time, the steps below apply.

How to fix Face ID

Glasses, beards, masks and changing looks

Face ID adapts to gradual changes in your appearance, such as a growing beard or new haircut, every time you enter your passcode right after a failed attempt. Sudden changes are harder:

• Glasses: clear glasses work fine. Some sunglasses block infrared light; try tilting them or turning off Require Attention.
• Shaving a full beard, or heavy makeup: set up an Alternate Appearance for the new look, or reset Face ID once your appearance settles.
• Masks: Face ID with a Mask reads the area around your eyes. It needs iPhone 12 or later, and you can add glasses to it separately in the same menu.
• Hats, scarves and hoods: these rarely block Face ID unless they cover your eyes or most of your face.

Can someone else unlock my iPhone with Face ID?

Apple puts the chance of a random person unlocking your iPhone with Face ID at less than one in a million. The chance is higher for identical twins, siblings who look alike, and children under 13, whose faces are still developing. If that worries you, use your passcode instead. Anyone you add with Alternate Appearance can unlock your phone, so only add yourself there.

Face ID not working in apps or for Apple Pay?

• Banking and other apps: go to Settings › Face ID & Passcode › Other Apps and turn the app on. Then check the app’s own settings, since most banking apps have a separate Face ID switch that turns off after you reinstall them or change phones.
• Apple Pay: make sure Wallet & Apple Pay is on in Face ID & Passcode. To pay, double-click the side button, glance at the iPhone, then hold it near the reader.
• App Store purchases: turn on iTunes & App Store in the same menu. You still double-click the side button to confirm a purchase.
• Passwords and AutoFill: turn on Password AutoFill in Face ID & Passcode if Face ID no longer fills saved passwords.

Face ID stopped working after an update

If Face ID broke right after updating iOS, restart the iPhone first, then check whether a newer point update is available in Settings › General › Software Update. Apple usually fixes widespread Face ID bugs within a few weeks. If the problem continues and you see “Face ID is not available”, the update may simply have exposed an existing hardware fault, especially on a phone that was dropped or repaired before.

Getting Face ID repaired

Face ID hardware is paired to the iPhone’s main board for security, so it cannot simply be swapped at any shop. Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers can test the TrueDepth camera and tell you the price for your model before any work starts. On some models the repair means replacing the phone, which can be expensive out of warranty, so check your AppleCare+ status or phone insurance first.

Until then, your iPhone still works with the passcode. Set a strong six-digit code or longer, and keep the phone’s other security features, like Find My and Stolen Device Protection, turned on.