How to Unlock iPhone When Face ID Is Not Working

Picking up the fancy iPhone and planning on checking on the latest notifications, you may surprisingly find out that Face ID cannot recognize your face and unlock the iPhone as usual.

There’re tons of reasons that make Face ID not working on an iPhone. If it’s just some software glitches, this issue can be fixed easily at home without applying to Apple Care. However, when it’s, unfortunately, a hardware failure, you will have to send this iPhone to repair if you still want Face ID glowing on the iPhone.

Also, when Face ID is not unlocking your iPhone and you forget the passcode, how can you get into the locked iPhone if there’s an emergency? This bothers a lot of people as they’re in need of the iPhone and can’t wait to use it as soon as possible.

In today’s article, we will discuss the possible solutions to fix your iPhone Face ID is not working. Also, if you need to use the iPhone now, there’s one method for you to get into the locked iPhone directly without the Face ID.

Part 1: Fixes for iPhone Face ID Not Working

There’re multiple reasons why the iPhone Face ID is not working. It can be the outdated software, some defined or undefined bugs, or, you covering your face or sensor without knowing. All are possible.

In this section, we will discuss some effective solutions to get rid of this Face ID failure on your iPhone. You may apply each one by one to find out the reason why you can’t unlock this iPhone via facial recognition.

Method 1: Restart Your iPhone

Whenever there’s a bug on an iPhone or any other digital device, a reboot is undoubtedly the first thing you should try.

A restart can be seen as an easy reset that will correct some system glitches on your iPhone. So, if your iPhone face recognition is affected by some unidentified bugs, this will bring your iPhone back to life and erase the causes. You may get into the iPhone via Face ID later.

Note that your iPhone will ask you to enter a passcode when it’s restarted.

Method 2: Update the iPhone

Apple Inc releases updates for iOS from time to time. If you don’t follow their pace to update your iPhone system, there’re chances that the outdated Face ID and other system preferences fail to unlock the iPhone.

In this case, simply go to iPhone’s Settings app and hit General when your iPhone is connected to a Wifi network. Locate and hit the second option Software Update. See if there’s any available update and implement it with Download and Install.

You may turn on the Automatic Update option so that your iPhone will upgrade the iOS by itself with the support of a Wifi network.

Method 3:Check Your Face & Sensor

The iPhone sensor needs to scan your face and pass the verification to unlock this iPhone. If either your face is blocked or the sensor is covered, the unlock will fail most of the time.

• So, remove any possible accessories on your face like a cap, sunglasses, mask, scarf, or anything.
• Next, take out a soft fiber and clean the front camera and nearby area.

By the way, on Face ID settings, you can set up appearances with glasses or a mask. Once set up, iPhone will recognize your face even if you cover the face with a mask or big sunglasses.

Unlock your iPhone with the Face ID again.

Method 4: Check Face ID Settings

This is a rare case but a small group of iPhone users have tried this. On the Face ID settings, you can disable its unlock feature – iPhone Unlock. Once this change is applied, Face ID cannot be used to unlock your iPhone.

To find out if that feature is enabled on not, unlock your iPhone with the passcode first. Launch the Settings app and hit Face ID & Password. There, see if the iPhone Unlock option is in green or not.

If not, turn it on. Face ID can now be used to unlock your iPhone.

Method 5: Reset the Face ID

Have you gone through any plastic surgery or wearing heavy makeup that may change your face massively? If so, Face ID may fail to recognize your face and unlock the iPhone for you.

To make it functional again, you just need to add another appearance in the Face ID settings. And it will learn this change and unlock your iPhone for you.

• iPhone Settings – Face ID & Password – Set Up an Alternate Appearance.

Method 6: Restore iPhone to Factory Resettings

If nothing is wrong but Face ID is still incapable of bringing you into the iPhone, we may consider this as a system bug. This bug cannot be fixed by an easy reboot or update.

To remove the annoying bug, we may apply something more robust – a factory reset.

This is the ultimate solution to any software faults. A factory reset will put the whole iPhone back to factory settings, erase all caches and data as well as restore all personal settings on this iPhone. At the same time, this will eliminate the bugs on your iPhone.

Note that a factory reset will erase all data in case you didn’t read the above paragraph carefully.

So, to secure your data and avoid possible data loss, do a backup of your iPhone data via iCloud or iTunes before you apply for the reset.

When data is secure, follow this:

• iPhone Settings – General – Reset & Transfer Data – Reset All Content and Settings.

When Find My iPhone is enabled on your iPhone, you will be asked to enter the iCloud password to turn off this GPS feature. Then, iPhone will be reset in minutes.

Method 7: Apply to Apple Care

When none of the methods can get you out of trouble and Face ID still fails to be a good unlocker, we will have to take this failure as a hardware fault. We can’t fix it at home with regular kits. The professional device engineers at the Apple Store are our only reliable helpers.

Never try to open up your iPhone when you have no technical support. Give it to the professionals and you will have your iPhone back soon.