iPhone Face ID Not Working? Try Fixing It With These Steps

There are few things more frustrating than trying to unlock your iPhone or pay with Apple Pay only to have your phone ask for your passcode instead.  

Luckily, if Face ID isn’t working, there are a few easy steps you can take to fix it. You may need to reset Face ID or add an alternate appearance, both of which can be done quickly and easily from the iPhone’s settings menu. 

But your first move should be restarting your iPhone — you’d be surprised at how often turning your phone off and on again can fix minor issues. You should also make sure your iPhone is running on the latest version of iOS by navigating to the Settings menu, tapping General and choosing Software Update. Doing so can address bugs and ensure the best possible performance.

If that doesn’t do the trick, follow the steps below.

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Wipe down your iPhone’s front camera

To make sure your iPhone has a clear view of your face when using Face ID, try wiping down the front camera. Apple recommends using a slightly damp, lint-free cloth and avoiding cleaning products when wiping your phone. 

Set up an alternate appearance

Apple says Face ID automatically adapts to changes in your appearance. But if it’s having trouble recognizing you, try setting up an alternate appearance. Open the Settings menu, tap Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode when prompted. 

Tap the option that says Set Up an Alternate Appearance and follow the prompts on screen to complete the process.

Reset Face ID

If that doesn’t work, try resetting Face ID by opening Settings, choosing Face ID & Passcode, entering your passcode and tapping Reset Face ID. 

Try changing certain settings 

There are also a few settings you can try changing in the Face ID & Passcode section of the iPhone’s Settings menu that may resolve your issue. For instance, you may not have Face ID turned on for certain tasks like contactless payments or password autofill. To check, make sure the green switch next to these options under the Use Face ID For section of the Face ID & Passcode option in the settings menu is turned on.

You could also try toggling off the Require Attention for Face ID setting, which makes it so that Face ID only works when you’re looking at the camera. However, leaving this setting on is better for security since it ensures that you’re intentionally unlocking your phone or authenticating a payment. 

For more iPhone tips and tricks, check out our list of the top hidden features in Apple’s latest iOS 18.2 update.