Face ID Not Working or Unavailable on Your iPhone? Here Are 14 Fixes to Try

When Face ID doth malfunction or ceaseth to work correctly, the gates of thy iPhone shall be barred, denying thee access to unlock, authorize transactions on Apple Pay, autofill passwords, approve downloads, and even enter apps with a mere glance.

Behold, should Face ID refuse to be set up or thine facial recognition feature doth waver unpredictably, becoming elusive or refusing thy face, prompting thee to enter a passcode instead, fret not! For hither cometh our troubleshooters bearing tips to mend this plight.

Verily, these solutions doth apply to all Apple contraptions endowed with a TrueDepth camera system, from the venerable iPhone X to the forthcoming iPhone 14 and the iPad Pro models that dance in sync with this technology.

When Doth Face ID Become Unavailable?

Ere we delve verily into the fixes, let it be known that Face ID doth temporarily retreat in these scenarios:

• After five failed facial scans.
• Upon a device being awakened or reborn anew.
• When the device hath been unopened for a span exceeding 48 hours.
• When thou doth trigger the shutdown or Emergency SOS spectacle.
• If the device hath been ensnared in the Lost Mode through the Find My app.
• When Face ID hitherto hath locked and thou hast relied on thy passcode for over 156 hours, a span of six and a half days.

And now, let us embark upon the journey to unravel the mysteries of Face ID.

1. Check Thy Face ID Settings

As the first step in our grand expedition, doth check if Face ID hath been established and set to suit thy needs:

1. Unseal the venerable Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap upon Face ID & Passcode.
3. Shouldst thou witness the Reset Face ID option, Face ID hath taken root in this realm. Should this option be absent, choose to Set up Face ID and follow the instructions.
4. With Face ID duly configured, enable the sacred realms of iPhone Unlock, iTunes & App Store, Wallet & Apple Pay, Password AutoFill, and Other Apps under the banner of Use Face ID For.

2. Permit Face ID in Third-Party Applications

Thine cherished third-party applications for banking, payment, and missives may crave Face ID for authentication. Yet, shouldst thou have denied an app such permission in times of yore, thou shalt be forced to proffer thy passcode with every endeavor. Behold the steps to resurrect Face ID for a compatible third-party app:

1. Unveil the enigmatic Settings app.
2. Scroll down and alight upon Face ID & Passcode.
3. At the base of the Use Face ID For realm, lay thy fingers upon Other Apps.
4. Ensure the switch for the app in question, such as WhatsApp, is set to ON.

3. Cleanse Ye the TrueDepth Camera Sensor

As time unfolds its tapestry, the lens of the TrueDepth camera may gather grime or oil. Use a gentle, dry cloth to cleanse the sensor array upon high so that no veil doth shroud it. Certain robust cases and thick protectors of screens may partly conceal the sensors, leading astray the TrueDepth camera. Hence, consider unshackling thy device from their grasp.

And so the tale continues, with more wisdom and guidance to mend the noble Face ID and restore the kingdom of access to thine iPhone. Let us progress forth on this journey of knowledge and troubleshooting, for every trial met with tenacity leads us closer to the desired triumph.