Face ID Not Working on iPhone? How to Reset It
Reading Time: 3 minutes Face ID is an easy way to unlock your device or sign in to apps…when it works correctly. It feels like an inconvenience when I have to put in my passcode to open my iPhone, and Face ID saves me from worrying about passwords for several apps. Sometimes, iPhone (or iPad Pro) users have trouble with Face ID on their devices. If your Face ID is not working or not working well enough, you can reset it easily.
Face ID issues on iPhone
Face ID issues can have a few different causes. We’ll go through some troubleshooting steps, including resetting your device’s Face ID, and then tell you what to do if a Face ID reset fails to resolve the issue.
If you are having trouble with Face ID saying “Not Available” when trying to set it up, see Face ID is Not Available, How to Fix.
Basic troubleshooting steps
For completeness, I’ll include some basic things you should look into before resetting your Face ID:
- Update your iPhone or iPad to the latest iOS/iPadOS.
- If you are using a device that’s new to you, make sure it supports Face ID:
- Any iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15.
- iPad Pro 11-in (all models), 12.9 (3rd gen or later) and 13-in.
- If you have never used Face ID on your device before, ensure that it is set up properly.
- Check your Face ID settings to make sure that Face ID is allowed to open/authenticate the apps and features you want to use it with.
- Make sure nothing is covering the front camera. It is located in the notch or Dynamic Island near the top of the screen.
- Some sunglasses may interfere with Face ID. If you wear a mask, make sure you have set up Face ID with a mask.
- Hold your iPhone in portrait orientation (vertically) and ensure that your face is about 10-20 inches away from your iPhone when using Face ID.
- Try restarting your device before resetting Face ID.
How to reset Face ID
First, if you have changed your appearance recently or if you sometimes wear two very different appearances, you might want to try adding an alternate appearance to your Face ID. You’ll find this option in Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
To reset Face ID:
- Open Settings, scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode. Enter your passcode.
- Tap on Reset Face ID, then tap Set Up Face ID.
- Tap Get Started and follow the onscreen instructions to scan your face.
- You can skip “Face ID with a Mask” by tapping Set Up Later. Tap Done.
If resetting Face ID didn’t help
There is a possibility that your iPhone has hardware damage. To find out for sure, you can contact Apple Support for assistance.
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