Face ID stopped working after iOS update

JP ~

If Face ID isn't working on your iPhone or iPad Pro - Apple Support

...Found by searching Apple's Knowledge Base.

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Nowadays, we all know Face ID is known as the most secure way to protect your device. Furthermore, it makes it convenient to unlock your device in a few seconds. But what if your face lock feature stops working on your iPhone? Before starting to try on the hacks that can fix the issue it is important to identify the main reason why your iPhone Face ID is not operating.

Possible Reasons Why Your iPhone Face ID is Not Working

Reason No.1: Your Face Has Changed

As we grow older, our faces can change in different ways, from gaining wrinkles, or just changing in proportions. Maybe you’ve cut yourself or bruised your face in an accident. However, your face may have changed; your face may look different and unrecognizable to your iPhone, causing the unlock feature to fail.

Reason No.2: Your Face Doesn’t Match the Stored Imagery

If you’re wearing certain accessories on a certain day, perhaps sunglasses, a hat, or even a fake tattoo or henna, this will alter your appearance, so it doesn’t match the stored imagery on your iPhone, thus failing the Face ID image check and preventing your phone from unlocking.

Reason No.3: The Camera is Faulty

The Face ID feature relies solely on the camera, so if you have a faulty front camera, the feature isn’t going to work properly. This could happen for several reasons, whether the camera is genuinely broken and needs replacing, or the glass in front is smudged or cracked, preventing a proper image from being registered.

Reason No.4: The Software is Bugged

If the hardware of your device is fine, one of the most common problems you’re probably facing is a software fault. This could happen for any number of reasons and will be due to an error in your code, perhaps from your device not shutting down properly, or an internal bug caused by another app that could be keeping your camera open on another app, or simply preventing the camera from working properly.

Reason No. 5: An Update has Incorrectly Installed

Since Face ID is relatively new software, which means Apple is introducing new updates every now and then to address problems and software issues. While this is great, if the update isn’t installed properly, comes with another bug that Apple didn’t know about, or is interrupted and causes a glitch on your device (perhaps by turning off accidentally halfway through), this can cause Face ID issues.

I hope you find my answer useful and informative.

[Link Edited by Moderator]

JPLaurak1964 wrote: "...My guess is that the phone is suffering from a hardware failure after being dropped..."

You could be right – as 87% max capacity is good enough to power Face ID. I use this "super tough fully customizable case" by Rhinoshield. I've dropped it several times on a tiled floor and tarmac with no negative results.

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Hello ~ If working back through the steps in the article you came from doesn’t help you may need to have your iPhone checked…

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options

Also you may go to upper right hand corner and click on Get Support.

~Katana-San~

JP ~ What model of iPhone is it?...

Settings > General > About > Model Name

And what version of iOS is it running?...

Settings > General > About > Software Version

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JP ~ Does your iPhone XS Max still have its original battery?

And what's the Maximum Capacity % here?...

Settings > Battery > Battery Health

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