My iPhone asks for passcode with Face ID

Let me see if I can provide you with some situations where your iPhone will continue to ask for the passcode regularly, even though it features Face ID as the primary authentication method.

While Face ID is indeed a highly secure and convenient way to unlock your iPhone, there are certain situations where it may prompt you for the passcode instead. Here are a few common reasons:

1. Phone restart or software update: Whenever your iPhone is restarted or has undergone a software update, it requires you to enter the passcode as an additional security measure. This is a standard procedure to protect your data.

2. Unrecognized face: If Face ID fails to recognize your face accurately, it may prompt you for the passcode. This can happen if you're wearing a hat, scarf, or sunglasses, or if the lighting conditions are poor.

3. Extended period of inactivity: To ensure maximum security, your iPhone will ask for the passcode if it has been inactive for more than 48 hours or if it hasn't been unlocked with Face ID for more than 6.5 days.

Remember that Face ID is designed to strike a balance between convenience and security. While it works remarkably well in most scenarios, having the passcode as a fallback option ensures that your device remains protected even in unusual situations.

The phone asks generally about once a week plus other situations. See list below:

The following security-sensitive operations always require entry of a passcode or password:

• Updating the software
• Erasing the device
• Viewing or changing passcode settings
• Installing configuration profiles
• Unlocking the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences on Mac
• Unlocking the Users & Groups pane in System Preferences on Mac (if FileVault is turned on)

A passcode or password is also required if the device is in any of the following states:

• The device has just been turned on or restarted.
• The user has logged out of their Mac account (or hasn’t yet logged in).
• The user hasn’t unlocked their device for more than 48 hours.
• The user hasn’t used their passcode or password to unlock their device for 156 hours (six and a half days) and the user hasn’t used a biometric to unlock their device in 4 hours.
• The device has received a remote lock command.
• The user exited power off/Emergency SOS by pressing and holding either volume button and the Sleep/Wake button simultaneously for 2 seconds and then pressing Cancel.
• There were five unsuccessful biometric match attempts (though for usability, the device might offer entering a passcode or password instead of using biometrics after a smaller number of failures).

Ref:

Face ID, Touch ID, passcodes and passwords – Apple Support (AU)

If you do any of the following, you need enter your passcode:

After you set a passcode, on supported models you can use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock iPhone (depending on your model). For additional security, however, you must always enter your passcode to unlock your iPhone under the following conditions:

• You turn on or restart your iPhone.
• You haven’t unlocked your iPhone for more than 48 hours.
• You haven’t unlocked your iPhone with the passcode in the last 6.5 days, and you haven’t unlocked it with Face ID or Touch ID in the last 4 hours.
• Your iPhone receives a remote lock command.
• There are five unsuccessful attempts to unlock your iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID.
• An attempt to use Emergency SOS is initiated (see Use Emergency SOS).
• An attempt to view your Medical ID is initiated (see Set up and view your Medical ID).

While other users have provided all the support articles about using Face ID and adjusting its settings which may well solve your problem, I just have a couple of tips that can affect recognition:

• Make sure no part of the notch on top is covered. While you may see the camera in the middle, on both sides of the notch are small sensors to measure depth and if they are obscured at all will fail the Face ID.
• Face ID constantly learns your face when if fails and you enter the passcode, so if someone else uses your phone a lot by entering your passcode, it can alter it enough where your face may not be recognized as easily.
• If another person uses your phone or you occasionally alter your look with glasses, scarves, piercings, or large makeup changes, create an Alternate photo to give Face ID a better chance of recognition. And if it is another person using your phone, you can add them as the Alternate photo.
• You may want to reset the Face ID photos, just to give it a fresh start and see how it goes from there. When setting the photo, hold the phone at the distance you would normally use to have it recognized. There is a little bit of leeway in the distance when setting it up.

Okay folks, I think this is an iOS bug. I erased and re-set my face ID, restarted my phone, and did a diagnostic with Apple Support. None of that worked until I updated to iOS 17.4.1. Now the issue seems to be fixed (at least for now).

@MacJimID Thank you for your post back on May 29, 2023, where you said, "Face ID constantly learns your face when if fails and you enter the passcode, so if someone else uses your phone a lot by entering your passcode, it can alter it enough where your face may not be recognized as easily." And, "If another person uses your phone or you occasionally alter your look with glasses, scarves, piercings, or large makeup changes, create an Alternate photo to give Face ID a better chance of recognition. And if it is another person using your phone, you can add them as the Alternate photo."

It makes so much sense. Can you point me to Apple's documentation that covers what you mentioned about FaceID?

Thanks again!

My iPhone 13 Mini had been having the same problem as described by many others in this thread: frequently requiring the device passcode instead of using Face ID. It was becoming quite annoyance since I use a very strong device passcode. After reading this particular reply, I thoroughly cleaned the notch area with a lens wipe, the type sold for cleaning of eyeglasses, camera lens, binocuar lens, etc. I am thrilled to report that in the 24 hours since then, I have not been asked to enter my passcode a single time. It appears that the cleaning of the notch area solved my problem, so if you are still having the problem of frequent requirement of your passcode, give the notch area a good cleaning. It can't do any harm, and it just might solve your issue.

make sure there are no cracks on your screen protector, especially around the camera area. I was having the same annoying issue until I peeled off the screen protector. Instantly fixed the problem!

Perfect! Issue solved. So simple. Thank you. There was a tiny lip on my case that just encroached on the notch. Have filed it down, haven’t been asked for the code once since 🥳

Janemcgraw wrote:

If you have turned off “Require attention for Face ID” that is why it keeps asking for your passcode. I turned that back on yesterday and it has not required me to enter the password continuously like it was before.

Having that feature enabled should not cause the phone to request a password except in these situations:

• You turn on or restart your iPhone.
• You haven’t unlocked your iPhone for more than 48 hours.
• You haven’t unlocked your iPhone with the passcode in the last 6.5 days, and you haven’t unlocked it with Face ID or Touch ID in the last 4 hours.
• Your iPhone receives a remote lock command.
• There are five unsuccessful attempts to unlock your iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID.
• An attempt to use Emergency SOS is initiated (see Use Emergency SOS).
• An attempt to view your Medical ID is initiated (see Set up and view your Medical ID).

I have always had that feature enabled and it causes no issues. There's something else wrong with your phone.

DLRoxy wrote:

No one from apple is paying attention. iPhone 15, IOS 17+ has a glitch. Until now, unless the iPhone hit a requirement, faceID was sufficient at all times. Now it asks - I think - for a passcode if not accessed within 15 minutes. There is no control to address this.

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum. If you want Apple's help, start with the Support link at the bottom left of every page of these forums. If you just want to leave feedback, see here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Re: “… Apple thinks this is more secure …”

While I only have three minor “tidbits” to possibly help, I’m confident that this is NOT the behavior intended by Apple.

Something, somewhere def seems amiss.

I’d would suggest trying three things:

1) Full Power-Off & Restart Cycle

… if no improvement …

2) Sign “out” and then back “in” to the AppleID.

… if no improvement …

3) Reset the FaceID

You have to turn on the “Require attention for face ID” in the settings. It worked for me

coryneee wrote:

I know the issue discussed was that Face ID is failing and prompting for a passcode too often; however, the fundamental issue is that it ever asks for a passcode at all.

FaceID requires that the phone check the Secure Enclave on the phone phone to match the stored biometric information with the face being presented. It can't do that if the phone has been turned off. So, you will always need to use a passcode when restarting the phone.

If Face ID fails, that means someone else is trying to open your phone.

No it doesn't. I've had to use a passcode in certain bad lighting conditions. It can also mean that there is something wrong with the hardware. Think about how frustrating it would be if you couldn't get into the phone because of a hardware glitch in the FaceID system. All your data would be lost.

xx0613xx wrote:

Did you read other’s comments? I bet not. Apple requires to use passcode even if the phone has just been used 3-5 mins ago.

If that's happening, there's something wrong. Contact Apple and arrange to have your phone evaluated:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple