My iPhone asks for passcode with Face ID

Same problem. I used my phone then out it down. Not even 1 minute later I had to make a call so I went to use my phone again. The first time Face ID worked the second Face ID was disabled and I was forced to type my pin.. wait what? My Face ID just worked then randomly disables its self for no reason?

Annoyediphoneuser01 wrote:

i literally just unlocked my

phone with Face ID. Used my phone then put my phone down. Not even 1 mine later I grabbed my phone to make a call and it asked for a passcode to enable Face ID.. so why does Face ID just randomly disable for no reason. 1 minute Face ID works the next minute it disables its self? Whats the sense of having it in the first place when I have to type a code more often then I can use Face ID? It’s almost like out of every 10 attempts to use Face ID I need to use a passcode 7 times.

Do you by chance have a work email account on your phone?

People say apple reads these and attempts to make fixes….

"People" would be wrong. Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. If you want them to know your thoughts, use this link:

Product Feedback - Apple

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.

If Face ID fails, that means someone else is trying to open your phone. That person should not have the option to try to put in a passcode. Either you’re the one unlocking your phone with your face or you’re not. If I choose to use Face ID, the phone should strictly rely on Face ID alone.

We should then be able to set up multiple users if we would like someone else to be able to unlock the phone too with Face ID. There is no point of Face ID option if it just gives the person who is not you, a passcode alternative.

There are other instances where Face ID is just lacking sense. For example, if you want to allow someone to use your phone so you allow them to know the passcode to unlock your phone, the method for opening private browsing tabs or the hidden album folder should be different than just the same passcode used to unlock the phone. At minimum, those items should rely strictly on Face ID so that only the owner of the phone is opening them.

Me as well. I just discovered settings that i havent seen in quite some time that also use face id.....wallet, itunes, password autofill, app store, journal (i dont even know what this is but it appears to be a special request as it is listed with 'others.' All these options were toggled on and I did not do this. Unless this is default when you set up face id, it would be very helpful to know exactly when you must enter the screenlock code, in order to detect anything out of the ordinary. Because there has beem alot happening thats seemingly out of the ordinary lately. Thanks

I've been on 17.4.1 since you posted this but it did not help me, I still had to erroneously enter my PIN several times where Face ID should have worked. Nor do I see any mention of Face ID bug fixes in the release notes from 17.4.1. :-(

The latest example was this morning: I went to bed, Face ID had been working as expected before going to bed. There was no update made to my phone overnight. I live alone with no pets, so nobody else is attempting to access my phone. I woke up this morning and had to enter the PIN to "Enable Face ID". This has been the typical scenario for me, sometimes though it happens during the day too. And again, I work from home, alone, nobody else is trying to get into the phone.

yeah, it didn’t totally fix the problem for me, either, i’ve found, just made it happen a few times a day instead of constantly—still not okay but Apple Support is not helpful. 😡 I think instead of writing about it more here, though, everyone needs to flood Apple Support with calls so THEY get annoyed enough to fix it because it’s clearly not the intended UX.

Si I’m not the only one….

iphone 15 pro here, it seems even worse than on my iPhone 11 Pro.

please apple, put an option so we can force the authentification or so that the iPhone retry 3 times before asking for code.

it is so frustrating. Makes me regret my old android with finger recognition.

Setting a shorter pin would seem to be the answer, however I recently watched an investigative piece about pin theft. Thieves are watching victims enter their pin then stealing the phone to gain access to financial accounts. It’s advised to use a longer, difficult to crack, alphanumeric pin to reduce the chance of becoming a victim.

Same here! I just got my phone 4 weeks ago!!!! I see no answers. I am seriously thinking of going Android even if I have an iPad mini, iPad Air. A MacBook Air, an Apple Watch!!! My husband has never had a problem with his Samsung well, only when the dog ate it 😜

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. Face ID didn’t work for we don’t know what reason when we’re just holding our phones.

I have the same problem and it is very frustrating. The most recent occurrence was a few minutes ago even though I had used my iPhone (13 pro, iOS 17.5.1) less than 10 minutes earlier. Why can’t apple get this right?

NYJack wrote:

I have the same problem and it is very frustrating. The most recent occurrence was a few minutes ago even though I had used my iPhone (13 pro, iOS 17.5.1) less than 10 minutes earlier. Why can’t apple get this right?

What did Apple tell you when you had them evaluate your phone?

Has anyone figured this out yet? Aside from being very annoying, entering passcode especially in public is a huge security risk. Apple hasn’t still fixed the security hole where thieves can easily change your Apple ID once they know your passcode. Apple needs to fix this ASAP.

[Edited by Moderator]

I have read these and other comment threads and tried all the various fixes without success. Forever a disappointment, Apple the self-proclaimed gold standard for good UX and user centricity is silent. But hey, new fancy features is what sells product and makes shareholders money, not assuring your products work well. So my $1200 handheld computer can tell me how good looking I am every morning and make me expresso, but I can’t reliably make phone calls, text, or connect to devices. Cynical rant by old software designer over. 😎

You are correct, but that's all beside the point. The new release of iOS frequently asks for the code even when these conditions aren't happening. Also beside the point: I made my first visit to Chattanooga last fall on a business trip. Absolutely beautiful city, especially by the river. Hope I can visit again.