Face ID not working since IPhone update 16.6.1

My Face ID worked last night on my iPhone 11 Pro Max. Then I did the iOS update to 16.6.1. Now Face ID does not work. When I clicked on the help me it told me my camera no longer supported Face ID and I would have to take it to an Apple Store to get it fixed!! I don’t think so!!

Has anyone else had this and how did you fix it?

Posted on Sep 9, 2023 11:39 PM

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Question marked as Best answer

Same. It would simply just not open my phone and would eventually prompt for a password. Attempted to reset Face ID and doesn’t seem to want to detect my face and ends up erroring out.

Posted on Sep 10, 2023 8:02 AM

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Question marked as Helpful

Sep 21, 2023 11:55 PM in response to deewatts

EDIT:: I have now resolved my Face ID issue! How? By doing something I had already tried several times, just not this exact way. I had decided it was time for the desperate act of resetting my phone to factory and seeing what happened. But when I went to the reset page I notice the force shutdown option. I had already done a forced shutdown and hard reset from other starting points, but I tried it by selecting that selection. After that I tried, yet another time, to go through the Face ID set up process. This time it worked and now it’s working!!

so those who are experience this issue, try going to the factory reset page in settings and selecting force shutdown, then turn the phone on and then do a new Face ID setup.

22 replies

Sep 9, 2023 11:44 PM in response to deewatts

Updating iOS on your iPhone should typically not alter the fundamental functionality of the device. It's possible that there were underlying issues before this update, which you might not have been aware of previously or might not have noticed.


In general, iOS updates are designed to enhance the user experience, improve security, and fix bugs, rather than introducing major disruptions to core features. The reported issue of the screen flickering and displaying a white screen after an update is likely caused by factors that are not explicitly mentioned in your post.


iOS updates primarily focus on improving system performance, introducing new features, fixing bugs, and enhancing security. They are designed to preserve your personal data, settings, and information intact.


During an iOS update, your device's operating system is upgraded, but your personal data, such as contacts, photos, messages, and other information, should remain unchanged. However, it's always a good practice to perform a backup of your device before any major update to ensure that your data is safely stored.


It's important to note that while an iOS update itself should not alter personal details, it's possible that certain features or settings may be adjusted or improved with the update. In such cases, you may need to review and adjust specific settings to match your preferences after the update.


Always make sure to read and understand the update details provided by Apple before proceeding with an iOS update, and follow best practices such as backing up your device to minimize any potential risks or complications.



If the issues you mentioned are indeed caused by iOS, it's likely that numerous users who have upgraded to iOS 16.6.1 are experiencing similar problems. However, in order for the community on this forum to provide helpful responses, it would be beneficial for you to specify the nature of the issue you are encountering. Without this information, it may be difficult for others to address your concern effectively.



With the limited information that you have provided, It is hard to even guess the problems faced by you. 


You may get faster and better responses to your query by --> Writing an effective Apple Support Commun… - Apple ...



Please re-post with detail so that someone else can help.



Sep 11, 2023 11:20 AM in response to SravanKrA

Oh of course it couldn’t POSSIBLY be Apple’s fault. No update has EVER caused ANY problems. That’s why their updates used to always say “bug fixes” or things like “fixed problem were _____ for some users”. They don’t ever say that anymore since they had to admit their updates were killing battery life. So no, it couldn’t possibly be the update did it, even though others on this thread say the exact same thing.

Sep 11, 2023 11:28 AM in response to deewatts

If it was the update, it would have happened to everyone who updated. But it didn't happen to everyone. Certainly didn't happen to me, or my spouse, or anyone in my office, or any of my friends phones. It is odd that it happened to coincide with an update, but to suggest it's due to the update, just doesn't make it so.


Either way, since you've tried all the suggestions in the link and nothing worked, then you'll need to schedule an appointment at your Apple Store Genius Bar for evaluation and options. We're just users here, like you, so we can't fix it for you. You need to take it to Apple for assistance.


You can use this link to schedule a Genius Bar appointment --> Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple


Sep 12, 2023 4:17 AM in response to deewatts

I’ve had the same issue. It will intermittently work on my phone. My work phone though is updated and works flawlessly for whatever reason.


my wife and I have also experienced that now our phones also won’t auto lock sometimes either. Once again my work phone does still. All are iPhone 13 editions.


I worked through with apple support and nothing had fixed it so far. Only thing left is to go to a store an hour away in person or send it off.

Sep 20, 2023 11:27 AM in response to AnandaNPratama

Same issue with my iPhoneX. On the locked screen, it would say Face ID when I try to open it, but it seemed I like it would not even try to scan my face. It would go straight to the enter the passcode screen. The same with my apps, they would go straight to the enter password screen. Within my setting it says, Face ID Issue. I tried resetting my Face ID. When I try to scan in my face again, I get a message saying Face ID Is Not Available. Try again later.

Face ID not working since IPhone update 16.6.1

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