How can I turn off Stolen Device Protection if Face ID is not working?

First of all, wipe the glass in front of the camera and see if it works! If it doesn't proceed to the below section

1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode
2. Enable Face ID with a Mask
3. Click on Add glasses.
4. When you try to add glasses a couple of times, it will initiate a 'Security delay' option
5. Go ahead and click OK, and a 1-hour security delay will start.
6. After the security delay, you will get a notification to enroll an alternate appearance (Face ID)

Shut off any add-on VPN apps, or anything else that alters network access and routing.

If Stolen Device Protection is set to Familiar Locations, turn it off and wait an hour.

If Stolen Device Protection is set to Always, you'll need to log into iCloud to shut it off. You may need to erase.

Log into iCloud.com/find, and remove your iPhone from your Find My devices.

This removal from Find My also shuts off Stolen Device Protection.

Then re-enable Find My on your iPhone, and don't reenable Stolen Device Protection.

Then get Face ID fixed. Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

1. On the lock screen, enter the wrong password 10 times (or more) until the phone shows "iPhone Unavailable for x minutes."
2. Tap the text in the bottom right corner that says something like "Erase data" or "Forgot password."
3. Log in with your Apple ID, and you'll have the option to Reset, Delete (but keep eSIM), or Delete (with eSIM).
4. The phone will display a message like "You have to wait x minutes for the phone to be available." Click Cancel in the bottom right corner.
5. The phone will begin deleting/resetting.
6. After the reset, the phone will show a message like "Locked to User" with your Apple ID.
7. Log in with your Apple ID to unlock the phone.
8. You should then be able to set up your phone as new and add a new Face ID.

Iamdak_ wrote:

Happened to my yesterday I used the Face ID as usual then I play games with my friend for 2hrs after I was done I came back to use an app that requires my face to open but the Face ID didn’t even scan my face…..like it’s not sending any message or showing any animation of it scanning and failing….like it can’t activate I’m using an iPhone 12 Pro and the iOS is 18.5….i can’t reset Face ID too because stolen phone protection is on and to turn that off it’s asking for the Face ID that’s not functional……what is happening apple?

That would usually indicate a hardware issue.

Shut off any add-on VPN apps, or anything else that alters network access and routing. Force a restart, as well. Test again.

If still locked, and if Stolen Device Protection is set to Familiar Locations, turn it off and wait an hour.

If Stolen Device Protection is set to Always, you'll need to log into iCloud to erase it and to release it from your Apple Account.

Log into https://iCloud.com/find using your Apple Account, and erase and remove your iPhone from your Find My devices.

This erasure and removal from Find My also shuts off Stolen Device Protection.

Then re-enable Find My directly on your iPhone, and don't reenable Stolen Device Protection.

Then get Face ID fixed. Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

I had the exact same issue after updating my software to ios 18.2.1. Somehow turning off and on worked for me

Perhaps your phone’s FaceID Subsystem simply “decided” that it was time to fail.

Hardware does occasionally simply fail.

Have you performed the most basic troubleshooting step; a full power-off reboot?

Hi. I rebooted my phone and was able to use my face id again. Hope it works!

It worked for me when I used Face ID in a room without light

Turning off “Require Attention for Face ID” and then just putting the phone close to my face while opening my eyes hella wide to look at the camera worked for me

You should have started a new post as your issue is not the same. If you reported the device as lost before and received a replacement that may be part of the issue. Regardless of what happened you need to contact Apple directly.

If you are trying to turn off Stolen Device Protection when Face ID is not working, there are two options to try.

First, when you are prompted with Face ID, if there is a try again button, keep tapping that and failing Face ID until you are prompted with entering your passcode. You can fail it in purpose by either blocking the front camera or covering your face. Thus turning off Stolen Device Protection.

Second, if there is no try again button, you have to log onto iCloud.com/find on the web then select your iPhone from the list and remove from account. That doesn’t require Face ID and will turn off Activation Lock (Stolen Device Protection). Then you can turn Find My back on after and Stolen Device Protection will remain turned off.

Note that there may be a 1 hour security delay when turning Stolen Device Protection off.

Turned out that a crack in my screen protector was blocking the camera enough that it couldn't recognize my face. I can't blame it.

FaceID is back in business, I'm not going to re-enable Stolen Device Protection any time soon!

THANK YOU.

Shut off any add-on VPN apps, or anything else that alters network access and routing.

If Stolen Device Protection is set to Familiar Locations, turn it off and wait an hour.

If Stolen Device Protection is set to Always, you'll need to log into iCloud to shut it off.

Log into iCloud.com/find, and remove your iPhone from your Find My devices.

This removal from Find My also shuts off Stolen Device Protection.

Then re-enable Find My on your iPhone, and don't reenable Stolen Device Protection.

Then get Face ID fixed. Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Doing 'Remove This Device' from iCloud did not affect the phone at all, nothing was erased or lost. I'd do a local backup beforehand anyway.

My face ID is working on and off, I find that it works in the evening/ at night (maybe something to do with light?) so I have been able to turn off the stolen device protection while it worked (there was a 1 hr security delay, but luckily it worked then as well). During the day it doesn’t work and I have to type my password for payments and everything, which is very annoying, but still better than what it was when the stolen device protection was ON and I couldn’t override it even with password. So everyone try the face ID in the evening/ at night…