Do you have the idea that Face ID is not working optimally? That is possible, because the facial recognition does not work very well in some cases. With these tips, you can ensure that Face ID works smoothly and accurately.
Face ID not working? You can do this
In general, we are impressed with Face ID, as you can read in our second impression of the iPhone X. In 95 percent of the cases, the iPhone X manages to use the face scanner well to unlock. Face ID is also getting smarter the more you use the function. The camera keeps an eye on the features of your face, so it won’t be a problem if you wear a scarf and hood, for example.
Yet there are also many messages online from users where Face ID does not work very well. In some cases, iPhone X takes a long time to unlock, or Face ID sometimes doesn’t seem to recognize your face at all. Then it can help to check the tips below to improve the functioning of facial recognition.
1. Scan your face again
If Face ID does not work properly on your iPhone X, it is smart to rescan your face. In this way, the X starts ‘over’ and old face data is deleted. Follow the steps below to reset Face ID.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone X;
- Select ‘Face ID and passcode’ and then tap ‘Reset Face ID;
- Then go through the steps so that you eventually make a new face scan.
2. Disable additional security step
Face ID is much more secure than other facial recognition techniques, partly due to the fact that you have to look at the phone to unlock it. This prevents your iPhone X from being switched on accidentally, but also prevents others from unlocking the phone when you are sleeping, for example. It makes Face ID more reliable, but has the downside that you see an error message more often.
Disabling this feature will make Face ID work faster in many cases. You can do this by going to ‘Settings> Face ID and passcode’ and turning off the function ‘Attention required for Face ID’. So keep in mind that this makes facial recognition less secure. We therefore recommend that you always use the option – if possible.
3. Move your iPhone X and choose a different distance
In some cases, Face ID will give an error because your iPhone X is too close to your face. Try to keep the smartphone a little further away from you, and experiment with which distance works best for you.
It can also help to move your phone a little while unlocking. After all, Face ID makes a 3D scan of your face and must therefore be able to see the various facial features well.
Read more iPhone X tips
- Shut down and restart iPhone X (and newer devices) (10-2-2020)
- Set up Face ID or Touch ID on your new iPhone: this is how you do it (13-6-2019)
- Why Face ID sometimes doesn’t work with sunglasses, and how to solve this (4/19/2019)
- Buying apps in the App Store with Face ID: this is how you do it in 3 steps (3/22/2019)
- How to insert or replace the iPhone SIM card (11-1-2019)