Face ID is a facial recognition system that ended up displacing Touch ID into the background. But sometimes it can end up giving the odd problem such as not recognizing your face. In this article we discuss the ways to solve this problem on your iPhone or iPad.
Check the front camera
When Face ID doesn’t work the right way, the camera may have an impediment to recognizing your face. This is because some cases cover the camera as they are not perfectly designed. You should keep in mind that Face ID works thanks to TrueDepth cameras that are located in the corners of the notch. If they are covered by a cover, it is logical that they do not recognize you or take longer than necessary.
This can also carry over to the screen protectors either because they are misplaced or not designed correctly. We must always make sure that the tempered glass does not occupy any part of the eyebrow.
Dirt can also be a problem as some debris can completely cover TrueDepth cameras causing you to not be recognized. For example, the fat causes the image taken to be distorted and the operating system is not able to recognize you. You should always keep this area as clean as possible and avoid touching it with your fingers.
In the case of the iPad when it is unlocked in a horizontal position , something that cannot be done with the iPhone, it must be taken into account that neither the finger nor the palm of the hand covers the cameras. In these cases the operating system is able to recognize that the camera is covered and a warning message will appear with an arrow pointing towards the TrueDepth camera.
Avoid having your face covered
The FaceID system takes the eyes, nose and mouth as reference points to be able to recognize a face. This is why we must avoid having elements that hide some of these parts of the face such as a mask. In these cases, the Face ID system will ask you to unlock the device with the access code you have configured.
If you wear sunglasses, there is no problem for the Face ID system to recognize you but there are some exceptions. In certain cases there are sunglasses that are designed to block some types of light and this prevents the infrared system from going through the lenses of the glasses. In this case, you should remove your sunglasses or try others that do allow infrared rays to pass through.
Check camera capture angle
Unfortunately, the Face ID system does not recognize faces at all distances or angles. Keep in mind that you always have to enter at a maximum distance of one arm to make it work, which is approximately 50 cm. Also, if the iPhone is resting on a surface, you must stand up front and look at it directly. It is not valid to try to unlock the iPhone looking from the side or quite far from the device.
In the case of the iPad there is much more versatility since it allows unlocking while the equipment is horizontal. This does not happen in the case of the iPhone, which must always be vertical.
Check configuration
Obviously you have to check that the Face ID system is activated in the device settings. To perform this check you simply have to follow the following steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Press Face ID and enter your security code.
- Make sure that Face ID is activated in all the functions that you want to access with your face.
If it is activated and still not working you can configure an alternative aspect . It is true that the system learns from the changes that we are having in our face due to age, for example, but if the change is important it may not work. This is why it is recommended to configure a second face in these cases. You simply must follow the following steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Go to Face ID and enter your access code.
- Click on ‘Set up alternative skin’.
- Make Face ID settings by following all the steps shown on the screen by moving your head in all directions.
You can also remove all the aspects that are configured on the iPhone to configure it again from scratch.
Situations where Face ID does not work
There are some specific times when the facial recognition system of the iPhone and iPad does not work. This does not mean that it is broken or does not recognize you, it is simply disabled for security so you can enter your code. The situations are as follows:
- When iPhone or iPad is just turned on or restarted.
- When the iPhone or iPad has not been unlocked in 48 hours.
- When the code has not been used to unlock the computer in the last seven days and Face ID has not been used in the last four hours.
- After five failed recognition attempts.
- When an attempt has been made to make a shutdown or an emergency call by entering the sliding menu.
Software update and restoration
If none of this has worked, you should wait for a software update to solve this problem or proceed to restore the computer. If it’s a software bug, always restore without resorting to backup l or it will fix. Although previously we must have turned off and on the device, since a simple restart can also make the error to be solved.
Contact Apple
The last resource you have left if none of this has worked for you is to contact Apple itself. If after doing all the steps the Face ID system still does not work, it is possible that the problem does not reside in the software and is present in the hardware. The diagnostic and replacement operation can only be performed with Apple, which will shield you the best option of going to a store to repair it or send it by courier. We must bear in mind that all technological products have a probability of being defective at the factory, but thanks to the guarantee that Apple offers, they can solve it quickly.