Face ID not working: causes and whether it can be fixed
"Face ID is not available" after a drop, water or a screen replacement. What to check yourself, why Face ID can't always be fixed, and how a technician repairs it.
Your iPhone stopped recognising your face or says "Face ID is not available". Here's what causes it and what can be done.
First, the simple checks
- Restart the iPhone.
- Clean the top of the screen (the notch or Dynamic Island), where the Face ID cameras are.
- Make sure nothing covers the sensors: a screen protector with a cutout, a case, a sticker.
- Update iOS.
- Reset Face ID: Settings → Face ID & Passcode → "Reset Face ID", then set it up again.
If the phone says "Face ID is not available" or "A problem was detected with the TrueDepth camera", it's hardware.
Why Face ID breaks
- A drop: the TrueDepth module (dot projector, infrared camera) shifts or gets damaged.
- Water: oxidation of the module's cable.
- A careless screen replacement: damage to the sensor cable that's moved from the old screen to the new one.
- A swollen battery pressing on parts from the inside.
Can it be fixed
Honestly: not always. The Face ID module is paired to the board of that specific iPhone, so another phone's module won't work. But some faults are fixable:
- a damaged cable can be repaired or transferred;
- a problem with the infrared emitter (flood illuminator) can be repaired in many cases;
- oxidation after water can be cleaned.
Damage to the dot projector itself usually can't be repaired outside Apple.
Important during a screen replacement
A good technician carefully transfers the sensors from the old screen and checks Face ID before and after the repair, in front of you. If Face ID didn't work before the repair, that's written on the receipt. See How not to get scammed.
How we help
On older models we don't repair Face ID: it is expensive and usually not worth it. On iPhone 16 and newer Face ID is replaced together with the camera and a firmware update, and we do that; the price is confirmed with the technician. Without Face ID you can keep using the phone with a passcode. Message us on Telegram with the model and what happened.
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