How to Fix Face ID That Stopped Working After an Update

Published 2026-10-16 · Marion Phone Repair

You updated your phone and now Face ID or face unlock does not work. It either says Face ID is not available, fails to recognize you, or the option has disappeared from settings entirely. Facial recognition depends on specialized hardware (infrared cameras, dot projectors, flood illuminators on iPhone; the front camera and software algorithms on most Android phones) working in sync with the operating system software. When an update changes the software side, the hardware communication can break.

Restart after the update

The simplest fix is often the most effective. After a major software update, a restart helps the system properly initialize all hardware components including the facial recognition sensors:

1. Power off the phone completely (not just sleep)
2. Wait 30 seconds
3. Power on and try Face ID or face unlock

Many Face ID issues after updates resolve with this single step because the update process does not always cleanly reinitialize the biometric hardware.

Re-enroll your face

Software updates can change how the facial recognition data is stored or processed, making the previously enrolled face data incompatible with the new software version. Re-enrolling your face creates fresh data that works with the updated software.

iPhone Face ID

1. Settings, Face ID and Passcode, enter your passcode
2. Tap Reset Face ID
3. Tap Set Up Face ID
4. Follow the prompts to slowly rotate your head in a circle, showing your face from different angles. Do this twice as prompted
5. Test by locking and unlocking the phone

Android Face Unlock

1. Settings, Security (or Biometrics and Security), Face Recognition (or Face Unlock)
2. Delete the existing face data
3. Set up face recognition again, following the on-screen prompts
4. Some Android phones let you register your face with glasses, without glasses, or with a mask — re-register all variations you use

Check for a follow-up update

If Face ID broke after a software update, the manufacturer may have already released a patch. Check for additional updates immediately:

• iPhone: Settings, General, Software Update. Apple sometimes releases point updates (like iOS 17.1.1) within days of a major update to fix bugs including biometric issues
• Android: Settings, System, Software Update. Samsung, Google, and other manufacturers issue security patches and bug fixes monthly

If a fix has not been released yet, check the manufacturer's support forums and social media for acknowledgment of the issue. Known bugs are typically fixed within one update cycle.

iPhone Face ID specific troubleshooting

Check Face ID settings

The update may have changed Face ID settings:

1. Settings, Face ID and Passcode
2. Check that the features you use Face ID for are still toggled on: iPhone Unlock, iTunes and App Store, Wallet and Apple Pay, Password AutoFill
3. If Set Up an Alternative Appearance is available and you have not used it, set one up. This gives Face ID an additional reference to match against, improving recognition in varied conditions

Attention settings

Face ID has an attention requirement — it checks that you are looking at the phone before unlocking:

• Settings, Face ID and Passcode. If Require Attention for Face ID is on, you must look directly at the phone for it to unlock. If this is causing failures (for example, if you wear sunglasses that block infrared), you can toggle it off temporarily to test whether attention detection is the issue
• Accessibility, Face ID and Attention. Toggle off Require Attention for Face ID if you have a physical condition that affects eye tracking

TrueDepth camera check

Face ID on iPhone uses the TrueDepth camera system — a combination of an infrared camera, flood illuminator, and dot projector in the notch or Dynamic Island area. If any of these components are obstructed or damaged, Face ID will not work:

• Clean the notch or Dynamic Island area with a soft cloth. Dirt, makeup, or screen protector adhesive covering the sensors prevents Face ID from functioning
• Check that your screen protector does not cover or partially obstruct the TrueDepth sensors. Some third-party screen protectors extend into the sensor area. If Face ID worked before you applied a new screen protector, the protector is likely blocking a sensor
• If the screen was recently repaired by a non-Apple service, the TrueDepth components may not have been reconnected or calibrated properly. Apple pairs Face ID components at the factory — a screen replacement that does not transfer the original sensor assembly or properly calibrate the new one can permanently disable Face ID

Face ID is Not Available error

If you see the message Face ID is Not Available, Try Setting Up Face ID Later — this usually indicates a hardware communication failure between the Face ID sensors and the phone's Secure Enclave:

• Restart the phone. This error often appears temporarily after an update and resolves after a restart
• If the error persists after multiple restarts, try a full settings reset: Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, Reset All Settings. This does not delete your data but resets all system settings to defaults, which can fix software-level configuration issues
• If the error still persists, the Face ID hardware may have been damaged or the connection between components has failed. This requires professional repair

Android face unlock specific troubleshooting

Security level changes

Android face unlock works differently from iPhone Face ID. Most Android phones use the front camera with software-based facial recognition rather than dedicated infrared hardware. After a security update, Google or the phone manufacturer may have changed the security classification of face unlock:

• Some updates reclassify face unlock as a lower-security method, requiring a PIN or fingerprint for certain actions (banking apps, payment). This is not a bug but a deliberate security change
• Some updates disable face unlock entirely for certain screen lock types. Check Settings, Security, Screen Lock to make sure your lock type supports face unlock

Camera permissions

Face unlock requires camera access. An update may have reset permissions:

• Settings, Apps, find the face recognition or biometric service (it may be under system apps — enable Show System Apps in the filter)
• Check that it has camera permission
• Also check that the front camera works normally by opening the camera app and switching to the selfie camera. If the front camera does not work in any app, the camera itself has a problem separate from face unlock

Smart Lock conflicts

Android Smart Lock (which keeps the phone unlocked in trusted locations or when connected to trusted devices) can conflict with face unlock after an update:

• Settings, Security, Smart Lock. Try disabling all Smart Lock options, then test face unlock
• If face unlock works after disabling Smart Lock, re-enable Smart Lock options one at a time to identify which one conflicts

General troubleshooting

Environmental factors

After an update, the facial recognition algorithm may be recalibrated and less tolerant of poor conditions:

• Lighting: Face ID uses infrared and works in the dark. Android face unlock typically uses the front camera and may struggle in low light. Test in well-lit conditions to rule out lighting as a factor
• Obstructions: Masks, heavy makeup, large sunglasses, hats pulled low, or significantly changed facial hair can cause recognition failures, especially after the face data was enrolled months ago under different conditions
• Distance and angle: Hold the phone 10 to 20 inches from your face at a natural viewing angle. Too close or too far causes recognition failures

Factory reset as last resort

If nothing else works and the update clearly caused the issue, a factory reset followed by updating to the latest version (which may include a fix) is the nuclear option:

• Back up all data first
• iPhone: Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings
• Android: Settings, System, Reset Options, Erase All Data
• After setup, install the latest updates before enrolling your face — this ensures you are on the newest software version with any available fixes

Face unlock repair in Marion

If Face ID or face unlock stopped working after an update and the steps above did not restore it, Marion Phone Repair can diagnose whether the issue is a software configuration problem or a hardware failure in the facial recognition sensors, and repair or reconfigure the system to restore face unlock functionality.