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iPhone and iPadHow to Fix Face ID Not Available on iPhone X/XS/XS Max/XR

How to Fix Face ID Not Available on iPhone X/XS/XS Max/XR

By Achilles Hill | Last Updated

"I keep getting the same message saying 'Face ID is Not Available. Try setting up Face ID later' whenever I try to setup Face ID on my iPhone X. It worked the first time I setup the phone out of the box but after the update to be 11.1 I can no longer setup Face ID. Anyone know what might be wrong? Is there any help?"

Many iPhone users have complained that whenever they try setting up the face ID on their iPhone X devices, they will receive a pop-up message writing "Face ID not available. Try setting up Face ID later". Quite a few iPhone owners reported that they encountered this problem especially after an iOS update. Do you face the same Face ID error on your iPhone X device? Are you looking for effective solutions to this issue? In this article, you will how to troubleshoot Face ID Not Available on iPhone X/XS/XS Max/XR.

  1. Fix 1: Reboot or Force Restart Your iPhone
  2. Fix 2: Update iOS to the Latest Version
  3. Fix 3: Reset Face ID and Set Up Again
  4. Fix 4: Reset All Settings on Your Device
  5. Fix 5: Contact Apple Support for Help
  6. Fix 6: Repair iPhone System to Fix Face ID Not Available Issue
  7. Fix 7: Check If the iPhone's Camera is Damaged
  8. Recommendation: Unlock iPhone When Face ID Not Available and Forgot Passcode

face id not available and try again later

Fix 1: Reboot or Force Restart Your iPhone

If you are prompted that Face ID not available and try setting up later, you can reboot your device to see if that helps. Many users claim that they can fix this problem just by restarting their devices. To reboot you device, you just need hold the side button and volume button and then drag the "slide to power off" turn off iPhone X. Then press the power button to reboot it.

However, if the Face ID is still not available after restarting, now you can try to force reboot your iPhone. Press the Volume Up button and release, and then press the Volume down button and release. Finally, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on iPhone screen.

force restart your iphone

Fix 2: Update iOS to the Latest Version

Updating iOS to the latest version can help you avoid many unnecessary errors. If there is an update available, you'd better update your device to the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If there is a new version, click Download and Install and then tap Install to update right now. Type your passcode to go on if necessary.

update your device to the latest version

Fix 3: Reset Face ID and Set Up Again

If Face ID is not available in your device, you can try to solve this problem by resetting Face ID and setting it up again later. How to reset Face ID? Open Settings, tap on the option of Face ID & Passcode, and enter your passcode if prompted. Then when you come to the Face ID & Passcode page on your device, click Reset Face ID.

reset face id on your device

Fix 4: Reset All Settings on Your Device

If your iPhone X Face ID is still not available, another choice for you is to reset all setting. Resetting all setting on your iPhone may be helpful to the Face ID not available issue. Please note that this will only reset all setting on your iPhone to the default including the WiFi connection, but not erase your data. You will not lose any apps, data, documents or files.

Step 1: To reset all setting on your device, launch the Settings app and then tap General to continue.

Step 2: Scroll down and choose Reset, select Reset All Settings in the next page, and then input your passcode to make sure your resetting operation.

reset all setting on your device

Fix 5: Contact Apple Support for Help

If none of the above methods work to this problem, the last but not least way is to contact Apple Support for help. They will give you the most official instructions. Maybe there is something wrong with your hardware so that this issue of "Face ID Is Not Available" happens.

Fix 6: Repair iPhone System to Fix Face ID Not Available Issue

Sometimes, due to the system glitch, your Face ID will stop working. In this issue, you can repair the system with iOS system repair software iSunshare iOS Repair Genius. This software offers the Standard Mode for you to fix the iPhone Face ID not available issue without losing data.

Step 1: Download the software on your PC and then finish the installation.

install iOS repair genius

Step 2: Launch the software and then click “Standard Mode”.

choose Standard Mode

Step 3: Then click “Start” and connect the iPhone to your PC.

click Start

Step 4: Once your iPhone is detected successfully, you will enter the firmware download interface. The software will show you the latest iOS firmware package. You just need to click “Download” to get the firmware package. It will take minutes to finish the downloading.

firmware download process

Step 5: After that, you can click “Repair” and the software will reinstall the iOS on your iPhone.

iOS system repair process

Step 6: Finally, you will get the successful pop-out. Then your iPhone will be restarted. You can open it to check the Face ID works nor not.

Fix 7: Check If the iPhone's Camera is Damaged

The main reason for face ID not available on most iPhones is caused by system errors, after fixing the system if it is still not available then we need to consider hardware factors such as the front camera on the iPhone is damaged or covered. When your face is not recognized, then iPhone will certainly issue a "face ID not available" warning. Clean up the camera and try face unlocking iPhone again.

Also, you should check if your face is covered by anything, such as the featured glasses.

Recommendation: Unlock iPhone When Face ID Not Available and Forgot Passcode

What to do when Face ID not availble and forgot passcode? You can use iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius , which is a powerful and multifunctional iPhone passcode unlocker designed to unlock an iPhone locked for various reasons. No matter your iPhone is locked, disabled or broken, you can rely on this tool to help you access to your device instantly. Now follow the below steps to learn how to unlock your iPhone if Face ID is not working and you fail to figure out the right passcode.

Step 1: Make sure that iTunes is installed in your PC in order to run iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius. Then launch the software and select Unlock Lock Screen.

select unlock lock screen to start

Step 2: Click the Start tab to continue, connect your device to your PC according to the on-screen instructions and then click Next button to go on. The software will recognize your device information automatically.

conncet your device to your pc

Step 3: Then it's time to download the firmware package online. You just need to execute this step by tapping the Download button. Wait patiently until the process to download and verify the firmware completes.

download and verify firmware

Step 4: Click Unlock to unlock the iPhone lock screen. During this process, make sure that your device is well connected to the PC. Only a short time later, you will receive a message telling you that your iPhone is unlocked successfully. One thing you need to pay notice is that this unlocking process will erase all data in your locked iPhone.

unlock iphone screen lock successfully

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