Face ID Stopped Working After iOS 15.7.1 Update? (Fixed!)
Last updated on November 7th, 2022 at 10:27 am
Posted in Errors and Issues, Bug Fixes by Mike on October 20, 2022Face ID stopped working after iOS 15.7.1 update? iPhone won’t unlock and reconfiguring facial recognition brings up Face ID is Not Available error? You’re asked to Move iPhone a little lower or higher and eventually you’re recommended to try setting up Face ID later?
Face ID Not Working iOS 15.7.1
This issue was initially reported by Cristi:
“Immediately after updating this morning my Face ID stopped working. I reset it and now can’t get it set back up. It keeps telling me to raise my phone higher or lower.”
Problem was quickly confirmed by many other readers including:
-
Unknown:
“My phone is doing the same thing I Just updated to IOS 15.7.1 and my Face ID isn’t working. I tried Turing off my phone resetting my ID and still not working. And I have the iPhone 12.”
- Mdawg:
“My Face ID stopped working after updating to 15.7.1 this morning. iPhone 12 Pro. Resetting Face ID doesn’t resolve issue. Just keeps saying move your face higher and lower.”
and many others. We’ve also found a similar thread on Reddit.
Apparently this bug is affecting various iPhone models including 13 Pro Max, 12 Pro, 12 and others.
How To Fix Face ID Is Not Available
Rebooting iPhone won’t help and neither does removing the iOS 15 Beta Profile. Until we find a better solution the only two options are:
1. Downgrade Back To iOS 15.7
All affected users did not have any problems with Face ID, while running iOS 15.7. Fortunately, it’s still possible to downgrade as 15.7 is still signed. Here is how to:
- You need a computer Mac (use Finder) or Windows (use iTunes) and a Lightning to USB cable to connect to it.
- Make sure that you have an encrypted iPhone backup on your computer.
- Download the iOS 15.7 ipsw file that matches your iPhone model from here.
- Perform the steps described here. (Video tutorial is also available).
Tip: Ideally you need one created in iOS 15.7 or earlier. But in the worst case scenario, you can create one now and tweak it as described here.
2. Update To iOS 16
Face ID works with iOS 16.0.3 however, similar problems are reported for the iOS 16.1 release.
You can update now, but also be aware that there are still unfixed bugs awaiting for you. An extended list is available here.
If you decide to update here is what you have to do:
- Open Settings app and browse for General -> VPN & Device Management -> iOS 15 Beta Software Profile -> Remove Profile.
- Restart iPhone.
- Go to Settings -> General -> Software Update.
- Download and install iOS 16.0.3 or iOS 16.1 (from Monday, October 24).
Have you managed to fix Face ID not working iOS 15.7.1 issue? Have you found a better solution or have other problems to report? Share your feedback in the comments. We’re here to help.
Important: iOS 15.7.1 is currently available only as a Release Candidate. It’s a test version! However, the public release is expected on Monday and will most likely be the same build. Please refrain from updating, before we can test if this Face ID bug has made its way to the public release!
Related: Common problems expected for iOS 16.1 along with available workrounds are highlighted here.
I just updated to 16.1 and I still can’t get Face ID to work. I reset it to try and set it up again, but I’m getting the same message as others: “lower your iPhone, raise your iPhone”. Frustrating!
Thanks for the feedback Megan. Can you please inform us when the problem started? After you updated to iOS 15.7.1 RC?
also same, Megan!
That’s really strange. You’ve updated from iOS 16.0.3 or iOS 15.7?
in iOS 16.0.2 my device was absolutely fine. Whenever I upgraded into iOS 16.1 there’s an issue with my faceID. So, upgrading into iOS 16.1 is not a good option for fixed this bug.
Thanks for your feedback shourav. Yes, we hopped that iOS 16.1 won’t include this bug. I’ll update the content of the article!
I have the same problem. It happned after i updated it to 16.1. Did you hear any solution?
Thanks for reporting. Can you confirm if you’ve ever replaced the screen on your device? What iPhone model is this happening on?
Same problem here. Updated to iOS 16.1 on Tuesday. Since then my Face ID isn’t working anymore. Tried everything. Soft reset/hard reset, chatted with Apple support/ran diagnose etc… Nothing worked. Yesterday I restored my iPhone 13 Pro Max completely back to factory settings as a last resort but nothing. Face ID still not working. My TrueDepth camera does work cause my selfies are zooming in perfectly. This all started since iOS 16.1 update.
What version was on your device before the iOS 16.1 update?
Have tried those steps also. But apple support couldn’t do anything. Just wait for the next update. You may find another trouble with your front facing portrait mood. I’m sure there’s a bug waiting for you. Sorry, We all trapped.
My face ID is still not working after updated to V16
Thanks for reporting. Yes, we’re aware of the issue. But are not sure what triggers it. Only a relative small percentage of the users are experiencing it. Can you please provide more details? Has your device ever suffered a screen replacement?
Same problem. I think it started with iOS 16… I’m on the latest 16.1.1 right now and it still does not work. I’ve never had any repairs or physical damage on my iPhone 13 pro max. This issue is very frustrating, and still no fix.
Thanks for reporting Jack. Yes, there’s no fix that we’re aware of at the moment.
One thing that I can recommend you to try is to downgrade to iOS 15. It’s still possible and you will revert to iOS 15.6, you can then update over the air to iOS 15.7.1 or back to iOS 16.1.1.
Here is how to:
https://www.iphonetricks.org/downgrade-ios-16-1-to-15-7-1-how-to-guide/
You could also try to reinstall iOS 16.1.1. A clean install could help. More details here:
https://www.iphonetricks.org/how-to-clean-install-ios-on-iphone/
finally i fixed my same problem. i deleted the beta https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203282 and upgraded to ios 16. all works now.
Glad to know that you managed to fix it. Thanks for sharing.
Any update on this issue, I am having same issue – just restored the phone and it still does not work. I don’t have a beta profile
Not too much. Try to downgrade to iOS 15.6 RC and let us know if the problem is still occurring:
https://www.iphonetricks.org/downgrade-ipados-16-to-15-how-to-guide/