Guides · Repairs

Face ID not working? What causes it and what fixes it

"Face ID is not available" usually means a hardware fault. Here's what's behind it.

Oct 22, 2026 · 4 min read

If Face ID stops working, try the free checks first. Restart the iPhone, make sure iOS is up to date, clean the top of the screen, and take off any screen protector or case that covers the sensors. Then try setting up Face ID again in Settings.

When it's hardware. If you see "Face ID is not available on this iPhone", or setup keeps saying "Move iPhone a little lower" or "higher" and never finishes, one of the Face ID parts has usually failed.

What breaks. Face ID uses a dot projector, an infrared camera and a flood illuminator at the top of the phone. Drops, water and past screen repairs are the usual causes. A torn flex cable during a screen swap is common.

Why it's hard to fix. Face ID parts are paired to your iPhone's main board. Swapping in parts from another phone doesn't work. A proper repair fixes the original parts or their connections, which takes board-level and flex repair skills.

Can every fault be fixed? Most can, but not all. A good shop tests the parts first and tells you before you pay.

Getting a screen repair? Ask the shop to test Face ID before and after. We test it on every iPhone screen repair.