Don’t worry — this is a common issue and usually easy to fix!
“Face ID Is Not Available”
What This Means (In Plain English)
The facial recognition feature on your iPhone is not working right now. You can still unlock your phone with your passcode.
Common Causes
- •Dirt or a screen protector covering the Face ID sensors
- •A recent drop or physical damage
- •A software glitch after an update
- •Extreme cold weather can temporarily affect it
How to Fix It — Step by Step
- 1
Make sure nothing is covering the camera at the top of your screen (the "notch" or "Dynamic Island").
- 2
Clean the front camera area gently with a soft, dry cloth.
- 3
Restart your iPhone.
- 4
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode.
- 5
Try tapping "Reset Face ID" and setting it up again from scratch.
- 6
Make sure you are holding the phone at arm's length and looking directly at it.
- 7
If it still does not work after a reset, the TrueDepth camera may need repair — contact Apple Support.
How to Prevent This in the Future
Keep the front camera area clean. Avoid dropping your phone face-down, as this can damage the Face ID sensors.
Related Errors You Might See
Still stuck? Don’t worry!
If the steps above did not solve the problem, ask a trusted friend or family member for help, or contact us and we will do our best to assist you.