Face ID is a method for authenticating your identity on an iPhone or iPad. When Face ID isn’t working on iPhone 12 mini, you can’t use your face to get into your device, nor can you scan your face to make purchases through places like the App Store.
If you’ve already tried setting up Face ID on your iPhone 12 mini and it doesn’t let you complete setup or won’t let you scan your face, read on to learn how to fix Face ID not working on iPhone 12 mini.
What To Do When Face ID Not Working On iPhone12 mini
There could be multiple reasons why Face ID may not be working on your iPhone 12 mini. For instance, the problem might arise due to a random software glitch, a miscellaneous bug, or even your sunglasses or faulty screen protector. Therefore you will need to take a close look at various things to fix Face ID not working on iPhone 12 mini issue.
It’s worth pointing out that you can try out these solutions to troubleshoot Face ID problems on your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max as well. So, irrespective of whether you run into issues on your iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max, follow the tips below to fix the Face ID not working problem.
1. Restart Your iPhone
As I said, some of these solutions might sound silly, and this probably the silliest sounding one of them all. Restarting your iPhone is the first thing you should try no matter what crazy glitch or issue you encounter. To turn off your iPhone, simply hold down the Side button and either of the volume buttons until the power off slider appears.
Once your iPhone is switched off, press and hold on the Side button until the Apple logo appears and wait for your phone to turn on. In more than 50% of the cases where your Face ID is not working on iPhone 12 mini, this simple method should solve the problem.
2. Check for Software Updates
If Face ID is not working on your iPhone 12 mini/ iPhone 12 Pro Max, another thing you should check for is the latest software update. Apple often releases bug fixes via new software updates, and you should update your iPhone as soon as the updates roll out. To check if you have a software update or not, open the Settings app and go to General -> Software Update and tap on the “Download and Install” button if an update is available.
3. Maintain the Required Distance
If your Face ID is not working intermittently, the chances are high that you are not holding your iPhone at a required distance. As per Apple’s guidelines, you should be holding your iPhone at a distance of 10-inches to 20-inches for Face ID to work flawlessly. So, keep this essential thing in mind while unlocking your iPhone using Face ID.
4. Check Your Sunglasses
Also, you should know that Face ID may stop working on iPhone 12 mini when wearing certain types of sunglasses. Sunglasses that stop infrared light from passing through cause Face ID to fail as infrared light is a part of its verification system. Sadly, there is no way to tell which sunglasses won’t work with Face ID, so you might want to check if it’s your sunglasses that are the problem.
5. Make Sure Your Face ID Sensors Are Not Covered
One of the biggest reasons that Face ID may have stopped working on your iPhone 12 mini/ iPhone 12 Pro Max is that users unknowingly cover the Face ID sensors. It might be the screen protector you are using, a screen replacement, or the sensors might be dirty and covered with dust. That’s why you should regularly clean sensors and remove/reapply any screen protector you have on the device if Face ID is not working on iPhone 12 mini. We would suggest using a screen protector with a precise cutout for the notch.
6. Set Up Alternate Appearance
With iOS 12 or later, Apple allows users to set an alternate appearance. This is a great feature for people whose work requires them to wear a mask or cover a part of their face. They can use this feature to set that specific look as an alternate appearance so that Face ID can identify them in any situation. To set an alternate appearance, open the Settings app and go to Face ID & Passcode -> Set Up an Alternative Appearance and set it up.
7. Turn off Attention Aware Feature
By default, Face ID requires you to look at your iPhone with the intent to unlock the device. While this is a handy feature for extra security, you should turn this feature off if you encounter too many failed unlock attempts. You can find this feature in the Settings app by going to Face ID & Passcode. Here, you can scroll down to see the Require Attention for Face ID option and turn it off.
When you turn off the toggle, a popup shows up on the screen saying, “If you turn this off, Face ID will unlock your iPhone even if your eyes are not clearly open and looking at the screen.” Tap on OK to confirm the action.
8. Reset Face ID
If none of the above solutions have fixed Face ID not working on iPhone 12 mini issue, the last thing that you can do is reset Face ID and set it up again. More often than not, it solves the ill-functioning of Face ID. Thus, I would recommend you to go for the reset. To do that, open the Settings app, tap on Face ID & Passcode, and then tap on “Reset Face ID” to re-record your facial data.
Face ID Not Working on iPhone 12 mini? Problem solved
As you can see, the solutions to the ‘Face ID not Working on iPhone 12mini’ issue are easy and straightforward.
If you find Face ID not working on iPhone 12 mini even though you have tried all the above-mentioned solutions, it may be a hardware problem – contact Apple or visit one of their stores.