I Think My Phone has Gone Blind

By sockhopsinger, 16 October, 2023

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

I think my phone has gone blind. It is an iPhone 15 Pro updated with the latest iOS version. Whenever it wakes up it looks for a face like it is supposed to. However, it will record an incorrect face every time it wakes up. I can have it face down next to me or across the room on a wireless charger, and apparently it gets upset that the top of the desk or the room ceiling is not the correct iteration of my face. One would think the phone would be able to recognize that there was no face visible and not count that as a failed face recognition attempt. Let's just say I've been entering my password a lot more since upgrading the phone. Anyone else have this charming little issue?

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Comments

By Holger Fiallo on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

That happens sometimes in a blue moon. When I put my phone next to me in the couch. 13 pro and iOS 17. Even happen when I was using iOS 16. I just forget about it.

By Andy Lane on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

It might be worth deleting all the faces you have stored and starting again. The phone definitely shouldn’t be counting those failed attempts too often.

You could also try the obvious phone restart first though.

By sockhopsinger on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Thank you both for the suggestions. This is a brand new iPhone 15 Pro that I've had for about three weeks now. Mine is the only face I have scanned in, and I have only done one scan. Also, I have restarted it for various other issues on more than one occasion. I certainly do appreciate the suggestions though.

Singer Girl, I have also been blind since birth, and I assure you once you get used to Face ID it is very easy to use, assuming, of course, the phone itself cooperates.

By Holger Fiallo on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Maybe your phone need to learn to use one or the other. Also it will need support to coped with becoming blind. Now he will feel sad and depress. Reasure your phone that things be OK.

By Morgan Watkins on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

SockHopSinger,

Good to see you again.

Just as another data point, I have been feeling as though I am entering my passcode far more frequently of late. I have an iPhone 13 mini with the latest iOS, and I cannot say that FaceID is a part of the problem. Still, before I ever read your note, I was very aware that I was needing to type in my passcode more often. Or, at least that was my perception. It may or may not be related to what you are observing, but I, too, seem to be typing in my code more often than I would prefer.

I do wonder if this problem is in any way connected to the other hiccups I have seen since I moved to iOS 17. The finger tapping bug on both my Apple Watch and iPhone are still with me.

Here's hoping for a more finely polished iOS 17.

Cheers,

Morgan

By sockhopsinger on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Morgan, it is always great to hear from you. I do not know if it is iOS 17 that is causing the issue, but I have noticed it in earlier versions of iOS. Now keep in mind that this thought is coming from someone who has been totally blind since birth, but I am wondering if perhaps there are not some issues with lighting when the phone tries to recognize our faces. In other words, maybe there is a light somewhere on around that messes with the iPhone's camera. I have certainly noticed it when outside and facing towards the sun that it is far more likely for my face not to be recognized. I have certainly tried to make sure that there are no lights on in my place using Seeing AI, and usually I did not have this issue inside until I got the 15 Pro. However, like I said earlier, I can be across the room from the phone and hear a notification come in followed by my phone saying "try again," indicating an unsuccessful face recognition. It is more of what I would consider an annoyance than maybe an actual bug, but I still certainly thought it worth mentioning.

I hope life is treating you well.

By Justin Philips on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Maybe that might help; also the always on display

By sockhopsinger on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Thanks for the suggestions. I did check to make sure, and they are both turned off. Like I said above, it is just one of those strange things that is annoying but not to the point that I think I will have to go out and cane the next telephone pole I run across. :)

By Kerby on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

This happens to me with my iPhone 14 pro as well. A workaround is to put your phone down upside down when you're not using it and it won't look for a face.

By Malcolm13 on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Playing around with Be My AI my iPhone describes me as having grey hair! I hope it’s gone colour blind but at 58 hears old perhaps I not?

By Bingo Little on Monday, October 23, 2023 - 12:44

Now I come to think of it, I seem to have been entering my passcode an awful lot more since upgrading to IOS17. I'm still on the dear old iPhone 13 so haven't upgraded this time round. I guess that up until reading this thread I just assumed it was my fault, but I'm not doing anything differently. What a hsame dear old Touch ID seems now to be of historical interest only.