Iphone XR Face ID issues

By Remy, 15 February, 2019

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello all. Thanks to the replies I received from the community and my own research I have settled on an Iphone XR. As I was upgrading from an Iphone 6S Plus I have seen a significant improvement in performance. I find the lack of a home button annoying, but I know I'll get used to it. What is a significant frustration is Face ID. It recognizes me, but it takes so bloody long to unlock your phone in comparison to touch ID. My question is simple: is there a way to have the phone actually open up when Face ID is successful? Currently now I have to authenticate with Face ID, then swipe up to actually open the phone. It's an extra step, and while it isn't a huge issue, I'd like to just pick up my phone, authenticate and have it open.

Thanks everyone.

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Comments

By sockhopsinger on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

I understand your frustration, but currently this is not possible. While it doesn't really make a difference in the long run, sometimes I do the swipe up first to open my phone. At least it makes me feel accomplished when Face ID recognizes me and the phone opens. Like I said, it's the small things to make one feel better. Sorry that wasn't very helpful.

By peter on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

I'm surprised that you are seeing this to take a long time. I also have an XR and using Face ID seems to be remarkably quick to me. As soon as I hit the power button to wake up the phone, I swipe up and I'm on the home screen. sometimes it opens so quickly that I'm surprised it has opened.

I also have the setting to "use Attention" to open Face ID, but perhaps if you turn that off you'll have less trouble. With this setting on the phone wants you to look at it. So start by looking at the phone as you press the power button or turn this setting off and see how it goes.

--Pete

By Remy on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Hello there. Yes, I actually did turn off attention mode and that improved things quite a bit. The way my particular vision impairment works, I CAN see the phone to look at it, but since I only have perriferal vision, there's a 1 in 3 chance it will actually recognize me. Still, once I get used to the new way of doing things I'm sure it will become second nature. What I do like though? Everything else!

By Anthony on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Hello I don’t have a EXR but I do have a XS max and the Face ID works very good for me it’s quick sometimes it takes me a couple times to have it work but once it works it opens up very quickly just had to get the hang of it

By Roxann Pollard on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

I now use the iPhone XS. I don't really have any problems with face ID, but, sometimes, no matter what I do, I am forced to enter the security code to unlock. This isn't an issue as long as I'm by myself. My concern is if others may be around. Does anyone know how to make the phone start the face ID recognition process over?

By Jim D on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

First of all, whenever you power off and then restart your phone, you are going to have to enter the pass code. This is a security check imposed by Apple.
In other instances, if you try and unlock your phone and Face ID doesn't work, you can always move the phone around a bit and keep trying. It doesn't just take one photo, it scans for five to ten seconds. If that doesn't work, you can always just lock the pone with the side button and try again.
I use a 10S. I find Face ID can be a bit tricky when I am laying in bed and want to check my phone. After I swipe up to unlock, I often have to move both the phone and my head around three or four times before I get it to unlock. It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, it usually works.
Hope this helps.
Jim

By Lielle ben simon on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Hi, i open my iPhone qwickly with Faice ID, you need to get practiss on this. I can give tip too you, when you open the phone locate the noes in the center of the screen, moove away from your faice and your iPhone will recognize you. Sometimes it's take too me i need too try several times untill that iPhone onlocked. but when it work it works well.

By Roxann Pollard on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Hello Jim D. Thanks for the suggestions. I am aware that security code entry is required on restart of the phone. I don't think I knew how many seconds the scanning is active. Thanks for the info.

By Jakob Rosin on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Here's how I use Face ID.
I have bothn, raise to wake and touch to wake, or whatever it is called, active. So the phones screen wakes up when I touch the screen or pick it up.
1. Lets say I just want to take a look at notifications. I'll pick up the phone and look at it. By the time it's at my face, it's already unlocked and I can read the notifications.
2. Lets say I want to actually use the device. I'll just pick up the phone, meanwhile already swiping from bottom. Also, immediately when my face has been detected, I am on my home.

By Justin on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Hi,
I disable all that nonsense about raising to wake and touch to wake. I just hit the power button, hold the X about a foot from my face, and boom! She's unlocked and ready to go!

By Roxann Pollard on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

I also have disabled the Touch to Wake. I found it irritating. I do have the Raise to Wake feature active however, and kind of like this choice because I don't need to press the power button. Most of the time Face ID isn't a problem. It's those times that, no matter what I do, something just seems to get jammed up and I'm forced into using the security code. this is when I get frustrated. Not so much of the code entry, but the security aspects of entrying the code, but only if someone is around that shouldn't hear such info. From what I understand, if I put the phone back to sleep and then wake it up again, this should start the facial recognition cycle over again and should solve my problem.

By Remy on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm starting to get used to the whole experience. I still prefer the ease of touch ID, and I do find the home button faster to use than swiping half way up to fimulate the same effect, but after disabling attention mode it's really helped. It's not that I couldn't use attention mode, but it's certainly easier without it. I also disabled raise to wake. it's a cool feature, but as I cary my phone in my front shirt pocket a lot, every time I got up or sat down it would turn on. I do like the tap to wake feature though.

By Ann Marie B on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

In reply to by Remy

Hi. I also upgraded from a 6S to the XR and found face ID frustrating at first. This is just one of those things you have to get used to. It takes practice and having attention mode turned off helps a great deal. It took me a week or so to get the hang of face ID.

I also have the same issue where I need to put the pass code. This happen once in a while. Has nothing to do with restarting the iPhone. I can be using the phone for a long time and sometimes I have to add the code. Using XX.

By Remy on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

Sometimes for whatever reason, the phone just doesn't recognize touch or face ID, and after a few attempts you need to input your code. I do find it comes up a little more on the X line though. Generally speaking though it seems to work pretty well. It's a little less stealthy to check your phone, but otherwise ...

By peter on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 04:40

There are a number of circumstances that required the passcode to be used rather than Face ID. These are enumerated at the Apple support page:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208108

As others have pointed out, the passcode is rquired if the phone is started, but it is also required if the passcode hasn't been used in a number of days and Face ID hasn't been used for some number of hours. Passcodes are also required if Face ID failed too many times. These are some of the security rules Apple put in place.

--Pete