4 Pro Tips to Maximize the Accuracy of Face ID on iPhone X

Face ID Not Recognized Face ID Failure Credit: Halfpoint / Shutterstock
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While it appears most would agree iPhone X’s Face ID has been effective and unproblematic, others unfortunately appear to have struggled with a wide range of issues which have prevented them from getting the most effective and accurate response.

While Apple has promised before that Face ID will only improve with time via routine software updates, iPhone X users who’re still experiencing issues with the effectiveness and accuracy of their Face ID systems don’t technically have to sit around and wait for the updates to start rolling in.

Thankfully, our good friends over at 9to5Mac have drummed up a shortlist of no-nonsense methods which may help improve your experience using Face ID now.

4 Just Start Over

One sure-fire method of boosting Face ID’s accuracy is to erase and re-register your face, making sure to consider certain attributes like lighting, environment, and what kind of accessories you’re wearing at the time of registration.

iPhone X users who occasionally wear glasses — but not all the time — might consider registering their Face with glasses on. Several users over on the Reddit forum have confirmed, providing anecdotal accounts, that the mechanism appears to work best when wearing glasses — though it works just as well, if not better, without them, too.

Some users have insisted that registering faces in the dark may be more effective than registering in a well-lit environment, which could be attributed to the TrueDepth camera’s VCSEL infrared laser system. Infrared works effectively in both light and dark places, however registering in the dark might provide a more detailed image capable of standing the test of various lighting conditions.

3 Move iPhone X While You’re Scanning

Since the Face ID mechanism is reliant on a 3D “mesh-mapped” image of the user’s face, it could be inferred that moving the device around a bit while attempting to scan your face might provide a more well-rounded image to compare against your original registration.

There’s no hard evidence supporting this theory, but 9to5Mac’s Ben Loveioy pointed out, citing his personal experiences, that simply lifting and/or lowering iPhone X during an attempted scan appeared to help the mechanism respond more aptly.

2 Toggle off ‘Require Attention’

For iPhone X, Apple baked in an added security feature dubbed ‘Require Attention’, which is enabled by default. In essence, this feature stipulates the user’s need to be looking directly into their iPhone X so that the VCSEL laser may scan their face accurately.

Requires Attention is also instated to prevent other, uninvited users from potentially being able to unlock your device using their face — such as when you’re sleeping for example.

Since most users will seldom if ever have to worry about their iPhone X being unlocked against their will, 9to5Mac points out that disabling the Requires Attention feature may be worthwhile. To toggle this setting on/off and experiment for yourself, head on over to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Require Attention for Face ID on your iPhone X and toggle on/off, accordingly.

1 Mind Your Distance

Some Reddit users claim that Face ID tends to offer mixed results based on the proximity of their iPhone X relative to their face during scanning. Though Face ID has an apparent tendency to fail when iPhone X is held too far away, “It seems more likely to fail if you hold it too close.”

“The biggest [variable] I’ve seen mentioned is the distance from your face. Which solved about 95% of the failed attempts I have as it was too close.” Try pulling iPhone X in closer, and/or pulling it out a bit, during your scan to try and achieve better results.

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