Anyone else having problems with Face ID on their new XS? It only works well about 50 % of the time. The other 50% its either slow, takes a good 5-6 seconds of moving my face around to open, or it doesn't work at all. Ive reset it and did my face scans a second time out in the daylight and that didn't help. This thing sucks, I want fingerprint ID back.
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iPhone XS Max Face ID slow and inconsistent on XS Max
- Thread starter DexBell
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My Xs max is my first iphone I’ve had with faceid and honestly it’s worked far better than I ever thought it would. No issues in sunlight and sunglasses and no issues in the dark with a hat and hood.
Face ID, which was probably my biggest complaint of the X, is a marked improvement on my XS Max.
I've found it to work GREAT most of the time.. there are occasional times where it does seem to respond a little more slowly.
I also did have a problem where I would pick up my phone, it failed to read my face, I'd put in my pin and go on... but this happened 5 or 6 times and I ended up restarting my phone and doing face ID over again. I'm not sure why it started failing every time, but I haven't seen that occur again.
I also did have a problem where I would pick up my phone, it failed to read my face, I'd put in my pin and go on... but this happened 5 or 6 times and I ended up restarting my phone and doing face ID over again. I'm not sure why it started failing every time, but I haven't seen that occur again.
Mine works really well so far. I do prefer Touch ID for a lot of reasons but I can’t complain about the accuracy and speed on this phone so far.
I say “so far” because when I first got my X last winter it worked well, too, and then got pretty erratic.
I say “so far” because when I first got my X last winter it worked well, too, and then got pretty erratic.
This has been my experience as well. My first scan was on launch day back at my home after leaving the Apple Store (evening time) lights weren't so bright. So couple days later, I re did the scan at the office at work while under two bright florescent lights, and still have the same results. Sometimes more often than not, I'll get the screen/phone vibrate bouncy thing letting me know Face ID didn't work, while I'm holding the phone directly at my face.
Very fast and consistent for me (Xs). I came from and 8+. Mostly, by the time my thumb is in position to swipe up face ID has already unlocked the phone.
Definitely experienced the same behavior as well, which is odd, because ‘machine learning’ was supposed to make it better over time, not worse. We will see. I’m taking a long-term review approach with this advanced version of Face ID.
Well that phenomenon happened to me with Touch ID on phones up to and including iPhone 7 Plus. The authentication seemed to just fade out and needed to be redone for some reason. I’m mystified.
That doesn't help the OP.
One way to improve Face ID when you first set it up is to not hold the phone directly in front of your face at head height - lower it to your most comfortable position (say around stomach/chest height) where you'd typically want to unlock the phone as you take it out of your pocket or lift it off a table.
Have the face registration look at your face from below, if that's where you'll normally glance at it to unlock it.
Over time, Face ID will also improve itself, as it learns your face, but having the initial registration set up from a point of view you'll most commonly use to unlock it should help.
It's still won't be perfect as it's continually being refined, but I wouldn't give up on the phone too soon without giving Face ID as best a chance you can give it.
Thanks. I think this may be the issue. When you set it up, you automatically hold the phone up at the same height as your face out of instinct. Usually when you unlock it, you arent holding your phone up like that. Im going to try again holding it lower. Thanks
I have complained a lot about Apple abandoning Touch ID in favor of Face ID, professed it's inferiority without ever using it. Now that I've been using it for a week I can say my Face ID experience, which has been exclusively with the Max, has been astonishingly flawless.
Honestly it's so fast I don't even notice it. Apps fire it up and authenticate so fast I just barely catch the animation. When I lift to wake I can swipe up without any concern that Face ID will already have done its thing.
My buddy has a Max too, and he was at least as skeptical as I was about Face ID. Now we sit around and ask eachother what we were so worried about.
Honestly it's so fast I don't even notice it. Apps fire it up and authenticate so fast I just barely catch the animation. When I lift to wake I can swipe up without any concern that Face ID will already have done its thing.
My buddy has a Max too, and he was at least as skeptical as I was about Face ID. Now we sit around and ask eachother what we were so worried about.
Mine is working perfectly so far. I’m amazed. I was worried about leaving the Touch ID, but I’m pleasantly surprised how well and fast it works!
This is the thing, & it's great you're able to admit you got it wrong (kudos), but so many people are worried about change & often use forums like this to vent sans-educated opinion & then others who feel the same (but who also haven't used the device) jump in for the sake of it...it ends up making the place an illinformed mess - not great for those who are after measured & tried viewpoints.
There's a lot of noise on MacRumours & it's louder by those who are desperate to have their opinions heard. Up to others to recognise it & ignore it.
Based on the last sentence of the OPs post, I jumped the gun and took the post as another “I hate Face ID” thread instead of someone just being frustrated with it. My bad OP! Give it time to shine and you’ll forget all about Touch ID!
XS Max is my first experience with FaceID... and I have to say that I'm really impressed ... I've found it to be great. No problems at all...
