I really hate Face ID

I have to say, I’m surprised at how many responses this post has gotten. I’m still frustrated by Face ID, but I guess it is a decent compromise to have an edge to edge screen on the phone. I still wish they can do something about the camera blocking. Multiple cameras at the top and bottom? I don’t know, I hope they’re working on something.

I used to struggle with the sunglasses as well and was able to fix this by toggling the setting that says Touch ID requires attention.

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I do agree, Touch ID had a better track record of unlocking first try, but I still think it’s so cool that I can unlock my phone by just looking at it.

That being said, @jcarucci, I’m curious if you tried turning off the attention setting as previously suggested to get around the sunglass issue. And if you have, has that been any better for you?

I did turn it off, but still get random failures. I have transition lenses so I’m not really checking if my glasses are dark when it fails. I do remember this morning I was in the office, I looked at the phone and my glasses were definitely clear. It still required me to enter my passcode.

I think the main problem with Face ID vs Touch ID is that touch was a physical process. You could tell if you were on the button or slightly off or maybe your fingers were wet, etc. Face ID is totally invisible so you really have no way of adjusting what might be wrong as you could with Touch ID failures.

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OK Stupid question here, Since I always have my devices in sheep resistant cases is it still possible to totally disable both touch and face id on newer iOS devices? I must use the pass code due to the case issues. Although it would be fun to see what Face-ID did with trying to learn a sheep face. :laughing:

Sheep can recognize about 150 faces, human or sheep. Wonder if that is in the works for FaceID eventually for “family” devices.

You can turn it off for everything or just for device unlock. :smile:

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Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I also really hate face ID and would much prefer a fingerprint scanner.

Face ID, apart from generally just deciding not to work and asking for your password at the most inconvenient moments, has problems with the following:

  • If you wear glasses and take them off
  • If you don’t wear glasses and put them on.
  • If you wear a hat
  • If there is bright light behind you
  • If it’s too dark.
  • If you squint because it’s extremely bright

Fingerprint works in all these contexts without any issues.

I want my fingerprint scanner back.

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You might want to try setting Face ID up again from scratch. I use it in all of the scenarios you mentioned—no glasses, “good” glasses, prescription safety glasses, and two pairs of sunglasses; hats of all shapes and sizes or none at all; indoors, outdoors, sunlight, nighttime, in bed, etc—and never have an issue unless I’m not looking directly at the phone.

Touch ID, on the other hand, would routinely fail if I’d been working in the shop (sawdust on my fingers or simply a slightly altered fingerprint due to using sandpaper or whatnot) or had my phone in a sandwich bag to protect it from water and dust, etc.

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Both systems have issues with different sets of difficult circumstances and (I think) both are infinitely better than trying to use a good/strong passcode each time. I do wish that the (at least) Pro phones would have both.

Likewise, with contacts or with glasses, even sunglasses, no issues. Hat or no hat, no issues. Bright or dim light, you got it, no issues.

But sweaty, wet, or dirty fingers saw Touch ID regularly fail.

Given the choice of only one, I’ll take Face ID over Touch ID anytime.

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I’d try a reset as well, but I’m increasingly accepting some are just unlucky with the same tech that works well for me.

I wouldn’t mind if both methods were supported so long as the components were cheap and didn’t compromise the design (I would really not want the big lower bezel and button to return.)

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I love Face ID and wouldn’t buy a device without it. In fact, I won’t buy Apples next high-end display unless it has built-in Face ID. I use a mechanical keyboard that doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor, and it would be so much easier to have a 5K+ Apple display with built-in Face ID.

Edited: Sorry, didn’t mean to reply to cornchip’s post, it was meant for the whole thread. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Fwiw, the iPhone SE 2022 is a very capable device, with a chipset from the 13, and TOUCH ID.

As somebody who enjoys the luxury of also owning an iPad, I find the SE (I have the 2020) quite sufficient, and I very much enjoy the super light weight.

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This is exactly my experience as well.

I could not stand an iPhone without Face ID. I am very pleased with it. No issues at all. :person_shrugging:

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Those with hats, have you tried a full-brimmed hat? Those don’t seem to work for me.

I just tried and had no issue with a ball cap, wide brimmed hat, ski cap.

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Perhaps it doesn’t keep anyone out of your phone? :rofl:

How about these?

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FaceID is like iCloud. It works fine for some people and not for others. I’m tempted to toss my iPhone out of my car at least once a week.

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I set my Mother up with a new iPhone recently and she absolutely hates Face ID and says “it doesn’t work”, and yet I’ve rarely had a problem with it and cannot figure out what “she’s doing wrong”. I had wondered whether it was not having her glasses on sometimes, but this thread makes me think that isn’t the issue. Of course, it works fine whenever I observe her to see what the issue is :roll_eyes:

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