How to Set Up Face ID on iPhone 15

To set up Face ID on iPhone 15, open Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and tap Set Up Face ID. Hold the phone upright in front of your face, slowly move your head in a circle until the ring fills in, then do it a second time and tap Done. The whole thing takes about a minute, and Face ID starts working right away.

Applies to: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 27 (the steps are the same on iOS 17 through iOS 26). The steps follow Apple’s Use Face ID on your iPhone or iPad Pro page and its Set up Face ID on iPhone user guide.

Before you start

• A passcode is required. Face ID always has a passcode behind it as a backup. If your iPhone has no passcode yet, the Face ID & Passcode screen asks you to create one first. This is also why turning off the iPhone passcode switches Face ID off too.
• Update iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install anything waiting. Apple lists updating as the first fix for Face ID problems.
• Clear the TrueDepth camera. This is the camera and sensor area inside the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen. Wipe off smudges and make sure a case lip or screen protector doesn’t cover it.
• Pick good light and hold the phone at a comfortable distance. Apple suggests about 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm) from your face, in portrait orientation.
• Uncover your face. Your eyes, nose and mouth should be visible. Take off a mask and sunglasses for the main scan; you can add glasses and a mask afterward.

How to set up Face ID in Settings

1. Open Face ID settings. Open Settings, scroll down, and tap Face ID & Passcode. Enter your passcode when asked.
2. Start setup. Tap Set Up Face ID. If you see a Get Started button, tap it. A circular frame appears with your face from the front camera.
3. Do the first scan. Hold iPhone upright and center your face in the frame. Move your head slowly in a circle (up, around, down) so the green marks fill the whole ring. Keep the phone still and move your head, not the phone. If you can’t move your head easily, tap Accessibility Options to finish with a partial scan.
4. Do the second scan. Tap Continue and repeat the same slow circle. Two passes give Face ID a fuller map of your face.
5. Finish. Tap Done. You return to the Face ID & Passcode screen, where the button now reads Set Up an Alternate Appearance instead of Set Up Face ID. That change is your sign that the scan was saved.

Depending on your iOS version, setup may also offer to set up Face ID with a mask right after the scans. You can say yes now or turn it on later (see below).

Setting it up when you first activate the phone

The iPhone 15 setup assistant offers Face ID on its own screen. If you tapped Set Up Later in Settings back then, use the steps above. If you’re still going through activation, the Face ID screen works the same way; the rest of that process is covered in this walkthrough for setting up a new iPhone 15.

Choose what Face ID can unlock

On the Face ID & Passcode screen, the Use Face ID For section has a switch for each job:

• iPhone Unlock: wake the phone, look at it, and swipe up from the bottom.
• iTunes & App Store: approve downloads and purchases. You may be asked for your Apple Account password the first time.
• Wallet & Apple Pay: double-click the side button, glance at the screen, then hold the top of the phone near the reader. Here’s more on paying with Apple Pay on iPhone 15.
• Password AutoFill: fill saved passwords and passkeys in Safari and apps.
• Other Apps: tap to see banking, notes and other apps that have asked to use Face ID, and turn each one on or off.

In iOS 18 and later you can also protect a single app: touch and hold its icon, tap Require Face ID, and confirm. Apple explains the options on its Lock or hide an app page.

Add glasses, a mask, or an alternate appearance

Face ID with a Mask

iPhone 15 supports unlocking while you wear a face mask. On the Face ID & Passcode screen, turn on Face ID with a Mask, choose Use Face ID with a Mask, and follow the onscreen scan. This mode reads the area around your eyes, so it only works with the phone in portrait orientation, and your eyes must be clearly visible. Apple puts the chance of a random person unlocking the phone at less than 1 in 1,000,000 even with mask mode on, and it can unlock the phone, sign in to apps and approve Apple Pay.

Glasses

If you wear glasses, tap Add Glasses and scan while wearing them. Apple lets you add up to four pairs. Sunglasses aren’t supported for mask mode, and some sunglasses block the infrared light Face ID uses even for the regular scan.

Alternate appearance

Face ID adjusts on its own to small changes like makeup or a growing beard. For a look that is very different (for example, work safety glasses or heavy stage makeup), tap Set Up an Alternate Appearance and repeat the two scans. You get one alternate appearance. Some people use it for a partner, but anyone you add can unlock the phone and approve purchases, so only do that for someone you’d also give your passcode.

Attention settings

Two switches on the same screen control whether Face ID checks that you’re actually looking at the phone:

• Require Attention for Face ID: Face ID only works when your eyes are open and looking at the screen. Leave it on unless you have a reason not to. People who can’t easily look at the screen can turn it off (it’s also under Settings > Accessibility > Face ID & Attention), at the cost of some security.
• Attention Aware Features: the phone keeps the display awake and lowers alert volume while you’re looking at it. If that bothers you, here’s how to turn off Attention Aware features.

How Face ID works with Stolen Device Protection

Stolen Device Protection (iOS 17.3 and later) depends on Face ID, so set Face ID up first. Turn it on in Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection; it also needs two-factor authentication, Significant Locations and Find My.

When it’s on and your iPhone is away from familiar places such as home or work, some actions accept only Face ID, with no passcode fallback (using saved passwords, for example). Bigger changes, including adding or removing Face ID, changing your passcode, or changing your Apple Account password, require Face ID, then a one-hour security delay, then Face ID again. So if you plan to reset Face ID or add an alternate appearance while traveling, expect that wait. Details are on Apple’s About Stolen Device Protection page.

Check that Face ID works

1. Press the side button to lock the phone.
2. Press it again (or raise the phone) and look at the screen. The padlock icon at the top opens.
3. Swipe up from the bottom edge. You land on the Home Screen without typing a passcode.

Try it once in landscape too: iPhone 15 can unlock sideways (not in mask mode). It’s normal for the phone to ask for your passcode more often during the first few days while Face ID learns your face.

If Face ID setup or unlocking fails

• Setup keeps asking you to reposition: hold the phone at eye level, 10 to 20 inches away, and move your head more slowly.
• Face ID isn’t offered for a task: check the matching switch under Use Face ID For.
• Works sometimes, fails outdoors: strong sunlight behind you or sunglasses can cause failures. Try facing the light or removing sunglasses.
• Something covers the camera: remove the case or screen protector to test, then wipe the top of the screen.
• Still failing: restart the phone (here’s how to force restart an iPhone 15 if it’s frozen), enter your passcode, and try again. Then tap Reset Face ID and set it up from scratch.
• Setup never gets past positioning your face, or the camera doesn’t work: that can point to a TrueDepth camera hardware problem. Apple’s Face ID troubleshooting page recommends service by a trained technician.

Why iPhone still asks for your passcode

Face ID is designed to step aside in certain situations, so a passcode prompt doesn’t mean setup failed. According to Apple’s security documentation, the passcode is required when: Face ID still relies on your passcode after restarts, so this is a good moment to pick a stronger iPhone passcode as well.

• the phone was just turned on or restarted,
• it hasn’t been unlocked for more than 48 hours,
• the passcode hasn’t been used to unlock it in the last 156 hours (six and a half days),
• there were five failed Face ID attempts,
• you opened the power off or Emergency SOS screen with a button press and then canceled, or
• it received a remote lock command through Find My.

Updating iOS and viewing passcode settings also always need the passcode.

Reset or turn off Face ID

To start over, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and tap Reset Face ID. This deletes your face data (and any alternate appearance) from the phone. To keep Face ID set up but stop using it for one task, just turn off that switch under Use Face ID For.

Before you sell or trade in the phone, Apple recommends turning off Stolen Device Protection and then erasing the device, which also removes all Face ID data. These steps to wipe an iPhone 15 cover the erase.

Frequently asked questions

Where is my face data stored?

Only on the iPhone itself. Apple says Face ID data is encrypted with a key available only to the Secure Enclave, never leaves the device, and is never backed up to iCloud. Apps that use Face ID get a yes or no answer, not your face data.

Can a twin or my child unlock my phone?

Possibly. Apple puts the odds of a random person unlocking your iPhone at less than 1 in 1,000,000, but the chance is higher for twins and siblings who look like you and for children under 13. If that worries you, rely on the passcode for sensitive tasks.

Does Face ID work in the dark?

Yes. The TrueDepth camera uses infrared light, so Face ID is designed to work in total darkness as well as indoors and outdoors.

How do I quickly stop Face ID from unlocking the phone?

Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power off slider appears, then tap Cancel. Your passcode is now required for the next unlock.

How long does setup take?

About a minute for the two scans, plus a minute or two each if you add glasses, a mask, or an alternate appearance.

Once Face ID is set up, a good next step is turning on Stolen Device Protection, since it gives your passcode a backup layer if someone ever watches you type it.