Hot Air Guns are commonly used for desoldering/soldering in Face ID repair. However, the operation of a hot air gun is difficult and it can easily bring damage to components. And that’s why REWA LAB brings you this brand-new Heating Platform. Specially designed for Face ID repair, the heating platform can heat Face ID parts evenly and efficiently with simple operation.

Function

1. Supports motherboard Separation & lamination for iPhone X/XS/XS Max/11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max2. Preheats the Truedepth Camera System Module and Earpiece Flex Cable to repair Separate Front Camera & Infrared Camera Separate the glass on the Dot Projector Swap the Flood illuminator, Proximity sensor, and Ambient light sensor to a new flex cable 3. For iPhone 11 series USB Module repair(Featured Product - iFace Dot Projector Detector for Face ID Repair)Best choice repair tools for face ID not working

For more product demonstrations, click on the video below

Due to the vulnerability of the Face ID parts, it can be easily damaged when the phone is dropped or during screen replacement. And that’s what our blog is about today. iPhone X Face ID Not Available caused by broken flex cable of the Face ID parts. This is also a reminder. Please be careful in your daily use of the phone!

How Does Face ID Work

With user’s face closing to the screen, the proximity sensor starts the recognition process. The flood illuminater helps the TrueDepth camera system determine how much illumination will be needed for face recognition. 

The dot projector projects over 30,000 dots in a known pattern onto the user’s face. Those dots are then photographed by infrared camera for analysis.

A 3D map of user’s face are then completed. The 3D model is then compared against the stored template. The phone authenticates the identity and unlocks or authorizes a payment.

Step 1 Test

Press the power button to turn on the phone. The iPhone X shows an alert that says it is ‘unable to activate Face ID on this iPhone’.

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Reset Face ID. When trying to set up Face ID on the iPhone X, we get the message 'Face ID is Not Available, try setting up Face ID later'.Judging by this, Face ID relevant circuit has probably malfunctioned. We need to check components on Face ID relevant circuit.

Step 2 Diagnose

Take apart the phone and disconnect the battery. We can see that the infrared camera module flex cable is broken. So the fault is probably caused by malfunction of the infrared camera.

Remove the Face ID parts. We can see clearly that the infrared camera module flex cable is broken.

Step 3 Troubleshoot

Fix the infrared camera module flex cable with High-temperature Tape. Then scrap off insulating varnish on the cable with the Sculpture Knife.

Notes: control the force applied when scrapping. The flex cable might be further damaged during the operation.As we all know, the Face ID parts cannot be replaced. So we need to treat the broken flex cable with jumper wiring.

Step 4 Jump-wiring

Continue to apply Paste Flux to the broken flex cable. Then heat with the Soldering Iron and tin the broken flex cable with solder paste. Once done, clean with PCB Cleaner.

Again, apply Paste Flux to the broken flex cable. Here we need the Enameled Copper Wire of 0.02mm in diameter. Heat up with the Soldering Iron and solder the two ends of the wire to the two pins of the broken cable.

Once done, cut off the excess wire with Sculpture Knife.Notes: keep the soldering iron tip away from pins of undamaged cables to prevent these pins from getting shorted.Once completed, check again to make sure that there is no shorted pin or pseudo soldering condition. Clean thoroughly with PCB Cleaner afterwards.

Step 6 Solidify

Once done, apply some UV Curable Solder Mask to the jumper wiring area for insulation protection.

Continue to solidify the flex cable under the UV Dryer Lamp. Stick High-temperature Tape/Solder Joint Sticker on the jumper wiring area to reinforce.

Step 7 Test

Next, let’s assemble the phone and test. Get the Face ID parts and the display assembly installed and the battery connected. Press the power button to turn on the phone. The phone turns on normally.

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Reset Face ID. Face ID can be set up successfully. The screen can be unlocked automatically.

Tools & Parts Needed

Hot Air Gun Rework Station

Integrated Mobile Phone Repair Platform

iPhone Disassembling Tool Kits

Electron Microscope

You can also visit REWA YouTube Channel to check our video and learn how to fix iPhone X Face ID not available efficiently.

iPhone 12 has been released for a while. Many users claimed that Face ID sometimes is not working. So how to fix iPhone 12 Face ID not working issue? Let’s bring you detailed instructions.

If "Face ID is not available" appears on your screen, try restarting your device. In the event that there is an updated version, please update after backing up important data.

1. Check to ensure that the TrueDepth camera is not blocked by any object

Make sure the mobile phone case or screen protector does not block the TrueDepth camera on the iPhone or iPad. Also, check if there is any residue or dirt.

2. Make sure your face is not covered

Ensure the TrueDepth camera can fully scan your eyes, nose and mouth. If your mouth is blocked by an object such as a mask, the Face ID will not be used normally. On the condition that you wear a mask, the system will automatically ask you to enter your password.

3, Make sure you are facing the TrueDepth camera:

The Face ID can only be used properly on the iPhone when you are facing the in the right way. On the iPad, you can use the Face ID when the iPad is in any screen direction mode.

4. Reset the Face ID or add an alternative appearance

Go to "Settings" - "Face ID and Password". Enter the password and then tap "Set Up an Alternate Appearance".

In these cases, you need to manually enter your password:

Your face is covered by a mask or something else

The device just turned on or restarted;

The device is in a locked state for more than 48 hours;

Haven’t used the password to unlock the device in the past six days, and haven’t unlocked with Face ID in the past 4 hours;

The device received a remote lock order;

The facial matching attempt failed five times;

Press and hold any volume buttons and side buttons for 2 seconds to shut down / launch SOS emergency contact.

The above is the introduction to the iPhone 12 Face ID not working solution. Hope it can help everyone!

Today we will share a repair case on how to repair iPhone X Face ID not working.

The phone used to keep restarting. After testing, it was found that the earpiece flex cable was faulty. We replaced it with a new earpiece flex cable. The restarting problem was fixed but Face ID was not working and True Tone disappeared. This is because Face ID needs dot projector, infrared camera and floodlight illuminator to work together. The three parts are encrypted separately, so each part is indispensable. Both damage and replacement will result in the Face ID not working. The dot projector and infrared camera can be fixed if damaged. Because its data is bound to the motherboard, the floodlight illuminator on the earpiece flex cable can’t be repaired if damaged. Since the floodlight illuminator is in the earpiece flex cable, the data is hard to read.

If the Face ID is not working because the earpiece flex cable has been replaced or damaged, there is no way to repair it. But recently this type of problem has a solution and the original flex cable is no longer needed.

In the first place, we need to jailbreak the iPhone. Connect the phone with the computer. Open the software and click “Start”. The phone is in recovery mode automatically. Put the phone into DFU mode manually. The jailbreaking has succeeded.

Then connect the phone to J-BOX. Connect the J-BOX to the computer. Select “Face”. Begin reading data. We can see that the data of the distance sensor and ambient light sensor don’t  match the data on the motherboard. It can be confirmed that the earpiece flex cable has been replaced, which resulted in the Face ID not working.

Open the JCID Repair Assistant. Click “Detect” and unlock automatically.

Then we use V1S to write the data. Connect V1S and phone to the computer. Get a new JC earpiece flex cable. Attach the earpiece flex cable to V1S.

Open the JCID Repair Assistant again. Click “Connect” and start testing.

Click “Activate FPC”. Bind the flex cable to the phone.

Next, we only need to install the new flex cable with written data.
Disassemble the phone and disconnect the flex cables. Remove the display assembly and detach the earpiece flex cable. Install the new earpiece flex cable. Connect the display assembly. Assemble the phone. Turn on the phone to test. True Tone has been restored. Face ID can be set up and is working normally.

Some people may come across such problems when using the iPhone with Face ID - iPhone continues to prompt "Move a Little Lower/Higher". But no matter how you move, you can’t reset the Face ID. You can try the following methods to solve the problem:

1. Restart your device

iPhone X and later model restart method: please press the side button and any volume button until the slider is displayed, then slide the slider to shut down; then press the side button until the Apple logo appears.

If it is a problem with software or temporary system failure, it is generally resolved after reboot.

2. Take off the film or check if there is dirt

Please check if there is a stain or occlusion near the front camera, and clean it with a lift.

3. Check if the device is water damaged

If the device has touched or fallen into the water before the problem occurs, it may cause the Face ID not working. Please bring your device to Apple after-sales.

Understand if the iPhone is water damaged by the indicator:

Most iPhones are equipped with an LCI that can be seen from the outside. The LCI can tell if the device is not exposed to a liquid or aqueous liquid. Normally, the indicator should be white or silver. But after contacting the water or aqueous liquid, it will become red.

To determine if the LCI of your device touches the liquid, you can refer to the following picture to help you see the LCI. Please use the lamp magnifying glass, adjust the angle of the light or device until you can see LCI.

4. Update the system

If the device is not accidentally water damaged, you can try to update the system to the latest version. If the problem is still unable to resolve, you should send your device for repair in no time.

If you don't want the content recorded in the iPhone's memo to be easily viewed by others, you can set a password for the memo or unlock the memo through face ID.

Notes before use:

1. It is recommended to create a password that is easy to remember and set a password prompt for yourself. Make sure you can remember the password, otherwise you may not be able to view the locked memo.

2. If you access your iCloud memo on multiple Apple devices, you will use the same memo password to lock and unlock all memos.

3.Enabling Face ID or Touch ID as a memo password will add the encryption key used to the encryption memo to your key chain, which can be accessed through your device password. This means that anyone who has your device lock screen password can access your lock memo. To maximize security, you can choose not to enable Face ID or Touch ID as a memo password.

Set the memo password and set the Face ID unlock:

1. Open the memo to be locked, tap "Operation" button or "..." button in the upper right corner, then tap "Lock Memo".

2. Enter your password and be sure to set your password prompt for yourself. At this point, you can choose to access the locked memo through the Face ID and tap "Finish" to save.

If you have already set a password, you need to change your password or set it. You can go to the iPhone "Settings" - "Memo" to make changes.

After locking the memo, it will automatically be protected by the password on all your devices. If you use a Face ID or Touch ID on other devices to unlock a memo, you must enter a password. Then enable the Face ID or Touch ID on the device used.

Recently we got many messages about Face ID not available after screen replacement from our clients, which surprised our technicians greatly. Since the screen replacing would not affect face ID function at all according to our practical verification. However, REWA has done some further researches and will share you the detailed analysis and solution for iPhone X face ID failure caused by damage of flex cable after repair here.

How does face ID work?

First, let’s understand how face ID works. The whole functional area is dubbed the “TrueDepth camera system”, which is made up of flood illuminator, infrared camera, front camera, dot projector, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, speaker and microphone. Speaking of which, have you read iPhone 8/X Ambient Light Sensor Issues ? Every time you glance at your iPhone X, the flood illuminator detects your face with infrared light and forms an image. Then the dot projector will project out over 30,000 invisible infrared dots over your face to create a 3D map. Last, the infrared camera reads this map and sends the data to neural networks to create a mathematical model of your face. Your iPhone X will check that mathematical model against the one that you've set up and stored on your device to see if it's a match, and if it is, it will unlock your phone.

How do we repair?

According to the description, this iPhone X was dropped once. However, the face ID is in normal status. It fails to work until a replacement of screen assembly. With all the knowledge, we begin our repair.

Power on the phone and it shows “unable to activate Face ID on this iPhone” . So we resort to resetting face ID. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Reset Face ID. We get the message “Face ID is Not Available, try setting up Face ID later” . Our initial judgment is that the unavailable Face ID might be caused by misoperation in the screen replacing process. Therefore, next thing we do is to check flex cables that are related to Face ID.

Disassemble the phone. And check the Infrared camera and dot projector module under Microscope first. Nothing goes wrong. Then move to the Flood illuminator module on the earpiece speaker assembly. Check the connector and flex cables carefully. Still, nothing goes wrong.

Then remove screws. And detach the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly from the phone. Be careful not to damage flex cables in the process since the Flood illuminator module is bonded to glass lens with double-sided tape. We can see clearly that the flex cable where locates the Flood illuminator module is fractured at the edge.

Since the Flood illuminator module is an essential part for Face ID circuit, damage of the flex cable can result in not working of it, which can absolutely affect normal working of Face ID. Also, as flex cable repair is difficult, we can solder the Flood illuminator module to a new flex cable. To replace with a new flex cable, we need to separate the earpiece speaker and the ambient light sensor module from the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly first. Heating with Soldering Iron, the ear speaker was separated successfully. Then, secure the flex cable in the place with High-Temperature Protective Tape for further separating the ambient light sensor module flex cable. Soldering Iron and Hot Air Gun are required to remove this flex cable. Once done, remove excess tins on the flex cable with Soldering Iron and clean with PCB Cleaner.

Now the fractured flex cable is separated completely. Next thing we do is to replace with a new flex cable. Remove the Flood illuminator module on the flex cable first. Prepare a new flex cable. Apply some Paste Flux to the bonding pad. Align the Flood illuminator module in place with the new flex cable. Be careful with the direction. Then solder with Hot Air Gun. Remove residual glue on the module afterward.

The repair part is almost over right the moment. Next thing we need to do is to re-solder the ambient light sensor module and earpiece speaker. However, the soldering of the ambient light sensor is the most difficult part of this repair. Whatever, let’s do it. Apply some Paste Flux to the bonding pad of ambient light sensor module. Then apply tins to the bonding pad with Soldering Iron . Clean with PCB Cleaner. Apply some Paste Flux to the bonding pad again. Get the detached ambient light sensor module flex cable in position. Secure the flex cable with one specific position soldered by Soldering Iron with curved nozzle first. Then use Soldering Iron with cutter nozzle to complete the remaining soldering process. Clean with PCB Cleaner afterwards. Now we need to solder the earpiece speaker back to flex cable.

It’s time to get the earpiece speaker and front sensor assembly assembled to the display assembly. Re-assemble the phone and test. Press power button to power on. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Set up Face ID . Face ID can be set up successfully. Press the power button to lock the screen. Press the power button again. The screen lights up. Glance at the iPhone X. The screen can be unlocked automatically. Fault cleared.

questions about iPhone X Face ID Not Working After Repairing Tutorial, welcome to comment below or ask a question on ASK Forums .

Click below if you are interested in the Tools & Spare Parts used in the video. For more details and latest price please feel free to contact sales@rewatechnology.com

* Integrated Mobile Phone Repair Platform

* Tri-wing Screwdriver - Type 2

* Straight Tweezer - Type 3

* 4x Optical Microscope - KS7045

* PCB Cleaner - 250ml

* BGA Strip Flux Soldering Paste

* Anti-static Plastic Pry Bar

* Heat-resisting Adhesive Tape - 5.0mm

* 100g Solder Wire - Type 1

* iPhone X Replacement Parts

Visit REWA  online shop  for more parts and tools.

I wanna learn basic knowledge about iPhone motherboard, master iPhone micro-soldering techniques, understand the work-flow of different iPhone circuits, master troubleshooting processes of different iPhone issues, and learn detailed screen/back glass refurbishing steps——You can visit REWA Academy.

As we all know, iPhone X and later models can easily come with Face ID failure after being dropped or water damaged. However, it should also be noted that improper operation during daily repair might also bring damage to Face ID relevant components and therefore result in Face ID not working failure. Today REWA LAB will show you how to repair iPhone 11 Pro Max Face ID issues.

Problem

When trying to set up Face ID on the iPhone, we get the message 'Face ID is Not Available, try setting up Face ID later'. Start the Camera app and select Portrait in the bottom bar, then switch to the front camera. When the camera detects a person's face, the name of the lighting effect ‘Natural Light’ stays the same and there is also no flashing red light from the Dot Projector.

Diagnosis

Let's check the Face ID parts first. We found the earpiece speaker and sensor flex cable are normal. The dot projector flex cable, the infrared camera flex cable, and the front camera flex cable also haven’t been damaged. The next step we should check the motherboard. Run diode mode measurement of the earpiece speaker and sensor connector, and the dot projector connector. The measured value is normal. Continue measuring the infrared camera connector. Judging by the measured value, the Pin 8 relevant circuit has open-circuited. The normal value should be 260 or so. Outputted from PMU, the 1.8V voltage reaches Pin 8 of the infrared camera connector by way of the inductor circled in red on the bitmap. Next, we just need to check the relevant components of the rail. We found the inductor is damaged.  Our initial judgment is that when replacing the screen, the improper operation of our client during flex cable disconnecting accidentally damaged the inductor.

Troubleshooting 

Remove black adhesive around the inductor firstly. Apply some medium-temp solder paste to the bonding pad. Then, tin the bonding pad with solder paste with the help of the Soldering Iron at 365℃. Once done, clean with PCB Cleaner. Continue to apply some rosin to the bonding pad and get a zero-ohm resistor in the right position. Solder with Hot Air Gun, then Clean with PCB Cleaner afterward. Run diode mode measurement of Pin 8 on the infrared camera connector. The measured value is 257, which is normal.

Reassemble and Test

Get the logic board assembled and buckle the display assembly. The name of the lighting effect ‘Natural Light’ turns yellow when the camera detects a person's face. There is also a flashing red light from the Dot Projector. Next, continue to set up Face ID. Fault cleared.

Tools Used

Tweezers

Soldering Station & Material Set

Digital Multimeter

Organic Hydrogen

Rosin

Medium-Temperature Solder Paste

Hot Air Gun

Visit our online shop for more parts and tools.You can also visit REWA YouTube Channel to check our video.

iPhone X is the first model with the Face ID function. In the traditional model, the authentication method called "Touch ID" is adopted, but the "Face ID" is unlocked by turning your face steering screen. Here, we will show how to set it and how to solve some face id not working problems.

How to set Face ID on the iPhone X?

I want to set up Face ID and unlock it, but I don't know how to set it! This article will tell you how to set the Face ID for this kind of iPhone user.

How to set a face ID on iPhone X

[1] Select "Settings" → "Face ID and Password".

[2]Click "Set the Face ID".

[3] Hold the device vertically, then place the "face" in front of your phone, then tap "Start".

[4] Make sure your face is on the center of the frame, and then moves slowly with circumferential motion. If you can't move your head, click "Assist Features Options".

[5] After the first scan, click "Continue" and repeat the same operation.

[6] Click "Complete" to complete the settings.

Unable to set up Face ID on iPhone X ... What is the reason?

First, make sure your TrueDepth camera and face are not covered by anything. Also make sure your device is portrait, and your face is facing the screen. If you still can’t set up, check the update and restart.

How do I set up Face ID on iPhone XR?

Since the operation is the same as the above iPhone X / XS, the figure is omitted.

[1] Open in the order of "Settings" → "Face ID and Password".

[2] Click "Set the Facial ID (Settings)".

[3] Hold the equipment vertically, so that your face is in front of the phone, then click "Start".

[4] Move the face to the center of the picture, and then move slowly with circumference. If you can't move your head, click "Assist Features Options".

[5] After the first scan is completed, click "Continue" and then perform the same operation again.

[6] Click "Complete" to complete the settings.

I can't use a human face ID registrar information ...

What should I do if I can't register facial information? And can you register your face ID even if you wear glasses? People wearing glasses are particularly worried.

I can't use a human face ID to register your face information! Is this in the camera?

If there is not fully registered facial information, it may be a TRUEDEPTH camera failure. If a fault occurs, you need to repair it, so bring it to the Apple Store or transport store.

[Reference] Apple Support Official Website:

https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service

If you wear glasses, can you recognize the face ID?

If you don't wear glasses, you can use the Face ID when you certify. If you do not get authentication in the state of the glasses, you will be registered with the state of the glasses and the state of glasses. Set - Open "Face ID and Path Code", enter the path code, click " Set another look. " Afterward, please follow the steps.

An error message appears on the FACE ID?

Although the facial information has been registered on the face ID, an error message can be displayed without recognition. Let's take a look at this time.

When setting the FACE ID, a message "Moves the iPhone slightly"

When this message is displayed, let's change the lighting environment. If it is too bright or too dark, it may not be able to successfully identify. In addition, protect paper is not recognized and cannot be identified, so let's try to make a protective film at a time. If there is no improvement, please restart.

"Attack measures" When "currently cannot use"

First, let's check and restart the update. If it is also unreliable, reset the facial ID and register the facial information again. If this is not improved, it may fail, so please contact Apple support or bring it to the Apple Store.

"When this iPhone can't activate the Face ID"

This problem seems to have occurred after the application is updated. If you cannot use it after restarting the device, you may need to fix or replace it.

Today, REWA LAB will walk you through a detailed explanation of three dot projector repair solutions and show you the three most popular dot projector repair tools in the industry. Which one is the best choice for repair shops? You will get the answer you want from this blog.

Diagnosis

The fault is face ID not working - move iPhone a little lower/higher. Here we will introduce three different repair tools to fix the problem, which include JC, LUBAN, and I2C.

Inspection

Firstly, we need to connect the dot projector flex cable with the three repair programmers directly. Then we will know immediately whether the dot projector flex cable is normal or not.

Notes: the JCID programmer requires official authorization.

Burn Data

The repair solution of JC and I2C is to burn data of the original dot projector flex cable onto a new dot projector flex cable.

While the repair solution of LUBAN is complicated.First of all, we need to put the phone into recovery mode. The following step is to connect the repair programmer to computer. Then we need to pearl unbind the encryption chip on the original dot projector module from the phone with the help of the software. The next step is to replace the original encryption chip and the capacitor on the module. And then pearl blind the new encryption chip to the phone.

Dot Projector Flex Cable

A grinding tool is needed in this step for the three repair solutions. So firstly, we need to grind the bottom bracket of the dot projector flex cable. Then we should separate the crystal from the flex cable carefully with a pry knife. The following step is to take out the dot projector flex cable carefully and continue to take down the MOSFET with the pry knife. After that, we also need to connect Pin 2 and Pin 3 of the MOSFET by jumping a wire.

Dot Projector Repair

With JC and I2C, all we need to do is to solder the dot projector module onto a new dot projector flex cable. While for LUBAN, this can be really difficult. In addition to the whole MOSFET thing, we also need to replace the encryption chip and the capacitor on the dot projector module. And before replacing the encryption chip with a new one, we have to solder a connecting FPC. What’s more, if the connecting FPC hasn’t been soldered well, you might get stuck in pseudo soldering or bridging. Once the encryption chip and the capacitor have been soldered properly, we need to put the phone into recovery mode. After that, we can connect the repair programmer to computer. Then we also should pearl bind the encryption chip to the phone with the help of the software.

Test

We can test by connecting the dot projector flex cable with the repair programmer. Once we have confirmed that the dot projector flex cable has been fixed. The following step is to glue the crystal to the dot project flex cable carefully. After that, we can assemble the phone and test. We can see face ID setup can be completed successfully.

Conclusion

Visit our online shop for more parts and tools.You can also visit REWA YouTube Channel to check our video.