Apple Will No Longer Replace iPhone Xs for Face ID Repairs

Apple can now fix Face ID issues on the iPhone X without replacing the whole device.

A recent MacRumors report said that Apple had expanded its Face ID Repair Program to allow customers with iPhone Xs to get their phone's Face ID system repaired without replacing their entire phone.

The iPhone X was previously excluded from the program last month. However, a shift in the company added the iPhone X to the lineup.

Apple Service Program iPhone X Inclusion

According to MacRumors' and 9to5Mac's report, Apple sent an internal memo to Apple Stores and authorized service providers that it would be including the iPhone X in its Face ID repair program.

The Cupertino-based company also confirmed in its memo that it would now provide tools to repair the Face ID and the iPhone X without replacing the entire phone.

The Verge also reported that Apple decided to include the iPhone X in its program because of its recent shift to provide Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers access to a TrueDepth Camera service that consists of Face ID and front camera modules.

The inclusion will allow stores and authorized providers to perform same-unit repairs when a phone suffers from Face ID issues instead of replacing the whole device, per a separate article from The Verge. Phones covered include the 2017 and 2018 iPhone X and iPhone XS.

Aside from not outright replacing a phone, the inclusion also means iPhone X users who would like to have their phone's Face ID repaired will no longer have to worry about backing up their phone or paying for a replacement under AppleCare+.

According to Macworld, Apple may charge customers for a replacement phone for screen damage ($29), other damages ($99), and theft or loss ($149).

Apple previously replaced phones with a like-new refurbished one since there was no way to fix just the Face ID module due to security reasons, 9to5Mac reported.

iPhone X Face ID Issue History

The problem seems to have begun after iPhone X users updated their devices to iOS 13, 14, or 15. Apple previously confirmed there was a problem with the iPhone X's Face ID, which was supposedly rooted in the phone's rear camera.

BGR.com noted that fixing the rear camera was "an unlikely solution" due to it having nothing to do with the phone's Face ID.

Filmora mentioned that the phone's Face ID might not work in certain situations, such as when the phone was recently switched on or restarted, or when the phone wasn't unlocked for long periods (4 hours after 6 and a half days; if the phone wasn't unlocked after 48 hours), or when a user's face doesn't match the phone's records five times.

Apple and other publications did post solutions to the problem, but there may be some iPhone Xs that have defective Face IDs bad enough to necessitate an outright replacement.