iPhone · TrueDepth
iPhone Face ID Repair
Face ID stopped working and Apple told you to replace the phone. We don't replace the phone — we repair the sensor.
Your iPhone's TrueDepth system — the dot projector and flood illuminator behind that notch or Dynamic Island — is serial-paired to the Secure Enclave on your logic board. That's why a brand-new Face ID module won't work: the board only trusts the original sensor it was paired with at the factory. Bolting in a new part gets you nothing but "Face ID is not available." Restoring it means lifting your original dot projector or flood illuminator off the damaged flex, microsoldering it onto a new flex under a stereo microscope, and re-programming the serial so the Secure Enclave recognizes it again. This is board-level work most shops won't touch — and it's our signature repair.
When you need a face id repair
- "Face ID is not available" — setup fails or the feature vanishes entirely after a drop, water exposure, or a prior repair
- Face ID died right after a screen swap — the front sensor flex was torn or disturbed when the display came off
- The "Move iPhone lower" / "higher" loop that never completes, no matter how you hold the phone
- "Set Up Face ID" won't finish — the circle won't complete or the phone says it can't activate the TrueDepth camera
- Intermittent Face ID — it works some mornings, fails others, often pointing to a cracked solder joint or marginal flex
- Attention detection fails — Face ID unlocks but won't confirm you're looking, or fails in the dark when the flood illuminator is the culprit
Honest by default
Every device starts with a $65 diagnostic and a written report — exact cost and timeline before we touch it. The fee applies toward your repair.
Final cost depends on which sensor failed — a flood illuminator transfer and a dot projector (Romeo) transfer carry different complexity — and on how cleanly the original sensor lifts off the damaged flex. Water-damaged or previously-opened phones can add work. Every job starts with a $65 written diagnostic, and that $65 applies toward your repair if you move forward. No surprise charges, no upsell.
Our face id repair process
Diagnose flood illuminator vs. dot projector
Not every Face ID failure is the same part. We test the system end to end to isolate whether the flood illuminator (the IR floodlight, often the failure point after water or a screen swap) or the dot projector (Romeo) is at fault — and confirm whether the flex, the sensor, or a board-side fault is the real cause. You get a written diagnostic before any work begins.
Microsolder your original sensor to a new flex
Because the sensor is serial-paired, we keep yours. Under a stereo microscope we desolder the original dot projector or flood illuminator from its damaged flex, clean it, and microsolder it onto a known-good replacement flex — microscopic joints, no shortcuts. This is the exact step Apple and carrier stores skip by handing you a new phone.
Re-program the serial to the Secure Enclave
Hardware alone isn't enough. We re-write the original serial data so the Secure Enclave recognizes the restored sensor as the one it was paired with from the factory — clearing the "Face ID is not available" lock that a plain part swap can never resolve.
Validate Face ID end to end
We enroll a face, test unlock in bright and dark conditions, verify attention detection, and confirm the "move lower" loop is gone. If it doesn't pass a full real-world enrollment, it doesn't leave the lab.
Why does Apple tell me to replace the whole phone for Face ID?
Because Apple's repair model doesn't do board-level work. The TrueDepth sensor is serial-paired to your Secure Enclave, and Apple won't lift and re-pair the original sensor — so their only answer is a whole-device swap. We do the microsoldering they won't: we restore your original sensor and re-program the serial, so you keep your phone.
Can you fix Face ID after a screen replacement broke it?
Usually, yes. When a display comes off, it's easy to tear or disturb the front sensor flex that carries the flood illuminator and dot projector. If the sensor itself survived, we transfer it to a fresh flex and re-pair it. If the prior shop damaged the actual sensor, we'll tell you honestly in the diagnostic.
Will my data be safe during the repair?
Yes. We work on the hardware and re-program only the sensor's serial pairing — we never touch your personal data, and we never sell or share it. Your photos, messages, and accounts stay yours. We still recommend a backup before any repair, as best practice.
How long does a Face ID repair take?
It depends on the failure and on which sensor needs transferring, since microsoldering and re-pairing are precise, unrushed work. We give you a realistic timeline with your written diagnostic. Mailing in from out of state? We track it both ways across all 50 states.
What's the success rate — is it guaranteed?
We're honest about this: most Face ID failures are recoverable, but not all. If the sensor itself is physically destroyed — crushed, severely water-corroded, or burned — no amount of microsoldering brings it back, because it can't be re-paired. The diagnostic tells you which case you're in before you commit a dollar to the repair.
Is the Face ID repair under warranty?
Yes. Our board-level repairs are backed by our standard warranty — 1 year on OEM/OLED parts and 1 month on aftermarket. We'll spell out exactly what's covered when you pick up or receive your phone.
Why WeFixed for Face ID
TrueDepth microsoldering is the exact work Apple and carrier stores won't do — they replace the phone because they can't lift and re-pair the original sensor. We've spent 11 years as board-level and microsoldering specialists doing precisely that. From our Clarendon lab in Arlington, VA, we diagnose flood illuminator versus dot projector failures, transfer your serial-paired sensor onto a new flex by hand, and re-program the Secure Enclave so Face ID actually works again. One lab, real specialists, honest answers — walk in or mail in from any of the 50 states.