Book a Repair
(571) 456-3050

Open 7 days · 11am-8pm

Face ID repair

Face ID Repair

  • Face ID restored
  • Your data kept
  • Original sensor reused
  • $65 diagnostic

When your iPhone says "Face ID is not available" and nobody will fix it but replace the phone, that's usually a hardware fault in the TrueDepth flex. We microsolder it back to life.

The short answer

Yes, Face ID can usually be repaired without replacing your phone. When you see "Face ID is not available," it is typically a torn TrueDepth flex from a screen swap or water damage. We microsolder your original flood illuminator and dot projector onto a good flex and program your serial back in, so your data stays put.

Face ID Repair, board-level repair at WeFixed

Face ID runs on a chain of tiny components Apple cryptographically pairs to your logic board: the flood illuminator, dot projector, and IR camera, all riding on hair-thin TrueDepth flex cables. When one of those flexes tears, often during a botched screen replacement, or corrodes from a single drop of water, Face ID dies and no software reset brings it back. Apple and the carriers won't repair the part; they'll only swap your whole phone, because the components are locked to your specific device. We do the work they won't: under a microscope, we transfer the original sensor or chip onto a known-good flex and program your phone's own serial back in, so Face ID, your data, and your device all stay intact.

Face ID fix: WeFixed vs Apple/Carrier

AspectWeFixedApple/Carrier
ApproachMicrosolder original flexSwap whole phone
Keeps your dataYesNo
Original sensorReusedDiscarded
Diagnostic$65 writtenNot offered
Warranty1 year OEMDevice trade-in

Apple locks TrueDepth parts to your board, so they replace the device instead of repairing the flex.

Signs of a board-level fault

  • "Face ID is not available" or "Unable to activate Face ID" appears in Settings
  • Face ID stopped working right after a screen replacement or DIY screen swap
  • "Move iPhone a little lower / higher" loops forever and never completes setup
  • Face ID failed after the phone got wet, even from a single splash or sweat
  • Attention Aware features, Animoji, and the front camera's Portrait mode quit working too
  • Apple, your carrier, or another shop quoted a full phone replacement instead of a repair

Honest by default

Every board starts with a $65 diagnostic and a written report, exact cost and timeline before we touch it. The fee applies toward your repair.

Good to know

Questions, answered.

Why did Face ID stop working after I replaced my screen?
The TrueDepth sensors connect to the logic board through extremely thin flex cables that run behind the display. During a screen swap they're easy to tear or pinch, sometimes without any visible damage. Once that flex is compromised, the flood illuminator or dot projector can't talk to the Secure Enclave and Face ID shuts off. We diagnose the exact break and microsolder the original component onto a fresh flex.
Why won't Apple just fix the Face ID part instead of replacing my phone?
Apple cryptographically pairs the flood illuminator, dot projector, and IR camera to your device's processor, so they can't be swapped with off-the-shelf parts. Rather than do board-level repair, Apple and the carriers replace the entire phone. We keep your original sensor and program your phone's own serial number onto the replacement flex, which restores Face ID without trading in your device.
Can Face ID really be repaired, or is it a lost cause?
In most cases it's absolutely repairable. As long as the flood illuminator, dot projector, and IR camera themselves aren't destroyed, we can desolder them from the damaged flex and resolder them onto a good one, then transfer the serial data. The repair fails only in the handful of cases where the sensor or selfie camera itself is physically dead, which we tell you upfront after the diagnostic.
What does the $65 diagnostic cover?
Our $65 written diagnostic includes putting your phone under the microscope, testing the flood illuminator and dot projector with dedicated readers, and pinpointing whether it's a torn flex, water corrosion, or a dead sensor. You get an honest written assessment and a firm price before any soldering happens, and the $65 applies toward your repair if you move forward.
Do I have to live in Arlington to use you?
No. You can walk into our Arlington, VA lab, or use our tracked mail-in service from any of the 50 states. Either way you get the same board-level work, the same written diagnostic, and the same warranty. Mail-in customers ship the phone in, we diagnose and quote, and you approve before we proceed.
Is the Face ID repair guaranteed?
Yes. Board-level repairs like TrueDepth flex work are backed by our 1-year warranty on OEM and OLED parts, and 1 month on aftermarket parts. If a covered repair doesn't hold, bring it back or mail it in and we'll make it right.

Why this needs microsoldering, not a parts swap

Face ID can't be fixed by plugging in a new module, because the TrueDepth sensors are married to your specific logic board. Restoring it means working at the board level: lifting the original flood illuminator or dot projector off its torn flex under a microscope, soldering it onto a known-good flex, and programming your phone's own serial data back onto it so the Secure Enclave accepts it again. It's painstaking, high-magnification work that most shops and Apple simply don't offer, which is exactly why people end up being told to buy a new phone. We've built our lab around this kind of repair. Whether you walk into Arlington or mail your phone in tracked from anywhere in the country, it starts with a $65 written diagnostic that applies toward the repair, and covered work is backed by our warranty.

11 years, board-level specialists Arlington, VA lab + mail-in nationwide OEM 1-yr · aftermarket 1-mo warranty
Book a Face ID repair Mail in your device (571) 456-3050
0+ yrs Board-level, in Arlington
0 min Typical quote back
0 states Tracked mail-in
5 Read Google reviews
Instant estimate

Get your repair price now

Get a real, upfront price on most common repairs in a few taps. For board-level work or anything trickier, leave a request and a technician confirms your exact quote.

Select your device
Call Track Book Repair