Face ID is a fragile system. Not because Apple made it poorly, but because it contains several tiny components that must work in strict synchronization. Drop your phone, and one of them might shift, crack, or break. Let's figure out exactly what breaks and if anything can be done independently.
Why Face ID is vulnerable to impacts
The notch at the top (or the Dynamic Island on the 14th, 15th, and 16th series) houses an entire unit: an infrared emitter, proximity sensor, dot projector, and TrueDepth camera. They all work together to build a 3D facial map using thousands of dots. If even a single component shifts or a flex cable breaks, Face ID throws an error or refuses to turn on entirely.
We often see this scenario: the phone is dropped, the screen is intact, everything looks fine on the outside, but Face ID is dead. This is precisely the case when the impact hit the internal components rather than the glass.
What actually breaks
The causes vary, and it's important to understand which one applies to you.
- Broken or pinched TrueDepth flex cable. The most common story. Upon impact, the cable disconnects from the connector or cracks, cutting off communication between components.
- Displacement or damage to the dot projector. It projects an infrared grid onto the face—if it shifts, the pattern gets distorted and the system stops recognizing faces.
- Damage to the infrared camera. Less common, but it happens.
- Motherboard issue. If the impact was heavy, micro-contacts might detach—in that case, even replacing the unit won't fix Face ID.
There is an important nuance to understand: Face ID is strictly tied to the motherboard. You cannot just replace the TrueDepth unit by buying a part on the market—the system simply won't activate. This is not a bug, it's Apple's policy: each component is paired individually to its specific device. Therefore, Face ID repair always involves working with the original unit or micro-soldering.
From our practice
An iPhone 13 was brought in—it dropped from a height of about a meter onto hallway tiles. The screen was intact, not a single scratch. But upon turning it on, instead of unlocking, the error "Face ID is not available" appeared. Diagnostics showed that the TrueDepth flex cable had partially detached from the connector upon impact. Carefully snapping the cable back into place was enough—everything worked. The client left in 40 minutes.
Another case—an iPhone 12 Pro, also dropped, also undamaged on the outside. But the problem there was more serious: the dot projector itself inside the unit was cracked. It couldn't be restored—only replacing the original unit through an authorized channel. A few days and a noticeable investment. But Face ID returned completely.
What you can do yourself
Honestly—not much.
- Restart your phone. Sometimes after a drop, the system freezes, and a simple reboot helps. Rarely, but it happens.
- Check if the area at the top of the screen is clogged. Dust and small debris can interfere with the infrared sensor—gently blow it out.
- Reset Face ID and set it up again: Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Reset Face ID, then add your face again.
That is all within your power without taking the phone apart. If none of these steps helped—the issue is internal, and it's not worth diving in without experience. The risk of damaging flex cables or tearing off contacts is higher than it seems.
When to see a technician immediately
Don't delay your visit if:
- Face ID doesn't turn on at all or constantly displays "Face ID is not available"
- The phone noticeably heated up or vibrated after the drop
- Along with Face ID, other functions stopped working—the proximity sensor fails, or the screen doesn't turn off during a call
- Rebooting and resetting yielded no results
The longer the phone operates with a damaged flex cable, the higher the chance that the contacts will finally oxidize or break—and a simple task will turn into a complex one. Come to iClub at Kommunisticheskaya, 35 — diagnostics are free, and we will tell you right away what broke and how much the repair will cost.