Apple can now fix Face ID on an iPhone without swapping the device out

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How to use Face ID on the iPhone X
How to use Face ID on the iPhone X (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple can now repair Face ID issues without swapping out an entire iPhone.
  • Face ID and front-facing camera hardware can be swapped out.
  • The new approach will save money and e-waste.

Apple can now fix Face ID problems by replacing specific parts rather than switching out the entire iPhone, according to a new report.

The move, which was expected following a similar recent report, is now in effect according to a MacRumors report. However, in a memo sent to employees, Apple says that the repair isn't available everywhere. In fact, there is a lengthy list of countries in which a device swap-out is still required should Face ID hardware fail.

Apple said that the new repair option is not available in Argentina, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad, and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The memo did not offer any timetable for when availability may expand to other countries.

It isn't immediately clear why that is the case or what kind of timescale is involved in bringing those countries online, unfortunately.

Being able to repair Face ID rather than give customers a whole new iPhone is a big deal in terms of cost and the potential environmental impact. Apple will now send Face ID and front-facing camera parts out to Apple Stores and authorized service providers to allow them to do the work in-store.

Those who require service should contact Apple or visit an Apple Store to get the ball rolling. None of this seems to apply to other Face ID devices such as the iPad Pro, at least for now.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.