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rstark18

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 18, 2009
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Not sure when this was added as I haven't reentered my Face ID setting since first setting it up. I had to reload to a backup because of my phone not wanting to load any updates from the app store. After going back in and setting up Face ID, I noticed there is now an option to add an Alternate Face ID. Has anyone had experience with re-adding their own face a second time to make Face ID more accurate? I did it and it seems better but it could certainly be a placebo.
 
Maybe not working better, maybe a bit less picky?

Total WAG here, but recall reading an article a year or two ago about security researchers found that Touch ID becomes a bit less secure as the number of finger prints registered goes up. From what I recall, can summarize it as something similar to a rounding error due to number of datapoints involved and the conversion of them to a numerical representation. Still was 1 in tens of thousands chance of random finger unlocking, but became a bit less secure.

Maybe something similar going on re: scans going on, and slightly getting different results and masters to compare to?
 
I registered my alternate face right after waking up in the morning without glasses and squinting a bit. This was previously the condition where I seemed to have the most problems with FaceID, and now it seems a lot better.
 
I registered my alternate face right after waking up in the morning without glasses and squinting.

First in with "you're looking at it wrong".

On serious note, since eye region is part of the scan, can see where things get off on squint vs not: ratios of the face get thrown off, maybe?
 
I always just assumed it was just to have another person, such as a family member. Be able to unlock your phone without entering a pin.
 
I registered my alternate face right after waking up in the morning without glasses and squinting a bit. This was previously the condition where I seemed to have the most problems with FaceID, and now it seems a lot better.
You could‘ve also just simply enter your passcode when it fails while trying to hold the phone steady so it rescans and adds the face to your data mode.

That‘s what I did during the first week with my X, make all kinds of faces and do various failed scans while eating or drinking. FaceID does now only fail when the sun is in the background, it doesn‘t fail for squinting or yawning anymore.
 
But does it work better putting your own face in twice?
No. If Face ID fails to recognise you it learns after you enter your passcode. Alternate Face is better used for your own appearance that is very different sometimes or for another person you trust to have access to your phone.
 
But does it work better putting your own face in twice?
Yes and no—it depends!

If you mean adding your face a second time without some change—no!

If you mean a second time but this time with glasses or a hat or something—yes!

I added my second face when in bed since Face ID had problems recognizing me in bed and now my phone unlocks even better than before.
 
You could‘ve also just simply enter your passcode when it fails while trying to hold the phone steady so it rescans and adds the face to your data mode.

That‘s what I did during the first week with my X, make all kinds of faces and do various failed scans while eating or drinking. FaceID does now only fail when the sun is in the background, it doesn‘t fail for squinting or yawning anymore.
I did this for a while, but it didn't seem to help even a little. Updating to iOS 12 alone seemed to massively help FaceID performance under these poor conditions (low light, puffy just-woke-up-face, squinty eyes), but adding an alternate face seemed to make it even better.
 
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