Apple Will Soon Offer Face ID Repairs Without Replacing the Entire iPhone - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Will Soon Offer Face ID Repairs Without Replacing the Entire iPhone

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will soon be able to repair Face ID on the iPhone XS and newer without having to replace the whole device, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source.

iphone 13 face id
Apple said authorized technicians will soon have access to a new TrueDepth Camera service part containing all Face ID and front camera modules, allowing for same-unit repairs. Apple said the move will help to reduce the number of whole-unit repairs completed, as part of the company's commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its products.

For customers, same-unit Face ID repairs could be more affordable than a whole-unit replacement, but the memo did not include pricing details.

Apple introduced Face ID on the iPhone X in 2017, but that device appears to be excluded from the new same-unit repair process for the TrueDepth system. The new service part will be available for the iPhone XS and newer.

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will be able to use the Apple Service Toolkit diagnostic tool to determine when to perform a same-unit Face ID repair instead of a whole-unit replacement or an "iPhone Rear System" repair. Apple said related documentation and training will be made available at a later date.

Popular Stories

dynamic island

Apple Still 'Far From' Full-Screen iPhone as Hidden Face ID Hits Snags

Tuesday March 24, 2026 7:15 am PDT by
Apple's progress toward under-display Face ID and a fully uninterrupted iPhone display is encountering ongoing challenges, with a new report indicating that the company is likely to focus on incremental reductions to the Dynamic Island rather than major front-facing design changes in the near term. A new post from Weibo user "Fixed Focus Digital" suggests that Apple's development of...
macworld iphone 18 pro colors

iPhone 18 Pro's Four Rumored Colors Revealed, Including 'Dark Cherry'

Friday April 17, 2026 3:50 am PDT by
A source said to be familiar with Apple's supply chain today revealed the color options Apple is planning for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the upcoming foldable iPhone. Image via Macworld. The information comes from Macworld, which says the signature new color for this year's Pro models will be Dark Cherry, a deep wine-like red. While other sources had previously reported on a...
macOS 27 on MacBook Pro

macOS 27 Will Mark the End of an Era

Saturday April 18, 2026 6:45 am PDT by
During its Platforms State of the Union segment at WWDC 2025, Apple revealed that macOS 26 Tahoe is the final major macOS version for Intel-based Macs. The upcoming macOS 27 release will be compatible with Apple silicon Macs only, meaning that you will need a Mac with an M-series chip or a MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip in order to install the software update. macOS 27 should be available...

Top Rated Comments

ProfessionalFan Avatar
54 months ago

Every person charged for a full phone replacement should be credited the difference -- they were told this isn't possible.
This will likely result in a class action lawsuit where some lawyer will make millions off it and each person will get 15 cents.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
54 months ago
Wowe thank you! My personal driver has been a Xs with the FaceID disabled ever since a water damage. Where I’m from, the whole phone replacement costs ~800$ so I’ve lived with this for about a year damn. High time.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
54 months ago

But but I’d opened it up and cleaned everything, the Face ID sensor was the only place that had taken water, there was zero water everywhere else. The phone’s been running perfectly fine too I wish I could just change the FaceID module for a fair price.
No manufacturer is going to replace components on a water damaged device since their is a high probability that other components will fail and the customer will blame the manufacturer. It would be a device replacement if you have accidental coverage.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sideshowuniqueuser Avatar
54 months ago

Wowe thank you! My personal driver has been a Xs with the FaceID disabled ever since a water damage. Where I’m from, the whole phone replacement costs ~800$ so I’ve lived with this for about a year damn. High time.
For a minute there, I was wondering, who has a personal driver, but still uses an XS, and can't afford to fix it?!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
54 months ago

Wowe thank you! My personal driver has been a Xs with the FaceID disabled ever since a water damage. Where I’m from, the whole phone replacement costs ~800$ so I’ve lived with this for about a year damn. High time.
Internal liquid damages still require a whole unit replacement, no modular repair.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sydnxt Avatar
54 months ago

Good news. I guess I didn't realize broken Face ID required a whole device replacement. Wonder why this wasn't the case to begin with?
They’re paired to the Logic Board when they’re produced, like MacBooks and TouchID. Before this there wasn’t a way to change just one of those parts, this was to prevent self repair. Maybe since they’re offering self service soon they’re becoming more lenient.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)