My iPad is unlocking w/o Face ID engaging or PIN… (Pro 12.9 2021 15.4.1)

[SebCohen]

So I’ve been having some strange behaviour lately after the recent update with unlocking my iPad.

- Sometimes I swipe up and “nothing” happens. The white bar is there, but when I swipe up to unlock, it goes to the same lockscreen background and white bar isn’t there anymore. FaceID doesn’t engage, nor does keyboard. Notifications are there and I’m able to engage them. Then shutting off screen doing the same again, same result. Sometimes the white bar is there, sometimes not.

- One or two times, I’ve been able to push Google mail notification and it opens up. Going back then goes to Home Screen.

- Several times I’ve been able to swipe up and it goes straight to Home Screen. This is while holding the iPad in my lap so FaceID is angled away from my face. FaceID doesn’t engage, neither does pin unlock pop up.

- The lock symbol doesn’t show it locked, unlocked or the animation when this happens.

- Sometimes everything just sort of stalls and goes nowhere.

A possible explanation could be that the FaceID has identified me before I unlock, but that would mean it was scanning my face while screen was off and I hadn’t pushed any buttons. Which it shouldn’t, right?

 

[MrSky]

Once you open the cover of your ipad, FaceID will start to look for your face and auto unlock if it matches.

If you have no cover, once you tap on the black screen, FaceID will start to look for your face and auto unlock if it matches. no swiping needed. you only need to swipe if it could not detect your face after your first tap.

You can also first try to disable FaceID and use pin only. this way you will know when it will ask for your pin. Then you can reset your FaceID and test that.

 

[SebCohen]

Once you open the cover of your ipad, FaceID will start to look for your face and auto unlock if it matches.

If you have no cover, once you tap on the black screen, FaceID will start to look for your face and auto unlock if it matches. no swiping needed. you only need to swipe if it could not detect your face after your first tap.

You can also first try to disable FaceID and use pin only. this way you will know when it will ask for your pin. Then you can reset your FaceID and test that.

But the behaviour has changed, it didn’t do this before. But it doesn’t show the unlocked symbol even, which it should in any case.

 

[papbot]

But the behaviour has changed, it didn’t do this before. But it doesn’t show the unlocked symbol even, which it should in any case.

When I tap on the screen of my ipad it immediately unlocks with the lock icon opening(Face ID), then I have to swipe up to go to my Home Screen or it will lock again. Normally for me since I use a keyboard I just have to tap a key and then tap again to get to the Home Screen. Even if it’s sitting in your lap or a bit off to one side the camera will see your face and unlock. I have the same iPad Pro 2021 12.9 on 15.4.1. I would assume you’ve restarted the device but you could do a forced restart - volume up, volume down, and then press and hold the power button until the Apple logo comes up. That might clear away a temporary glitch.