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If Pixel 4 Face Unlock stops working, first check that it is set up under Settings > Security > Face Unlock. Then try again in suitable light, with your face uncovered, the phone upright about 40 cm away, and the top edge of the screen clean. If it still fails, re-enroll your face; use your PIN, pattern, or password to unlock the phone in the meantime.

1. Confirm Face Unlock is enabled and set up

Google lists Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL as Face Unlock-capable phones. Open Settings > Security > Face Unlock and enter your screen-lock PIN, pattern, or password if prompted. Check that Face Unlock is configured for unlocking the phone. Google’s Face Unlock help includes Pixel 4 setup guidance.

If you need to enroll again, tap Set up Face Unlock, accept the prompts, fit your face in the frame, then slowly point your nose toward the blue tiles as instructed on screen. If the Face Unlock setting is missing or setup will not complete, continue through the checks below; symptoms alone do not identify a specific failed component.

2. Check your face, lighting, and phone position

  • Remove a face covering and dark sunglasses for the unlock attempt.
  • In a dim area, move somewhere with enough light. In bright direct sunlight, try a shaded spot.
  • Hold the phone vertically, directly in front of your face, at about 40 cm away.

These are Google’s recommended conditions for Face Unlock. See Google’s troubleshooting guidance.

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3. Wipe the top edge of the screen

Use a soft, dry cloth to gently clean the top edge of the display, where the face-unlock sensors are located. Smudges may interfere with the attempt, but cleaning cannot repair a malfunctioning sensor or guarantee that setup will succeed.

4. Delete and re-enroll your face after an appearance change

If your appearance has changed significantly, remove the saved face data in Settings > Security > Face Unlock, then set up Face Unlock again. You will need the phone’s screen-lock credential. During setup, Google recommends choosing a typical outfit and location, including glasses or a head covering you commonly wear, and having enough light.

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5. Unlock with your screen-lock credential when needed

Face Unlock does not replace your PIN, pattern, or password. Google notes that the phone may sometimes require that credential instead for additional security. If face recognition does not unlock the phone, swipe up on the lock screen and enter your credential.

6. Know when to seek service

Google describes Pixel 4 Face Unlock as using multiple sensors. Soli can proactively activate the face-unlock sensors as you reach for the phone, as explained in Google’s 2019 Pixel 4 announcement. That role does not establish that Soli—or any particular sensor—is the cause when Face Unlock fails, and Google does not provide a consumer symptom-to-component diagnostic procedure in the cited guidance.

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If the Face Unlock setting is absent, enrollment repeatedly fails, the feature remains unusable after the checks above, or the phone is damaged, contact Google support or an authorized service provider. Google’s repair options page describes service routes generally, but eligibility, parts, and availability for Pixel 4 depend on location and are not established by that general page. Google’s Pixel 4 safety manual says, “Don’t attempt to repair your phone yourself,” and advises contacting customer service for a phone that is not working properly or has been damaged: Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Safety & Regulatory Manual.

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Does a software update fix Pixel 4 Face Unlock?

Google’s cited user guidance does not identify a particular software update as a fix for Face Unlock that has stopped working. Historical support information is not a diagnosis: Google’s 2019 announcement described three years of monthly security updates, while a 2025 Google Pixel Community expert answer says Pixel 4 XL last received a security update in October 2022. That statement concerns Pixel 4 XL and does not show that an update caused a specific Face Unlock failure. Google’s 2019 announcement · 2025 Pixel Community answer.

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