The given solutions, workarounds and recommendations in this content are standard procedures offered by the device manufacturer that are used to troubleshoot and resolve an existing problem on the GS5 device.
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| What if it won't work? |
Covered in the first part are methods to deal with a problem on the Galaxy S5, in which the user is unable to unlock the device using face unlock. If you too are experiencing the same problem, then I suggest you keep on reading and try any of the possible resolution methods introduced in this page, especially the ones you haven't done yet. Nevertheless, we are not really forcing you to follow or try our offered solutions. That being said, the final decision will still be yours to make.
So let's get started.
To make the problem more specific, we'll put it this way. You are unable to unlock your device using Face unlock and that you are getting an error prompt saying, "Maximum Face Unlock attempts exceeded," and then your device prompts you to "Blink Now."
What is this prompt indicates and how to deal with it?
The aforesaid error prompt indicates that your device is somehow unable to recognize your face while you're attempting to unlock it with this method. This could likely be due to the lightning that is too bright or too dim. In some cases, the device won't be able to recognize the details of your face because you don't hold it at eye level, or your face is not aligned within the facial recognition area. It's also possible that you did not blink or maybe an eye-wear is not recognized. Or it could simply because the front-facing camera view is blocked or obstructed.
To ensure the problem is not due to any of the aforesaid possible causes, make sure you have checked everything. Here are the first recommended workarounds provided by the manufacturer to deal with this issue.
1. Verify and ensure you are in a well-lit area while attempting to use face unlock. Please note that the device camera may not be able to recognize your face input if the surrounding is dim or overly bright.
2. Verify and ensure there are no barriers or obstructions to the front-facing camera area and make sure it's clean. Try to take off the case or cover if you're using any.
3. Remove any eye-wear (if there's any), hats, masks, and the like. These things may obstruct the view of your face and so the camera won't be able to recognize your face.
If you get the same exact message that says, "Maximum Face Unlock attempts exceeded," then you will need to enter your alternate unlock PIN to unlock your device and gain access to it. Once you've accessed the device using your alternate unlock PIN, you can change or set up a Face unlock again.
4. Also make sure you are holding the device at eye level and that you are looking directly at the device while on the Face Unlock screen.
5. Be sure to align your face within the empty space and please don't hold the device close to your face. Holding it close to your face will prevent the camera from detecting your face to unlock the device.
6. Hold the device still until your device recognizes your face and it unlocks.
Important Notes:
If you have activated or enabled the Presence check on the device, you will be prompted ti Blink now after your face is detected. Doing so will prevent someone from holding up a photograph to unlock your device. So just do as it says.
For security purposes, enabling Presence check feature is highly recommended when using Face Unlock as your device unlock method. Here's how to enable this feature on your Galaxy S5:
Note: Face Unlock must be the selected first or set as current lock method on the device for you to enable and use Presence check.
1. Tap on Menu from the Home screen.
2. Select Settings.
3. Tap on My Device.
4. Select Lock screen.
5. Tap on Presence check to enable or turn the feature ON.
If you still can't unlock your device using Face Unlock after performing all the aforementioned workarounds, then try to use another unlock method instead. Usually, you will be prompted to enter your alternate password after several unlock attempts you've made using Face unlock. Just be sure to enter the correct PIN for you to access your device and then edit device unlock settings/options.
And that will cover everything in this troubleshooting guide. More about device unlock problems will be tackled in our next posts, so please stay tuned.