iPhone Duo Troubleshooting Sensor Issues
Guided steps to help resolve issues
Troubleshooting ambient light sensor, True Tone, proximity sensor, or compass issues
Troubleshooting Apple Pay or Wallet issues
Troubleshooting accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, or GPS issues
Troubleshooting ambient light sensor, True Tone, proximity sensor, or compass issues
Identify issues
Read the relevant support articles if you notice any of the following issues:
Display doesn’t adjust to varying light environments while auto-brightness is on
Compass doesn’t function as expected
Screen stays on during a call when the iPhone is held to your ear
Screen immediately turns off when making a call
True Tone issues with display
Ultra Wideband alert message appears
Relevant support articles
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article, continue to the next section.
Try quick troubleshooting steps
Remove any third-party cases or screen protectors. Touch the screen with your finger pads, not your fingernails.
Clean the iPhone with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. For details on cleaning the display, review How to clean your nano-texture Apple display.
Important: Unplug all cables and turn off the iPhone first. Don’t use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Avoid getting moisture in any openings and don’t submerge the iPhone in any cleaning agents. Don’t use compressed air.
The accuracy of the compass may be affected by magnetic or environmental interference. Avoid proximity to sources of interference.
Run manual and diagnostic tests
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article or trying the quick troubleshooting steps, run these diagnostic and manual tests to help isolate the cause of the issue:
The proximity sensor detects when the iPhone is held to your ear and immediately turns off the display to save power and prevent unintended touches. To check the proximity sensor, answer a call on the affected iPhone. Then cover the top of the display. The display should turn off, and it should turn on again when you uncover the display. If it doesn’t turn off and on as expected, continue troubleshooting.
For compass issues, follow the instructions in Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch to ensure the Compass app is closed. Then restart the iPhone and open the Compass app again. The Compass app will ask to calibrate the compass again. Once calibration is finished, the compass will reappear. Retest for the original issue.
Open and inspect the iPhone
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following support articles or running diagnostics tests, refer to the iPhone repair manual to open and inspect the iPhone. A damaged or out-of-place part may be causing one of the issues.
Inspect all relevant internal flex cables and connectors for damage or tampering, such as a film or foreign material blocking a connector.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.
Replace the part
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following the previous steps, replace the following parts:
For ambient light sensor issues, replace the outer display, back glass, or inner display assembly, depending on diagnostic results. Each part contains a separate ambient light sensor.
For True Tone and proximity sensor issues, replace the outer display.
For compass and Ultra Wideband Alert issues, replace the inner display assembly.
After the repair is completed, turn on the device and verify that the display, ambient light sensors, proximity sensor, and compass are functional.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.
Troubleshooting Apple Pay or Wallet issues
Identify issues
Read the relevant support articles if you notice any of the following issues:
Can’t set up Apple Pay on device
Can’t make contactless payment using Apple Pay on device
Can’t use transit or student ID cards with Apple Pay
Can’t make in-app payment using Apple Pay on device
Apple Pay stopped functioning
Relevant support articles
Change or remove the payment cards that you use with Apple Pay
If you can’t add a card to Apple Wallet to use with Apple Pay
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article, continue to the next section.
Try quick troubleshooting steps
Verify that the payment card is eligible for Apple Pay.
Verify that the iPhone has internet access to complete Apple Pay setup. Note that internet access isn’t required for Apple Pay to work.
Remove and then add the same payment card to the device again to verify whether the issue is the card or the device.
Important: Enrollment and authentication for new Apple Pay cards can take several hours, depending on network conditions.
Restart the iPhone. If the iPhone doesn’t restart, try to force restart the iPhone.
Run manual and diagnostic tests
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article or trying the quick troubleshooting steps, run these manual and diagnostic tests to help isolate the cause of the issue:
Run the Mobile Resource Inspector (MRI) diagnostic suite. Check the following diagnostic results:
In the Apple Pay section, check the results of the Apple Pay Sensor Test.
In the System section, check the results of the Apple Pay Issue Alert check.
Both results should be checked green. If they aren’t, then review Replace the part.
Open and inspect the iPhone
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following support articles or running diagnostics tests, refer to the iPhone repair manual to open and inspect the iPhone. A damaged or out-of-place part may be causing one of the issues.
Inspect all relevant internal flex cables and connectors for damage or tampering, such as a film or foreign material blocking a connector.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.
Replace the part
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following the previous steps, replace the logic board or I/O board, depending on diagnostic results.
After the repair is completed, turn on the device and verify that Apple Pay is functional.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.
Troubleshooting accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, or GPS issues
Identify issues
Read the relevant support articles if you notice any of the following issues:
Screen doesn’t rotate when the device changes orientation, which indicates an accelerometer issue
Device doesn’t measure changes in elevation, like flights of stairs, correctly, indicating a barometer issue
Other issues with the accelerometer, gyroscope, or GPS
Relevant support articles
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article, continue to the next section.
Try quick troubleshooting steps
To test that the accelerometer can rotate the screen, take the following steps:
Open Control Center and check that the Portrait Orientation Lock is turned off. For details, review Rotate the screen on your iPhone or iPod touch.
Hold the iPhone in an upright position. Then rotate between portrait and landscape orientations. Note: Not all apps rotate. Some use only portrait or only landscape, or might switch depending on the content.
Try rotating the device, opening apps, and viewing media. Note whether the issue occurs during any of these actions.
For GPS issues, try turning Location Services and GPS on or off on the iPhone.
For other sensor issues, continue to the next section to run diagnostics.
Run manual and diagnostic tests
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article or trying the quick troubleshooting steps, run these diagnostic and manual tests to help isolate the cause of the issue:
Open and inspect the iPhone
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following support articles or running diagnostics tests, refer to the iPhone repair manual to open and inspect the iPhone. A damaged or out-of-place part may be causing one of the issues.
Inspect all relevant internal cables and connectors for damage or tampering, such as a film or foreign material blocking a connector.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.
Replace the part
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following the previous steps, replace the following parts.
For barometer issues, replace the main microphone.
For GPS, gyroscope, and accelerometer issues, replace the logic board or I/O board, depending on diagnostic results.
After the repair is completed, turn on the device and verify that the issue is resolved.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.