NY unemployment ID.me photo verification failing - can't upload my picture

I had the same issue last month. Try these steps: 1. Clear your browser cache completely 2. Use Chrome or Firefox (not Safari or Edge) 3. Make sure your photo is well-lit with NO shadows on your face 4. Hold your camera/phone perfectly still 5. Position your face in the center of the frame If all else fails, you can schedule a video call with an ID.me 'trusted referee' instead of using the automated system. Look for that option in small text at the bottom of the verification screen after a failed attempt.

same thing happened to me! the photo thing is garbage, kept saying my lighting was bad even tho i was in bright daylight. ended up having to do the video call thing

This is a common issue with ID.me that a lot of NYSDOL claimants face. The system is particularly sensitive to lighting conditions, background contrast, and even minor movements. Beyond the excellent suggestions already provided, ensure: - Your background is plain and contrasting with your face - You're using a recent version of your browser - Your camera has at least 2MP resolution - You're not wearing glasses (if possible) - No head coverings (unless for religious purposes) If you continue experiencing issues, the video verification is actually more reliable. Just be prepared with your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card.

After trying for DAYS with that horrible photo system, I finally got through to an actual NYSDOL agent using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this service where they connect you directly to an unemployment agent instead of waiting on hold forever. They showed me exactly what to do when the ID.me verification fails and got my claim processed even though I couldn't get the verification photos to work. Check out their video if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - saved me so much stress!

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM!!! The ID.me thing is GARBAGE!! I tried like 20 times with different phones, computers, lighting, EVERYTHING! Kept getting errors or timing out. SO FRUSTRATING!! And you can't get benefits until it works which is CRAZY because it's THEIR system that's broken not us!!!!

This happens to me every time I need to verify. The NY unemployment system really needs to fix this or find a different verification partner. I think sometimes the ID.me servers get overloaded when too many people are trying to verify at once. Try doing it very early morning (like 5am) or late at night when fewer people are on. That worked for me last time.

just use your iphone instead of android, worked first try for me

One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure your phone or computer's camera lens is clean. Even a small smudge can cause the facial recognition to fail. Use a microfiber cloth to clean it thoroughly before attempting again.

UPDATE: I finally got it working! For anyone with the same problem, here's what worked for me: 1. Cleaned my camera lens thoroughly 2. Used Chrome browser (not Safari) 3. Made sure I was in a room with bright, even lighting 4. Took off my glasses 5. Used a plain white wall as background It worked on the 2nd try after making these changes. Thanks everyone for your help! My claim is processing now.

Congratulations on getting it working! Your step-by-step solution is really helpful. I'm dealing with a similar issue right now and haven't tried cleaning my camera lens yet - that's such a simple thing but makes total sense. The ID.me verification process is definitely frustrating, but it's great to see the community helping each other out with practical solutions. Going to try your exact steps tonight!

I went through this nightmare too a few weeks ago! After failing the photo verification about 12 times, I discovered that the issue was actually my internet connection being too slow. ID.me needs a stable, fast connection to process the facial recognition properly. I switched from my WiFi to my phone's hotspot and it worked immediately. Also, make sure you're holding your device completely still - even tiny movements can cause it to fail. The system is way more sensitive than it should be, but once you figure out the right combination it usually works. Don't give up!