---
id: face-recognition-models
version: "0.3.0"
license: MIT license
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# face_recognition_models — Models used by the face_recognition package.

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 132.3K/mo

## What it is and what it does

This package is a model repository—it bundles pre-trained neural network weights for face detection, recognition, and encoding tasks. It exists as a dependency for the face_recognition library and is not meant to be used standalone; you install it to get the trained models that face_recognition needs to operate. The models were created by Davis King and are distributed in the public domain or under CC0 1.0 Universal.

The package itself contains no code logic, only data files. Installation requires downloading large model artifacts, which creates significant friction. The project is abandoned and has not been updated since 2017, with the last commit in late 2022 likely being a minor maintenance action. The declared Python support (2.6 through 3.6) is obsolete, and whether it works with modern Python versions is unclear.

Use it for:

- Satisfy the model dependency when installing face_recognition for facial detection and recognition tasks
- Provide pre-trained weights for face encoding in computer vision pipelines
- Bundle models for deployment of face recognition applications without requiring separate model downloads

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Provides pre-trained deep learning models for face detection, recognition, and encoding used by the face_recognition package.

No, unless you are explicitly required by face_recognition as a dependency. The package is abandoned, its Python version claims are obsolete, and installation is friction-heavy due to large model files. If you need facial recognition, evaluate whether face_recognition itself is still maintained and whether its current dependencies have been updated; this package will likely be pulled in automatically if needed, but do not install it directly.

## Install

pip install face-recognition-models
uv add face-recognition-models
poetry add face-recognition-models

## Installing face_recognition_models

Before you install: High install friction due to large model files. Package is abandoned—last release was 2017-09-28 and last commit 2022-12-26. Classifiers declare support for Python 2.6 through 3.6, which are all end-of-life; actual compatibility with modern Python versions is unverified.

License in practice: Licensed under MIT (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with attribution. Models themselves are in the public domain or CC0 1.0 Universal per the description, so licensing constraints are minimal.

Quickstart:

pip install face-recognition-models==0.3.0
# Models are data files only; typically imported indirectly via face_recognition

Large model file downloads create significant installation time and disk space requirements.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package actually works with Python versions beyond 3.6 despite classifier claims
- Current size and download time for the bundled model files
- Whether models are compatible with current versions of dependencies

## Package facts

- License: MIT license (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 132.3K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

face recognition models, pre-trained face detection, facial encoding models, face recognition deep learning, face models download, face detection neural networks, facial recognition weights, face-recognition, pre-trained-models, abandoned

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/face-recognition-models) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/face-recognition-models/)