Facial recognition systems work by analyzing facial features from images or video to identify or verify individuals based on their unique characteristics. Initially, the system captures an image and detects a face using classification algorithms. Next, it extracts key features and creates a digital representation of the face, stored in a database. When comparing against a target image, the system processes and analyzes metrics like distance between facial landmarks and textures. The resulting data is then matched with the database to find potential matches, ensuring a robust identification process.