Tech

Apple’s Face ID can now recognize you in a Mask

About damn time.

words by: Sahar Khraibani

Mar 6, 2022

Pulling down your mask to unlock your phone is a thing of the past, now Face ID with a mask is coming to the iPhone and this time it’s for real. If you’ve ever tried to use Face ID with a mask to use Apple Pay or unlock your iPhone before iOS 15.4, you know it was a waste of time. With your face half-covered, Face ID won’t identify you, so you’ll have to manually input your lock screen code or pull your mask down beneath your mouth.

An Apple Watch workaround was offered in an iOS update last spring, but if you didn’t own one of Apple’s smartwatches, you were out of luck. That is, until now.

With iOS 15.4, which is still in beta and only available to developers and public beta users, you’ll be able to use Face ID with a mask on your iPhone to unlock it, make payments, and input passcodes. The new functionality is only available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 handsets running iOS 15.4.

Below is how to use Face ID with a mask, currently in beta. This new Apple feature is only available for the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max, on iOS 15.4. If you have both the software and the hardware, you can utilize Face ID with a mask by doing the following.

Setting up Face ID with a mask

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2. Then, go into Face ID & Passcode.

3. After that you will be prompted to enter your passcode.

4. Toggle on Use Face ID With a Mask.

5. On the following page, choose the Use Face ID With a Mask.

6. Set up Face ID with your mask on.

Setting up Face ID with a mask on works similarly to standard Face ID, with the exception that it focuses on validating the distinctive features surrounding your eyes. You’ll be able to unlock your iPhone while masked after that’s set, which shouldn’t take you more than a couple of minutes to do.

A serious gamechanger in the ongoing fight against the pandemic.

In case you missed it, here’s why you should be using Apple Pay and Google Pay. Apple’s digital driver’s license is also coming soon.

Photo via 9to5Mac