Learn how to set up your iPhone Face ID to unlock the device even when you are wearing a face mask or face mask with glasses.
How to unlock your iPhone with Face ID when wearing a mask
Face ID
Using Face ID while wearing a mask with iOS 15.4 also works with Apple Pay
Apple has an incoming update to iOS, with iOS 15.4, and it adds a few noteworthy elements to the mobile operating system. Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest changes is the ability to use Face ID to unlock an iPhone while wearing a mask, without requiring the additional use of an Apple Watch. And now there's even better news.
You need to have an iPhone 12 or newer to use Face ID with a mask
A new feature in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 for using Face ID while wearing a mask requires at least the iPhone 12: it won't work on the iPhone 11 and the iPhone X or older.
iOS 15.4 adds support for using Face ID while wearing a mask without requiring an Apple Watch
In light of the ongoing pandemic, facial recognition used for biometric security on devices like the iPhone can be a bit of a pain point for everyday users. Apple has tried to work around the issue of mask wearing, but for folks without an Apple Watch it doesn't do a lot of good. But, finally, Apple has figured out another option.
This tweak dismisses the Face ID animation more quickly after a successful authentication
Face ID is a wonderful means of user authentication for iPhones and iPads, but one complaint I have is how the Face ID authentication animation takes so much longer than it should, sometimes making it feel like I spend more time looking at flashy animations than I do getting things done.
iPhone 13 screen replacement: iOS 15.2 no longer disrupts Face ID after a display swap
Good news for DIY-ers: Third-party iPhone 13 screen replacements no longer disrupt Face ID provided you've updated your phone to Apple's iOS 15.2 software update.
Apple says it’s going to fix Face ID breaking in iPhone 13 third-party screen repair process
Back at the end of September of this year, the crew at iFixit put the iPhone 13 Pro through the teardown process. Along the way, they discovered quite a few changes Apple implemented in its newest smartphone lineup. Most of them good. However, one bad part was discovered in the screen repair process. The good news is Apple is going to address it.
Looks like Apple doesn’t really believe we need Face ID on our Macs
Executives went on record to address the lack of touchscreen input and Face ID biometric authentication on Apple's recent Mac computers like the redesigned MacBook Pro.
Does the MacBook need a touchscreen?
One of the things Apple executives have been pretty consistent about, even as macOS and iOS blur some lines with each new iteration, is the idea that the company is not trying to merge the two platforms. Meaning, a Mac is going to remain a Mac, and the iPad will continue to be whatever iPadOS defines it as. Of course, that could very well change down the road, but, for now, it appears Apple doesn't have any plans to change that.
iOS 15.1 beta 2 fixes bug causing issues with unlocking iPhone 13 with Apple Watch
The iPhone 13 lineup launched earlier this month. And, unfortunately for some new owners, a bug surfaced that caused the new hardware to not properly communicate with a paired Apple Watch to access the ability to unlock the iPhone 13 with an Apple Watch. This feature is designed to make unlocking an iPhone with Face ID much more streamlined while wearing a mask (but it works without a mask, too, like when wearing certain sunglasses).
iOS 15 adds improved Face ID anti-spoofing models, along with other security fixes
While Apple does a solid enough job of detailing most of the new features baked into software updates, there are typically some elements that miss the big unveilings (or even the press releases soon after). And some aren't necessarily meant to see the bright lights of a stage at all. Instead, they are buried within documentation. But that doesn't make them any less important.
Apple rumored to be developing new Face ID system that works with masks without relying on Apple Watch
The global landscape has changed quite a bit over the last year and some change. Masks are now common place, and that means Apple's reliance on a facial recognition biometric system for its iPhone lineup has proven slightly more tedious than it should be. However, Apple did make a workaround -- but only if you use an Apple Watch. Now, according to a new rumor, Apple's working on something a bit more straightforward.