Wesley Hilliard
The iOS 15.4 developer beta has introduced a version of Face ID that unlocks the user's iPhone while wearing a mask, though it is less secure.
A new onboarding screen in the iOS 15.4 beta prompts users to choose between two versions of Face ID. One is the standard Face ID, and the other is one that works while the user is wearing a mask.
If users choose to set up Face ID to work with a mask, Apple warns that it is less secure. This is because Face ID will only authenticate the user using facial features of the area surrounding the eyes. Regular Face ID uses the entire face and requires the eyes, nose, and mouth to be visible to work.
The new prompt reads as follows:
"Face ID is most accurate when it's set up for full-face recognition only. To use Face ID while wearing a mask, iPhone can recognize the unique features around the eye area to authenticate."
By reducing the number of features being scanned, the security for face unlock is inherently lesser. However, Apple hasn't described how much less secure this method is.
For example, normal Face ID has a false positive rate of about 1 in 1 million. Touch ID has a false positive rate of about 1 in 50,000.
The new Face ID feature also takes into account users who wear glasses. The setup processes for Face ID with a mask will prompt the user to add pairs of glasses to the system for better recognition. However, it does warn that Face ID with mask unlock doesn't work with sunglasses.
Apple previously introduced a system for Apple Watch owners that bypasses Face ID when wearing a mask. Of course, this only works if the user has an Apple Watch, limiting its potential use.
This new system is in beta and it may change by the time it is available to the public. Apple will likely provide in-depth security documentation surrounding the Face ID mask unlock in the near future.
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Andrew Orr
9 Comments
I wish the Apple Watch Face ID bypass worked with mirrored sunglasses instead of just masks...
Not seeing the option on my iPhone X, nor my iPP 4thG.
Dies it require any minimum hw,or specific steps to enable this? I tried resetting FaceID, but to no avail.
Edit: Darn, just saw this: https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/27/psa-ios-15-4s-new-use-face-id-with-a-mask-option-limited-to-iphone-12-and-newer/
It depends on mask. If I wear ski mask then you can only say it is retina scan and not face ID. Honestly, I do not like anything hanging from my ears (including garbage like earpods) and I wear mask that covers my ears and almost all face. Nobody knows if I wear beard or have uneven face, or scars and nobody will unless I take it off. Trust me. Passport services needed my photos twice and they could not even scan it even without mask. So do not tell me that you can face ID with any types of masks. On top of that fingerprint works only for young people reliably. Older people have dry hands and dry fingertips. No scanner including federal ID can scan those as if there was no fingerprints. One has to use wetting solution to bring hands to condition of young sweating person. I mentioned this many times over years, but was ignored as if those devices were designed only for young people and the rest of population was ignored.