How to use Face ID while wearing a mask on iPhone
Previously, when you tried to unlock an iPhone screen using facial recognition technology with a medical mask on your face, the device would immediately show you the passcode screen, as Face ID would fail to recognize you and you would be asked to enter the PIN code to verify your identity.
But after a long wait, the feature of using Face ID while wearing a muzzle arrived on the iPhone, and it became possible with IOS 15.4, a feature that all iPhone users have been waiting for with the emergence of the Coronavirus (Covid 19) while wearing the protective mask has become very familiar and we are gradually adapting to it.
It seems that Apple is a little late in supporting the use of Face ID while wearing a mask on the iPhone, which is the facial recognition technology to unlock the iPhone screen, but this time using the muzzle, Apple users will be able to unlock the iPhone screen without removing the mask.
Although the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has receded worldwide or after we have confirmed that it has become an inevitable reality we have to get used to and adapt to this new reality that will accompany us for many years to come, wearing a mask or a face mask is no longer mandatory in the streets or a prerequisite To be present in many public places, agencies or government centers.
However; The need to wear masks has become associated with personal safety, hence it seems that Apple has taken a long time to come up with a solution to one of the biggest frustrations at that point when you try to unlock the screen with Face ID while wearing a mask, the device will immediately show you the passcode screen and you will have to use a PIN to unlock your iPhone (starting with your iPhone X model). If you are wearing a mask, the Face ID sensor will not recognize your face.
How to unlock the screen using the face recognition feature with the muzzle on the iPhone?
Since late 2019 during the epidemic, Apple has provided some solutions in an attempt to solve the problem of unlocking when wearing a mask. Beginning with the iOS 13.5 update released in April 2020, which added a swipe-up feature on the iPhone to disable Face ID and unlock with a passcode instead, users have been frustrated. And now with the iOS 15.4 update, it is possible to use the Face ID sensor with the mask without any problems.
Here is how to use the Face ID sensor while wearing a mask, and it should be noted that this feature is currently only available to users of iPhone 12 or later, so there are no other solutions but to use the PIN code to unlock the phone for those who own a lower model or do not have an Apple Watch to pair it with The phone is unlocked using it.
Face ID feature that recognizes the face when wearing a mask in iOS 15.4
To use this new feature from Apple, users will need to install iOS 15.4 which began arriving on supported iPhones on March 14, 2022. To make sure that this version is installed, follow the steps below.
- Go to "Settings" and then "General".
- Then click on "Software Update".
- Wait for the latest available update to be checked.
- Now download and install the latest available version if you are using a version earlier than iOS 15.4.
- After confirming that the update is installed on your device.
- Go to the "Face ID & Passcode" section of Settings and enter your passcode.
- You will see some new options, including an option called Use Face ID With a Mask, activate it.
Once the option to unlock with a face mask is activated, the Face ID sensor will use the unique characteristics around the eye area for authentication instead of performing the full recognition of the entire face. Face recognition technology works by identifying the area around the eye while wearing a mask or face mask and matching it in times subsequent to the screen unlock process.
After that's done, you'll be asked to go through the Face ID setup process again, at which point you have to place your face in the middle of the circle on the screen and then slowly rotate your head to fill in the indicators on the circle.
In this process, the iPhone will scan and focus on the upper part of your face to save the desired features from the eye area and around the face, ignoring the lower part that will be covered by the mask, of course. You do not have to wear a mask or mask during this test, but the scanner will assume that you already have one. After activating the Face ID with a Mask feature, a new option will appear that allows the user to configure Face ID while wearing the glasses which will definitely come in handy for the wearer.
How to unlock iPhone screen phone using Apple Watch
In case you don't want to unlock the screen on iPhone using face recognition technology while wearing a mask (face id) or you can't update to iOS 15.4, and you want to unlock the phone quickly, without typing a PIN every time you need to unlock iPhone when you wear a mask, you can do this with the Apple Watch.
And the option to Unlock with Apple Watch appeared, with the arrival of the iOS 14.5 update to iPhone phones, through which you can unlock the iPhone on your phone while wearing a muzzle. Using a recent Apple Watch running watchOS 7.4 or later. To do this, follow these steps.
- To use the Apple Watch unlock feature on the smartwatch, you must make sure that it is unlocked.
- Then open Settings and tap on "Face ID & Passcode".
- Enter your passcode and then activate the option under "Unlock With Apple Watch".
When the watch is on your wrist and its lock is unlocked, and you try to unlock your iPhone using Face ID, and the device detects that you are wearing a medical mask, it will unlock automatically.
Note, when you unlock your iPhone screen in this way, you will not be able to access apps that must be unlocked securely via Face ID, such as the banking app. It requires identifying your face without a mask or entering a passcode, for security reasons.