Face ID was one of the best features of an iPhone until the pandemic which forced people to cover their faces with a Mask. After that, it became one of the sore spots of using an iPhone as it didn’t work as intended. Considering this, Apple then issued a software update with iOS 14.5 that allowed users to unlock their devices through their Apple Watch. However, that feature didn’t fully solve the problem as some people didn’t even own an Apple Watch to begin with.
Now, with iOS 15.4, Apple hopes to solve this problem and is working in an update that allows users to use Face ID even with a Mask. Here, the said feature has been in works for some time and the feature is currently live on iOS 15.4 for developers and Public beta testers. PS: – it’s Almost Perfect Now!
How it Works?
As mentioned earlier, Face ID with a Mask is only available in the Beta version of iOS 15.4. And the feature might launch pretty soon. Here, Apple also states that this method is “Less Secure” than the traditional Face ID but, its works pretty good even in the Beta stage. Similarly, people with glasses can also set up Face ID with a Mask as well since it scans their eyes and its nearby areas. However, sunglasses are a No Go as Face ID needs to scan people’s eyes to work as intended.
According to Apple, Face ID with a mask works through recognition of our “Special Features” around our eyes to authenticate our identity. Therefore, it can still work when a mask is covering half of our facial features. Similarly, its overall workings are similar to Face ID and it can also work conversely with regular Face ID. In simpler terms, it means that our iPhone will unlock regardless we wear or choose not to wear a mask after a proper set up.
In the meantime, there are certain drawbacks of Face ID with a Mask as well. As mentioned earlier, Sunglasses won’t unlock our devices and anything covering our “Special Features” will have similar results. Likewise, it also requires users to follow additional steps to set it up properly. Other limitations include poor performance when unlocking through various angles as Face ID won’t be able to recognize our “Special Features” easily.
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Tips To Set up Face ID with a Mask:
The process of setting up Face ID with a Mask is fairly simple and users only have to install the latest iOS 15.4 beta in their devices. Here, users are prompted to setup Face ID with a Mask by default. Also, the process is similar to setting up regular Face ID and users are asked to complete a full 3D facial Scan.
In case you skip this step, you can still manually enable this feature later on. Users on have to navigate to Settings> Face ID & Passcodes> Authenticate with a passcode> toggle on “Use Face ID with a Mask” option and they are off to the races.