Can it be used for website/software userid/passwords or do you need to show your full face / enter passcode?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How to Unlock Your iPhone With Your Apple Watch When Wearing a Mask
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
The case and strap can make a huge difference.
I have turned my Apple Watch looking like the G shock.
There is a “Set Up Alternate Appearance” in FaceID Settings that allows you to scan yourself with a mask on. It works. Don’t need beta. Don’t need a watch.
I think this is hit and miss. It worked for my wife but never worked for me (it wouldn’t “accept” me with a mask — it would just throw an error that I needed to remove whatever was obscuring my face).
I thought that the watch was going to need a passcode. This will never work for me. I never lock my watch.
Why not? It only requires the passcode when you put it back on. Half the time, I don’t even enter the passcode; I just unlock the phone, which unlocks the Watch. And I’m always at home when I charge my Watch, so no mask.
And now, I don’t have to keep entering my phone's password when I’m out and about in a mask. I’m so happy with this update.
for me,the easyest way is ,to take of f**king mask for a second!
Oh my darling! It's been beastly! I've had to enter a 6 digit PIN number on my phone all day! Oh the humanity! I can't go on! It's all so exhausting...
What a fuss.
OR.... how about re-introducing TouchID in conjunction with FaceID Apple?
It would double the security and privacy protection for certain apps and actions - like app banking.
OR.... how about re-introducing TouchID in conjunction with FaceID Apple?
It would double the security and privacy protection for certain apps and actions - like app banking.
It’s not 2FA if FaceID isn’t working, it’s 1FA. If you’re saying you’d rather not have that 1 then isn’t that accomplished by just turning off the passcode on your phone?
That said, they mentioned “partial face scan” in the article. Is that just to recognise that there’s a face looking at the phone and it’s time to unlock it, or is there some partial FaceID security going on, so not just anybody stood next to you can unlock it?
Edit: Reading the description in settings I don’t think it’s doing any sort of partial FaceID, it’s just detecting that there’s a face there with a mask on. So turning the Apple Watch requirement off would indeed be 0FA.
Anyway, just tested it and it works! Super useful!
Last edited:
Still doesn’t solve the issue for the millions of those with devices from the X to the 11 Pro when there no pandemic at launch.
Beware. Anyone wearing a mask can unlock your phone. That means anyone who has access to you while you sleep with your watch can slip on a mask and unlock your phone. Your watch will vibrate on unlock, but if you miss it in your slumber, the bad agent has access to your unlocked phone.
If you didn’t unlock the watch when you first put it on your wrist, how would the device know to use and sync the proper Apple ID account? You don’t have to enter the watch passcode every time you want to unlock the phone.
Interesting feature. I have sleep apnea. I wear a CPAP mask. This feature DOES NOT work with that type of mask.
I guess the "machine learning" only looks for certain types of masks?
Would be nice if it worked for ANY situation where your face is obscured. That's how I thought it would work, anyway.
I guess the "machine learning" only looks for certain types of masks?
Would be nice if it worked for ANY situation where your face is obscured. That's how I thought it would work, anyway.
Yeah Apple could you take my camera back, open it up and just put in some touchID? Thanks. I only need one of a TouchID.
AHHH! I just tried it and it works! I would prefer not to get the haptic feedback and notification on the watch, but IT WORKS!!!
- Status