Set up Face ID with mask on iPhone

Apple has added a long-awaited new feature with the recent iOS update. Users of newer iPhones can now unlock their device with the skin on. This is how the setup works.

For two years, many iPhone users struggled with their masks and their smartphones: unlocking the device, usually using Face ID facial recognition as safely as it is easy, simply did not work with the protection for the mouth and nose.

Now Apple has finally given up and made this possibility possible with the recent iOS update to version 15.4. All about compatibility and configuration at a glance:

Which iPhones support Face ID?

Facetime replaced the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on iPhones. It was first offered with the iPhone X and has since become standard on almost every iPhone introduced since then. The technology is in the following devices:

• iPhoneX
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XR
• iPhone 11 / iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 mini / iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 13 / iPhone 13 mini / iPhone 13 Pro

During this time, only the iPhone 8, which was introduced at the same time as the iPhone X, and the next two iPhone SE variants did not receive Face ID. If you’re not sure, you can use this rule of thumb as a guide: If the iPhone has a fingerprint scanner, Face ID isn’t installed. If there’s no fingerprint scanner, Face ID is on the device, unless it’s an iPhone 5 or even older device.

How do I set up Face ID with a mask?

Setup succeeds when installing the iOS 15.4 update. This version is required to use the new feature. You can see how to install an update in our photo gallery.

If the 15.4 update was installed, the iPhone will ask the user at startup if Facetime unlock with a skin should be enabled. One can simply agree. The face is scanned again and voila.

However, if you initially turned this option down, you can also set it up later: To do this, open Settings > Face ID & Code. Here you will find the option “Face ID with mask”. The face is then scanned again. By the way, people who wear glasses have to do an additional scan, and if you wear multiple models of glasses, you have the option to add the glasses with one scan. This is necessary because Face ID with a mask focuses mainly on the eye area.