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Settingly

Privacy and security

Face ID

Most people call this unlocking with your face.

Face ID uses the TrueDepth camera to build a mathematical model of your face, stored only on the device, and uses it to unlock and authorise.

Available

This setting is present on your iPhone.

  • We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.

Where to find it - iOS 11 and later

  1. Settings
  2. Face ID & Passcode

What it does

The face data never leaves the Secure Enclave and is not backed up or sent to Apple. You choose what it authorises: unlocking, Apple Pay, App Store purchases, password autofill and more.

You can enrol an alternate appearance, which helps with large changes in how you look.

What changes

When it is on

You unlock by looking. The passcode remains available as a fallback.

When it is off

Everything needs the passcode, including Apple Pay.

Should you turn it on?

Good reasons to turn it on

  • Fast, and it makes a long passcode practical.
  • Face data stays on the device and is never uploaded.
  • Required for the most useful forms of Stolen Device Protection.

Good reasons to turn it off

  • You do not want a face model stored at all.
  • It works poorly for you in practice.
  • In some situations you may prefer that only a passcode can open the phone.

Battery

No real change

Privacy

Helps

Performance

No real change

Cellular data

No real change

Storage

No real change

Out of the box: Offered during setup on models with the hardware.

Worth reading first

What your iPhone needs

  • Needs an iPhone with Face ID

Questions people actually ask

Is Face ID safe?
The face model never leaves the device and is not sent to Apple. The main risk is that someone can hold the phone up to your face.
How do I stop Face ID unlocking my phone right now?
Press and hold the side button with a volume button for a moment. The next unlock needs the passcode.

If it is not working

  • Require Attention for Face ID adds a check that your eyes are open and looking. It is more secure and less convenient.
  • Set Up an Alternate Appearance helps if it often fails.
  • Press and hold the side and volume buttons to force a passcode only unlock.

Related settings