Apple iOS Face ID update will go straight to passcode if user has face mask on

It will not unlock your phone based on iris scan or whatever nifty magic.

Belmont Lay | May 01, 2020, 03:12 PM

A beta version of iOS 13 that is recently released is allowing Apple users to unlock their iPhone via Face ID more quickly without having to take off their mask or change their security settings.

But it is not all magic or based on iris recognition.

The fix is much simpler than that.

Passcode prompt

Apple released the latest version of iOS 13 -- iOS 13.5 beta 3 -- to developers on April 29.

It revealed that iPhone owners will soon be able to unlock their Face ID-enabled devices without having to remove their protective face masks.

Instead of the device continuously attempting to unlock the phone biometrically, the phone will automatically prompt the user to instead manually input a passcode.

This means there is no need to go into the device's settings to change the owner authentication method from biometric to the less secure password option -- it will do so automatically.

But as these updates are still in beta, they're not expected to be available to the public for at least a few weeks.

Makes sense for convenience

The change is expected to be received warmly by those with an iPhone sans home button who are out and about, while wearing face masks -- especially when performing activities like making mobile payments at stores.

In addition to this update, iOS 13.5 beta 3 gives users the option to disable how FaceTime would enlarge the image of the person speaking, a feature that was less than ideal for large groups of people.