It’s here! The update we have been waiting for since the pandemic started and masks became part of our daily lives: unlocking our iPhone, mask on. The only catch is that you have to own an Apple Watch in order for this update to work for you.
How it works:
The first thing you need to do is enable the passcode on your Apple Watch (you only put this in when you put on the watch for the first time or take it on and off). The next thing you need to enable for security reasons is the wrist detection feature.
You also need to make sure your iPhone is running on iOS 14.5 and your Apple Watch is on WatchOS 7.4.
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and enter your pin. You will then scroll down “Unlock with Apple Watch,” look for your personal device and toggle it on.
How You Know It Worked:
Hold your iPhone up to unlock it with Face ID, from there it will detect your mask and then you will feel a little vibration on your wrist from your watch prompting you to put in your password which will then, unlock your phone. The vibration doubles as a security feature also because you will know if someone else is trying to unlock your iPhone.
When it comes to security, it isn’t as secure as Face ID or Touch ID but it seems like a fair trade-off for convenience. Not having to take off your mask can be a game-changer for a lot of people, just remember you have to own an Apple Watch for all this to work!
Until the next Apple update!
Marketing Coordinator