Use Face ID on your iPhone or iPad Pro

Face ID lets you securely unlock your iPhone or iPad, authenticate purchases, sign in to apps, and more — all with just a glance.

Some of the ways Face ID works on iPhone: Setting up the feature, unlocking the phone, and authenticating purchases

Set up Face ID

Make purchases with Face ID

Sign in with Face ID

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Set up Face ID

  1. In Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode. If asked, enter your passcode. If you didn’t set a passcode, you’ll be asked to create one to use as an alternate way to verify your identity.

  2. Tap Set Up Face ID.

  3. Hold your device in portrait orientation, position your face in front of your device, then tap Get Started.

  4. Position your face inside the frame and gently move your head to complete the circle. If you're unable to move your head, tap Accessibility Options.

  5. When you finish the first Face ID scan, tap Continue.

  6. Gently move your head to complete the circle for a second time.

  7. Tap Done.

    The beginning of the Face ID set up process

To choose features that you want to use Face ID with or reset Face ID, go to Settings, then tap Face ID & Passcode.

You can also use Face ID with face masks if you use iPhone 12 or later with iOS 15.4 and later. Face ID works best when your iPhone or iPad is approximately 10–20 inches from your face.

Need help with Face ID? Learn which iPhone and iPad models support Face ID.

You can't use Face ID in landscape mode with Face ID with a Mask turned on.

Use Face ID

Use Face ID to make purchases

You can use Face ID to authenticate purchases with Apple Pay and in the iTunes Store, App Store, and Book Store in Apple Books.

Use Face ID with Apple Pay on your iPhone

To make a purchase in a store:

  1. Make sure that Apple Pay is set up and turned on in Settings > Face ID & Passcode.

  2. To use your default card, double-click the side button. To use a different card, double-click the side button, tap your default card, then choose another card.

  3. Glance at your iPhone to authenticate with Face ID. If you're wearing a face mask that covers your mouth and nose but Face ID with a mask isn't set up, tap Pay with Passcode and enter your passcode instead.

  4. Hold the top of your iPhone near the contactless reader.

  5. Wait for Done and a checkmark to display.

To make a purchase within an app or on a website in Safari:

  1. Tap the Buy with Apple Pay button or choose Apple Pay as the payment method. Confirm your payment information. To choose a different card to pay with, tap the Next button > next to your card.

  2. Double-click the side button, then glance at your iPhone or iPad.

  3. Wait for Done and a checkmark to display.

Use Face ID in the iTunes Store, App Store, and Book Store in Apple Books

To use Face ID to purchase content from the iTunes Store, App Store, and Book Store, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and make sure that iTunes & App Store is turned on. Then follow these steps:

  1. Open the iTunes Store, App Store, or Book Store, then tap something that you want to buy.

  2. When asked to pay, double-click the side button, then glance at your iPhone or iPad.

  3. Wait for Done and a checkmark to display.

    Confirming a purchase in the App Store on iPhone

You might be asked to enter your Apple ID password for the first purchase you make in the iTunes Store, App Store, or Book Store.

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Sign in to apps or other websites with Face ID

You can use Face ID to sign in to certain apps and autofill user names and passwords for websites in Safari.

To see and control which apps use Face ID to sign in, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and tap Other Apps.

To use Face ID to autofill saved user names and passwords for websites in Safari, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and turn on Password AutoFill.

If you’re using an app that supports Face ID but aren’t asked to use Face ID to sign in, then you might need to manually sign in to the app first.

Learn more

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