Recently, the iOS 15.4 Beta version of Face ID support for wearing a mask to unlock the function of many Apple phone users "Hi Da Pu Ben", which means that after the iOS 15.4 official version update, iPhone users will not have to wear masks to enter the password to unlock the phone, and do not have to buy an Apple Watch for convenience. Face ID, which supports mask unlocking, is the best way to unlock iPhones in the context of the epidemic that is not over, taking into account both convenience and security.
So how do I use Face ID that supports wearing a mask to unlock?
In principle, when the lower part of the face is covered by a mask, Face ID scans the user's eye area to verify identity. Apple says Face ID can recognize "unique features" around the eyes, which is different from scanning an entire face without wearing a mask.
Face ID when wearing a mask is the same as Face ID when not wearing a mask. The user swipes up on the iPhone screen and the phone is unlocked via Face ID scan. Face ID with a mask can also be used interchangeably with standard Face ID, so a user's phone works the same way when the user wears and doesn't wear a mask. One thing to note is that Face ID with a mask is the same as a standard Face ID in almost every way, but requires some extra setup steps, and it doesn't work with sunglasses. There will be some restrictions in terms of unlocking angle, as Face ID with a mask needs to clearly see the user's eyes before unlocking.
Face ID with mask settings
When a user updates to iOS 15.4, the user is prompted to complete a Face ID setup process with a mask. It's the same process as the original Face ID setup process, where the user needs to complete the 3D face scan again.
Wear glasses using Face ID
If the user skips this procedure, they can also choose to set it up after this. Open the Settings app, tap Face ID & Passcode, authenticate with a password, and then open the Use Face ID with Mask option. If the user wears glasses, a secondary setup process is required.
Add glasses
Since Face ID with a mask uses an eye area scan, users need to add glasses separately. If the user wears more than one pair of glasses, each pair needs to be scanned.
To complete the process of adding glasses, you need to open the Settings app, tap Face ID & Password, authenticate with your password, and then tap Add Glasses.
From here, the user will need to put on their glasses and complete an additional Face ID scan, which is the same scan they did when they originally set up the base Face ID.
Sunglasses are not supported
While standard Face ID can be used when users wear most sunglasses, Face ID with a mask is not. Face ID with a mask requires direct eye contact to work, while sunglasses will cover the eyes. This means that users need to take off their sunglasses when wearing a mask to authenticate.
Face ID permission with mask certification
When wearing a mask, Face ID works the same way as Face ID without a mask. Users can unlock a user's "iPhone," verify Apple Pay purchases, and use Face ID instead of passwords for third-party apps. This is in stark contrast to apple's "unlock with Apple Watch" feature added in iOS 14.5 last year, the Apple Watch's auxiliary unlock level does not support the security level of users to pay and view passwords.
Device restrictions
Face ID with mask is only available on iPhone 12 series and iPhone 13 series models. This update does not apply to earlier iPhones, nor does it work on iPads. In fact, Apple has not yet specified whether there are hardware restrictions that prevent the Face ID mask from unlocking with earlier versions of the iPhone.
Security risks
Apple said that Face ID is only "most accurate" when used for full face recognition, but it is not clear whether some facial analysis has security risks. In some beta version tests, some users verified the security of face ID of the mask, it is true that other people wearing masks can unlock the iPhone device, but there are always similarities in the area around the eyes of the user, how the security still needs to wait for iOS 15.4 after the implementation, let the majority of users verify.
Apple doesn't provide deeper, deeper information about how Face ID with a mask works than regular Face ID, but Apple doesn't explicitly state that it's less secure.