How to Set Up Face ID on iPhone?

Use Face ID to quickly and securely unlock your iPhone, approve purchases and payments, and sign in to various third-party apps.

You must also set a passcode on your iPhone to use Face ID.

Install Face ID or add an alternative appearance

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Set up Face ID and then follow the onscreen instructions if Face ID wasn’t already configured when you first set up your iPhone.
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Set Up an Alternate Appearance, then follow the onscreen directions to configure a second appearance for Face ID to recognize.

During Face ID setup, you can tap Accessibility Options if you have physical limitations. Setting up facial recognition in this way doesn’t call for full head rotation. Although it requires more consistency in how you use your iPhone, using Face ID is still secure.

If you’re blind or have low vision, you can use Face ID’s accessibility feature. Go to Settings > Accessibility and turn off Require Attention for Face ID if you don’t want Face ID to require you to look at your iPhone with your eyes open. When you first set up your iPhone, if you enable VoiceOver, this feature is automatically disabled. Change iPhone attention and Face ID settings.

Installing Face ID with the accessibility options

By default, activating Face ID calls for you to gently turn your head in a circle to reveal all of your Face’s angles. You can still set up Face ID without moving your head if you cannot move your head through its full range.

Go to Face ID & Passcode under Settings.
Place your Face within the frame and then select Accessibility Options.

Even though Face ID is still secure, using an iPhone consistently is still necessary.

Modify your attention settings

Face ID is attention aware for additional security. It only unlocks your iPhone when your eyes are focused on the screen. the iPhone can also display notifications and messages, keep the screen lit while reading, and reduce alert volume.

If you don’t want your iPhone to check for your attention, do the following:

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
Turn on or off any of the following:

Face ID requires attention
Attention Aware features
Haptic on successful authentication

When you first set up your iPhone, these settings are disabled by default.

It should be noted that requiring attention makes Face ID more secure.

Use Face ID for purchases.

Face ID can be used to authenticate purchases made with Apple Pay and in the iTunes Store, App Store, and Book Store in Apple Books.

Use Face ID with Apple Pay.

To buy something in a store:

Check that you’re using an iPhone.
Make sure Apple Pay is enabled and configured in Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
Double-click the side button to use your default card. To switch cards, double-click the side button, tap your default card, and then select another card.
To use Face ID, look at your iPhone. If you’re wearing a face mask that covers your mouth and nose and Face ID with a mask isn’t enabled, tap Pay with Passcode instead and enter your passcode.
Place your iPhone’s top near the contactless reader.
Wait for Done and a checkmark to appear on the screen.

Follow these steps to purchase within an app or on a website in Safari:

When you’re ready, tap the Buy with Apple Pay button or select Apple Pay as your payment method. Confirm your payment details. Tap > next to your card to select a different card to pay with.
Then, double-click the side button and look at your iPhone or iPad.
Wait for Done and a checkmark to appear on the screen.

Use Face ID while wearing a facemask.

You can use Face ID to unlock your phone on iPhone 12 models, iPhone 13 models, and iPhone 14 models while wearing a mask (or other covering that blocks your mouth and nose).

Face ID analyzes the distinctive features around your eyes when Face ID with a Mask is activated, and it works with all of the Face ID options you enable in Settings > Face ID & Passcode.

Face ID performs best when configured only to recognize the entire Face.

Choose one of the following actions after going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode:

Wear a face mask and still allow Face ID to function: Activate Face ID with a mask, then adhere to the prompts displayed on the screen. If you typically wear glasses, turning on Face ID with a Mask while wearing a pair of transparent glasses (not sunglasses) will increase the accuracy of Face ID.
Boost your appearance with clear glasses (not sunglasses): Then, adhere to the onscreen directions after tapping Add Glasses.
Avoid using Face ID while wearing a face mask: Turn off Face ID with a Mask.

Alternatively, you can unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask using Apple Watch and any iPhone model that supports Face ID.

Disable Face ID temporarily.

You can stop Face ID from unlocking your iPhone temporarily.

For 2 seconds, press and hold the side button as well as either volume button.
Press the side button to lock the iPhone as soon as the sliders appear. If you don’t touch the screen for about a minute, iPhone locks itself.

Face ID is enabled next time you unlock your iPhone with your passcode.

Turn Off Face ID

Go to Face ID & Passcode under Settings.
Choose one of these:

Turn off Face ID only for selected items: Turn off one or more options.
Turn off Face ID for face masks: Turn off Face ID with a Mask.
Turn off Face ID. Reset Face ID.

With Find My iPhone Lost Mode, you can stop Face ID from being used to unlock your device if it is lost or stolen.

Conclusion

Face ID can be used to unlock your iPhone quickly and securely, approve purchases and payments, and sign in to various third-party apps. Face ID requires you to set a passcode on your iPhone. Hopefully, after reading the article you now know how to set up Face ID in your iPhone, disable temporarily or turn off.