What is Apple’s Face Id?

In 2017, Apple launched a new facial-recognition technology on its iPhone X. This technology was meant to replace Apple’s fingerprint scanning system for unlocking smartphones. To set up the Face Id, the person has to move the face slowly in all directions so that the Face can be fully recognized.

Once the setup scans the entire face two times the facial recognition technology is ready for use. The face ID adapts to all basic facial changes like hairstyle change, makeup, sunglasses or specs, and beards. The technology is meant for low light and night light too.

How does it work?

I-Phone X has a TrueDepth camera system for face detection. This camera is capable of detecting your face even in the dark. It uses an infrared camera for taking pictures using invisible dots. These invisible dots create a mathematical model of the human face. Apple’s facial recognition technology, however, has a catch. It needs your entire face including the mouth to work.

Unlocking your phone while wearing a face mask can be an annoying experience. Face ID, Apple’s facial recognition technology, requires your eyes, nose, and mouth to be visible for it to work. That creates an obvious problem for those who are wearing a facial covering while in public.

What is the issue with the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic?

With the onset of Covid-19, everyone is covering their nose and mouth in public. Due to the pandemic, people are wearing face masks most of the time. That creates an obvious issue for Apple’s Face Id to recognize the person’s face. With everyone is covering their face while in public, it becomes challenging to unlock the phone with Face ID.

Initially, it was thought that maybe the pandemic will wade off soon. However, now potential a second wave seems to be on the rise. Some of the new guidelines also state that people working in all health centers, schools, industries should continue wearing masks. Hence Apple had to find a proper solution for Face ID technology.

What is the solution?

Since it was an obvious problem Apple resolved this issue with its latest iPhone software update. Apple released a new version iOS 13.5 and it is one of the best solutions to your phone unlocking frustration. The new changes to Face ID make it super easy to unlock your phone while wearing a face mask.

So what is the solution? In the previous versions, you had to wait for a long time till the facial recognition failed, and then you could enter the Pin. However in the latest version, when the Face ID fails the first time, you can enter your PIN-code and successfully unlock your phone. You can also swipe up once from the bottom and get the option to enter pin code with the mask on. The changes made in version 13.5 are very easy to use. You do not have to change any sort of settings for getting the changes and just update your phone software.

Hence in the new version, no Face ID or facial interaction is really required and all your phone settings are secure. It may take you a while to figure out the new settings are of the fact that I’m wearing a mask and that Face ID won’t work, I’ve learned to swipe up from the bottom of the iPhone’s screen as I lift it up.

It is advisable that you take your safety very seriously and, do not quickly remove your mask to unlock your phone. If you remove your mask it would become dangerous for you and the people around you and worsen the spread of the virus.

There is also another solution in case you are annoyed or frustrated with Face ID. The solution is to turn it off.

How do you disable Face Id on your iPhone?

If you feel it is unnecessary to have the obsolete feature of Face-Id during the pandemic you can always switch it off. If you want to get disable it for the time being here is where you need to go.

• You need to open your smartphone and visit the Settings app on your iPhone.
• After you enter the settings page you need to scroll down, till you can find the Face ID & Passcode.
• Once you have clicked on the Face ID & Passcode settings you need to enter your new Passcode.

Once you do this your phone will not try to scan your face at all. The new changed features and the updates will allow you to use passcodes or your new pin for unlocking your phone and you will no longer have to go through the tedious unlocking procedures while your mask is on.