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%Begin Why Apple Watch Mask Unlocking Is the Best Thing Ever GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News &gt; Smart & Connected Life <h1> Why Apple Watch Mask Unlocking Is the Best Thing Ever</h1> <h2> No more fumbling with a passcode while masked up</h2> By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years.
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%Begin Why Apple Watch Mask Unlocking Is the Best Thing Ever GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Smart & Connected Life

Why Apple Watch Mask Unlocking Is the Best Thing Ever

No more fumbling with a passcode while masked up

By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years.
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Ella Rodriguez 2 minutes ago
lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 4, 2021 02:16PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr ...
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Madison Singh 1 minutes ago
It could be the best new iPhone feature in years. The iOS 14.5 beta, along with the watchOS 7.4 beta...
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 4, 2021 02:16PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming <h3> Key Takeaways</h3> In the iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 betas, your Apple Watch can unlock your iPhone while you’re wearing a face mask.Someone else wearing a mask can also unlock the iPhone, but you&#39;ll get an instant alert.Unlocking is almost as fast and seamless as FaceID. <br/> With iOS 14.5, your Apple Watch will be able to unlock your iPhone while you’re wearing a mask.
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 4, 2021 02:16PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming

Key Takeaways

In the iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 betas, your Apple Watch can unlock your iPhone while you’re wearing a face mask.Someone else wearing a mask can also unlock the iPhone, but you'll get an instant alert.Unlocking is almost as fast and seamless as FaceID.
With iOS 14.5, your Apple Watch will be able to unlock your iPhone while you’re wearing a mask.
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It could be the best new iPhone feature in years. The iOS 14.5 beta, along with the watchOS 7.4 beta, tweaks FaceID to make your phone easier to use while wearing a mask.
Amelia Singh Moderator
access_time 3 minutes ago
It could be the best new iPhone feature in years. The iOS 14.5 beta, along with the watchOS 7.4 beta, tweaks FaceID to make your phone easier to use while wearing a mask.
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Isabella Johnson 1 minutes ago
If you wake your iPhone and it detects that you’re wearing a mask, it will check your watch, and i...
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Audrey Mueller 3 minutes ago
There are some limits to improve security, but the unlocking is almost as fast as regular FaceID. It...
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If you wake your iPhone and it detects that you’re wearing a mask, it will check your watch, and if you’re wearing that, it will unlock the iPhone. Simple as that.
Evelyn Zhang Member
access_time 8 minutes ago
If you wake your iPhone and it detects that you’re wearing a mask, it will check your watch, and if you’re wearing that, it will unlock the iPhone. Simple as that.
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Jack Thompson 1 minutes ago
There are some limits to improve security, but the unlocking is almost as fast as regular FaceID. It...
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Charlotte Lee 1 minutes ago
"The fact that it only works to unlock the iPhone, and can't be used to buy apps, use Apple Pay, or ...
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There are some limits to improve security, but the unlocking is almost as fast as regular FaceID. It may not be the best solution, but it’s an effective one. "I think it's a great feature that combines security and convenience," Mac and security expert Kirk McElhearn told Lifewire via direct message.
Andrew Wilson Member
access_time 20 minutes ago
There are some limits to improve security, but the unlocking is almost as fast as regular FaceID. It may not be the best solution, but it’s an effective one. "I think it's a great feature that combines security and convenience," Mac and security expert Kirk McElhearn told Lifewire via direct message.
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Scarlett Brown 8 minutes ago
"The fact that it only works to unlock the iPhone, and can't be used to buy apps, use Apple Pay, or ...
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"The fact that it only works to unlock the iPhone, and can't be used to buy apps, use Apple Pay, or auto-fill passwords, ensures that it's safe."&nbsp; <h2> Complex but Easy </h2> Apple has really knocked this one out of the park. In use, you notice nothing.
Ryan Garcia Member
access_time 30 minutes ago
"The fact that it only works to unlock the iPhone, and can't be used to buy apps, use Apple Pay, or auto-fill passwords, ensures that it's safe." 

Complex but Easy

Apple has really knocked this one out of the park. In use, you notice nothing.
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Lily Watson 21 minutes ago
Just swipe up or tap your iPhone’s screen, and it unlocks. Your Apple Watch emits a small haptic t...
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Just swipe up or tap your iPhone’s screen, and it unlocks. Your Apple Watch emits a small haptic tap, and an on-screen alert tells you that it has unlocked your iPhone. It’s very similar to letting your Apple Watch automatically unlock your Mac.
Thomas Anderson Member
access_time 7 minutes ago
Just swipe up or tap your iPhone’s screen, and it unlocks. Your Apple Watch emits a small haptic tap, and an on-screen alert tells you that it has unlocked your iPhone. It’s very similar to letting your Apple Watch automatically unlock your Mac.
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Christopher Lee 3 minutes ago
In short, you really don’t have to think about it, but the actual rules behind this function are q...
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In short, you really don’t have to think about it, but the actual rules behind this function are quite complex: If you’re not wearing a mask, FaceID is used as normal.If FaceID detects a mask, it checks the Apple Watch.Your Apple Watch must be on your wrist, use a passcode, and be unlocked.The Apple Watch must also be near the iPhone, and have the wrist-detection feature enabled. If all these criteria are met, the phone unlocks.
Christopher Lee Member
access_time 16 minutes ago
In short, you really don’t have to think about it, but the actual rules behind this function are quite complex: If you’re not wearing a mask, FaceID is used as normal.If FaceID detects a mask, it checks the Apple Watch.Your Apple Watch must be on your wrist, use a passcode, and be unlocked.The Apple Watch must also be near the iPhone, and have the wrist-detection feature enabled. If all these criteria are met, the phone unlocks.
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Sofia Garcia 7 minutes ago
You can then use it as usual. This trick even unlocks the "attention-aware" feature of your ...
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You can then use it as usual. This trick even unlocks the &#34;attention-aware&#34; feature of your iPhone, the one that reveals the content of messages and other lock screen alerts only when you’re looking at the screen.
Lucas Martinez Moderator
access_time 45 minutes ago
You can then use it as usual. This trick even unlocks the "attention-aware" feature of your iPhone, the one that reveals the content of messages and other lock screen alerts only when you’re looking at the screen.
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<h2> Security </h2> Unfortunately, if someone else tries to use your iPhone while wearing a mask, it also will unlock. However, because the watch throws up an alert, you’ll know about it immediately. And the full-screen alert on the watch also lets you lock the iPhone remotely, which also disables FaceID.
Joseph Kim Member
access_time 20 minutes ago

Security

Unfortunately, if someone else tries to use your iPhone while wearing a mask, it also will unlock. However, because the watch throws up an alert, you’ll know about it immediately. And the full-screen alert on the watch also lets you lock the iPhone remotely, which also disables FaceID.
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Ethan Thomas 11 minutes ago
Next time, you’ll have to unlock the iPhone with your passcode. The exact behavior may change in f...
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Next time, you’ll have to unlock the iPhone with your passcode. The exact behavior may change in future betas, or in the final release version.
Grace Liu Member
access_time 55 minutes ago
Next time, you’ll have to unlock the iPhone with your passcode. The exact behavior may change in future betas, or in the final release version.
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Jack Thompson 15 minutes ago
Clearly, this feature reduces security, but it’s also better than the alternative employed by many...
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Aria Nguyen 21 minutes ago
For example, if you use Apple Pay on your iPhone, you’ll need your passcode. If someone mugs you w...
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Clearly, this feature reduces security, but it’s also better than the alternative employed by many people, which is either switching off their passcode altogether, or reducing it to a simple 4-digit PIN. Furthermore, while the Apple Watch can unlock your iPhone, it can&#39;t be used for any further authentication.
Nathan Chen Member
access_time 24 minutes ago
Clearly, this feature reduces security, but it’s also better than the alternative employed by many people, which is either switching off their passcode altogether, or reducing it to a simple 4-digit PIN. Furthermore, while the Apple Watch can unlock your iPhone, it can't be used for any further authentication.
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Scarlett Brown 1 minutes ago
For example, if you use Apple Pay on your iPhone, you’ll need your passcode. If someone mugs you w...
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Lily Watson 6 minutes ago
If your iPhone is lost, four- and six-digit PINs are virtually useless against current hacking tools...
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For example, if you use Apple Pay on your iPhone, you’ll need your passcode. If someone mugs you while you’re using this setup, they can access your phone.
Lily Watson Moderator
access_time 52 minutes ago
For example, if you use Apple Pay on your iPhone, you’ll need your passcode. If someone mugs you while you’re using this setup, they can access your phone.
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Scarlett Brown 32 minutes ago
If your iPhone is lost, four- and six-digit PINs are virtually useless against current hacking tools...
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If your iPhone is lost, four- and six-digit PINs are virtually useless against current hacking tools. Cracking a six-digit PIN on an iPhone takes five and a half years, according to Apple, but that’s if you were to tap the numbers in yourself.
Isabella Johnson Member
access_time 70 minutes ago
If your iPhone is lost, four- and six-digit PINs are virtually useless against current hacking tools. Cracking a six-digit PIN on an iPhone takes five and a half years, according to Apple, but that’s if you were to tap the numbers in yourself.
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Jack Thompson 53 minutes ago

No More Bad Passcodes

In practice, many people use less than totally random PINs, and hac...
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Scarlett Brown 21 minutes ago
It’s far better to pick an actual phrase, containing numbers, letters, and typographic symbols. Th...
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<h2> No More Bad Passcodes </h2> In practice, many people use less than totally random PINs, and hacking tools will try common combinations like 123456 first. A study from the Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security at Ruhr-Universität Bochum found that six-digit PINs are no better than four digits, for this very reason.
Isaac Schmidt Member
access_time 15 minutes ago

No More Bad Passcodes

In practice, many people use less than totally random PINs, and hacking tools will try common combinations like 123456 first. A study from the Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security at Ruhr-Universität Bochum found that six-digit PINs are no better than four digits, for this very reason.
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Christopher Lee 8 minutes ago
It’s far better to pick an actual phrase, containing numbers, letters, and typographic symbols. Th...
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It’s far better to pick an actual phrase, containing numbers, letters, and typographic symbols. The fact that it only works to unlock the iPhone, and can&#39;t be used to buy apps, use Apple Pay, or auto-fill passwords, ensures that it&#39;s safe. The advantage of FaceID and TouchID is that you’re rarely prompted for these codes, so using a longer, safer phrase is less of an inconvenience.
Noah Davis Member
access_time 32 minutes ago
It’s far better to pick an actual phrase, containing numbers, letters, and typographic symbols. The fact that it only works to unlock the iPhone, and can't be used to buy apps, use Apple Pay, or auto-fill passwords, ensures that it's safe. The advantage of FaceID and TouchID is that you’re rarely prompted for these codes, so using a longer, safer phrase is less of an inconvenience.
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Emma Wilson 24 minutes ago
With an Apple Watch unlocking the iPhone, you can keep using these secure passcodes even while weari...
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Julia Zhang 9 minutes ago
Out in the street, the difference could be huge. Now, it’s easy to grab the phone and, say, choose...
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With an Apple Watch unlocking the iPhone, you can keep using these secure passcodes even while wearing a mask. And for unsupported things like Apple Pay on the iPhone, you can just use your Apple Watch anyway.
Amelia Singh Moderator
access_time 85 minutes ago
With an Apple Watch unlocking the iPhone, you can keep using these secure passcodes even while wearing a mask. And for unsupported things like Apple Pay on the iPhone, you can just use your Apple Watch anyway.
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Evelyn Zhang 65 minutes ago
Out in the street, the difference could be huge. Now, it’s easy to grab the phone and, say, choose...
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Out in the street, the difference could be huge. Now, it’s easy to grab the phone and, say, choose a different podcast or check a shopping list, without having to stand still and enter a long phrase. This feature is going to be huge when iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 launch.
Natalie Lopez Member
access_time 72 minutes ago
Out in the street, the difference could be huge. Now, it’s easy to grab the phone and, say, choose a different podcast or check a shopping list, without having to stand still and enter a long phrase. This feature is going to be huge when iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 launch.
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