Unlocking your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask is a feature introduced in iOS 14.5. However, at that time, users needed to own an Apple Watch for authentication. It was only with iOS 15.4 that Apple finally provided full-fledged Face ID support with masks. In the beta version, this feature proved to be quite efficient, but Apple restricted it to iPhone 12 models and newer ones for now. Therefore, users of iPhone X series or iPhone 11 series won't be able to unlock their devices while wearing a mask.

However, there are still some tricks for older iPhone models or devices that haven't upgraded to iOS 15.4 to use this unlocking method. Let's explore them in today's article. Please note that this is just a handy workaround. Setting up Face ID this way might take several attempts, depending on your face and device.

Step 1: Prepare a white A4 paper or face mask. Reset the existing Face ID by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Reset Face ID.

Step 2: Proceed to set up Face ID from scratch as usual.

Step 3: After setting up Face ID for your face, continue to choose the "Set Up an Alternate Appearance" option.

Step 4: We'll use the A4 paper to cover 1/4 of your face, including half of your nose and mouth (the lower corner of the face as illustrated). Then follow the iPhone's instructions to scan your face, ignoring any obstruction alerts, and keep rotating until you receive a complete green circle. If you covered the right side of your face during the first scan, then cover the left side during the second scan, and vice versa. In other words, you need to cover different corners of your face during the two scans.

This step is crucial for Face ID to learn your face with obstructions. During this step, if you position the A4 paper slightly below the top of your nose, the success rate of unlocking with a mask will be higher, as Face ID will rely on the part of the nose for better recognition.

Note that you need to keep the paper covering the specific area consistently during the two scans. After following these simple steps, the setup is complete. If not successful, you can repeat the process a few times. In many cases, gently pulling down the mask to expose your nose will allow the device to recognize your face.

With this trick, it will take about 10-15 minutes for Face ID to "learn" the face unlock method for all iPhone models and iOS versions. To unlock Face ID with a mask, you need to place your phone directly in front of you and hold it upright, facing your face. Good luck!