iOS 13.5 Beta Makes It Easier to Unlock an iPhone With Passcode When Wearing a Mask

Many people are wearing masks that cover their faces when going outside, visiting stores, and other tasks, and Apple's Face ID iPhones do not unlock when the face is obscured by a mask.

fasterfaceid
In the iOS 13.5 beta, released this morning, Apple has streamlined the speed with which the passcode pops up when a person wearing a mask is detected, making it easier to get into an iPhone with a passcode when ‌Face ID‌ fails.

Speedier access to the passcode interface is noticeable when you swipe upwards on the Home screen when unlocking the ‌iPhone‌, as this action now immediately brings up the passcode interface if your face is covered by a mask.

Previously, the ‌iPhone‌ would attempt to initiate ‌Face ID‌ first, creating a few seconds of delay before the passcode interface was shown. The new, speedier passcode entry method makes it quicker to get into an ‌iPhone‌.

The feature is available in the current iOS 13.5 beta, which should see a public release in the next few weeks.

Related Forum: iOS 13

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
chatgpt logo

Sam Altman Declares 'Code Red' for ChatGPT, Delays OpenAI Advertising Plans

Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic. Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...

Top Rated Comments

thadoggfather Avatar
73 months ago
Power tip: when you swipe up on current versions, press FaceID text in the center of the screen to avoid waiting for it to scan your face and fail, prompting the password after that.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thejadedmonkey Avatar
73 months ago
If only there was some other means of authenticating, that didn't rely on your face being visible.

#TouchIDForEver
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
73 months ago

If only there was some other means of authenticating, that didn't rely on your face being visible.

#TouchIDForEver
If only there were another way of authenticating that didn't rely on biometrics not working with gloves on.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gutefahrt Avatar
73 months ago
This is why I'm still using an 8+. I wear a surgical mask for long periods of time. It's not just unlocking the phone, but all passwords & ApplePay. It's a pain when I use my iPadPro. Please release a combo FaceID / under-screen Fingerprint sensor, Apple.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jarman92 Avatar
73 months ago
Why did this take a pandemic? This process has been way too slow since the iPhone X...
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
killawat Avatar
73 months ago
FaceID is a good test for mask compliance. If your phone doesn't recognize you with one on, you're not wearing it enough!

Jokes aside thank you Apple for trying to address this.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)