Apple Confirms iOS 26 Wallet Passport Feature is Coming in 2025

by

Digital ID, the iOS 26 feature that lets U.S. passport holders add their passports to the Wallet app, is coming later in 2025, Apple confirmed today.

ios 26 digital id passport wallet
Apple updated the release timing wording of Digital ID on its iOS 26 features page. "Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only," it reads.

Prior to today, the footnote for the feature said "Digital ID will be available in a software update with U.S. passports only," with no associated release timeline.

Curiously, Apple removed the mention of a software update, but in all likelihood, Digital ID will be introduced in an iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2 update before the end of the year. Apple has already seeded the first beta of iOS 26.1 to developers and Digital ID support is not included, but it could be added later in the beta testing period.

Digital ID builds on driver's license integration in the Wallet app. It allows U.S. iPhone users to add their passports to Wallet, with the digital passport able to be used in lieu of a physical passport for domestic travel at TSA checkpoints.

As with state driver's licenses and IDs, Digital IDs will work for age and identity verification in apps, retail store locations, and websites. The option to add a passport to Wallet for use as an ID option will expand digital identification features to many more ‌‌iPhone‌‌ users in the U.S., but Apple has not mentioned if the feature will eventually expand to other countries.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Thursday January 15, 2026 10:56 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026: The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID...
Read Full Article • 73 comments
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

These 5 Apple Products Will Reportedly Be Upgraded With OLED Displays

Friday January 16, 2026 7:07 pm PST by
Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest. A new iPad Air is...
Read Full Article • 77 comments
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, Macs, and More

Thursday January 15, 2026 11:19 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the United States, according to the company's website. Most of the values declined slightly, but some of the Mac values increased. iPhone ...
Read Full Article • 54 comments
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Friday January 16, 2026 12:12 pm PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
Read Full Article
iOS 27 Mock Quick

iOS 27 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday January 18, 2026 3:51 pm PST by
iOS 27 is still many months away, but there are already plenty of rumors about new features that will be included in the software update. The first beta of iOS 27 will be released during WWDC 2026 in June, and the update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense...
Read Full Article • 77 comments

Top Rated Comments

gtmead09 Avatar
gtmead09
17 weeks ago

I mean .. I guess?

I sure wouldn't go traveling internationally without my actual passport, though, so I'm not really sure what the point is.
This is going to be more then a passport bigger picture. Yes you can use it at airport check points as they roll out to validate who you are. But I could also see other uses such as websites that need age verification online. Shipt when you order alcohol and they have to get your ID at the door.

Part of this is to work around the extremely slow adoption of driver licenses in Apple Wallet. It's been multiple years and they have like 10-15 states signed up. This works around the states by going to the Federal level and giving you a virtual ID.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
257Loner Avatar
257Loner
17 weeks ago
So if we upgrade to the worst user interface redesign iOS has ever had, we might get the ability to store our passports in our digital wallets later this year?

Hard pass. For the first time ever, I've turned off Automatic Updates to avoid Liquid Glass.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LordArchie Avatar
LordArchie
17 weeks ago
This is years away from actual real world, wide spread use. I fly 20 times a year, internationally, often with domestic stops. LAX has never had their Drivers license readers (RealID) working. Also in places like DFW and starting no at LAX, they are doing Touchless TSA where it's all facial recognition. Same way it works when I enter the country with Global Entry, no passport or wallet ID scan, all facial recognition.

I would like it to "be a thing" but until everyone gets on the same page, it won't happen
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
turbineseaplane
17 weeks ago

A “bug” will auto upgrade you to the latest, fo shizzle
Install those tvOS profiles folks!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maxoakland Avatar
maxoakland
17 weeks ago
I would not trust this feature seeing how authoritarian many governments have become
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jaytv111 Avatar
jaytv111
17 weeks ago

Great as an emergency backup to a physical passport when traveling internationally.
Let me stop you right there. Digital ID will not be accepted when traveling through international checkpoints. It will only be accepted when going through the TSA checkpoint at check in, and in only a few airports nationwide, and sometimes the readers aren't working or the agent just simply asks for your physical ID at their discretion. The TSA says you must have your physical ID with you even when using digital ID. And again, cannot be used for international travel (ie going through actual customs). So you need that passport still, unless it's a domestic flight, in which case you need some acceptable photo ID card (realID compliant) even when using digital ID.


Handing my unlocked phone to the immigration brown shirts, on the other hand, is...
Fortunately, the tech here does not have you hand your phone over to anyone, when it is accepted. You scan it like Apple Pay at a terminal.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments