Face ID for Mac Remains Distant Despite Years of Rumors

Why is it so hard when phones have had this for years!

*Worker 1: locks screen to hide commercially sensitive information*

*Worker 2: was that news about the merger?*

*Mac with faceid: unlocks*

*Worker 1: stop looking!*

Shows that there are sensible UX people still at Apple making decisions...

Edit: Love the reactions. :) But seriously, let’s think this through — Face ID on a Mac doesn’t actually make much sense from a user experience perspective.

When you’re using a keyboard, Touch ID is already the most convenient option. It’s quick, reliable, and doesn’t interrupt your workflow. For Face ID to be a worthwhile upgrade, it would need to offer a better experience — not just a different one.

Now, consider the practical issues:

* Many people use their MacBooks closed with external monitors → no Face ID.

* “But we could still have Touch ID on the keyboard!” → sure, so why bother with Face ID then?

* Plenty of users cover their webcams for privacy (yes, even Mac users).
* The Face ID sensor would sit right where you touch to open your laptop → smudges everywhere.

* And unlike your phone, how often do you actually clean your laptop screen?


So what’s the real UX benefit of Face ID on a Mac? Honestly… none. If anything, it’d be a step backward compared to the simplicity and practicality of Touch ID.

In 2021, Apple marketing VP Tom Boger said that there's no Face ID on the Mac ('https://www.macrumors.com/2021/10/29/apple-face-id-touchscreens-macs/') because Touch ID is more convenient. Users' hands are already on the keyboard, so Apple feels that Touch ID makes more sense.

But they're also looking at the screen, right?!?

My Lenovo work laptop in 2016 had Windows Hello which works similar to Face ID using the camera + IR. I don't understand why this hasn't appeared on Mac especially once the notch was added.

Obviously the emitter is too deep for a laptop screen and they don't want to split the feature between iMacs and laptops.