Sorry, iPhone's Face ID won't work with your face mask. Here's how to turn it off

 Face ID wasn't designed to accommodate any sort of facial covering, be it a scarf or face mask. 

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance urging people to wear some form of face cover when in public. There's evidence that an added layer of protection can help slow the spread of the novel COVID-19, even if homemade masks aren't as good at blocking the smallest particles compared to a medical-grade mask. 

I found a tutorial that claims you still use Face ID while wearing a mask after setting it up while covering half of your face with a mask. I followed the guide, but my iPhone simply refuses to unlock this way. I even tried setting up the alternate appearance feature while wearing a face-covering -- which basically programs the phone to recognize your new look -- but that didn't work either.  

Whatever you do, don't quickly pull down your mask to unlock your phone. Doing so defeats the purpose of wearing a mask in the first place, which is to help slow the spread of coronavirus through person-to-person transmission. 

Instead, you have two options: Either let Face ID fail and then enter your passcode to unlock your phone, or turn Face ID off. That doesn't mean your phone will be unlocked at all times -- you can still use a passcode to keep it locked down.

Turn off Face ID on your iPhone

Here's where you need to go to turn Face ID off and fine-tune when it's used:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone. 

2. Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode.

3. Enter your Passcode when prompted. 

If you only want to disable Face ID for specific tasks, like unlocking your phone or approving Apple Pay purchases, then use the switch at top of the screen to turn off Face ID for iPhone Unlock. That means your phone won't try to scan your face at all. Instead, once the screen wakes on your phone, swipe up and enter your passcode. 

Then, turn off Face ID for Apple Pay. That means you'll need to tap a Pay with a Passcode button on the Apple Pay screen, then enter your code before the transaction can be completed. 

By turning off Face ID for specific tasks, you can still use Apple's secure face unlock technology when you sign into apps or approve App Store purchases. Those are tasks you're more likely to do at home right now, when you're not wearing a mask at all. 

Another benefit of turning off Face ID for individual tasks is that you can turn it back on once you're home, without having to go through the Face ID set up process again. 

Alternatively, to completely turn off Face ID and use a passcode in its place, tap Reset Face ID and confirm your decision. You'll then use a passcode instead of Face ID for unlocking your phone, Apple Pay, and App Store purchases. 

Need helping finding materials to make your own masks at home? We can help you source the materials you need. While you're at home, take some time to master your iPhone's latest features, including how to silence your phone from unknown callers.