How to use your Apple Watch to unlock your iPhone when wearing a face mask

Apple has just unveiled a new face ID feature, released as part of the developer beta for iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, that allows use your Apple Watch to unlock your iPhone when wearing a face mask.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now normal to wear a face mask most of the time and this new feature is a welcome development as it allows face ID with your mask on.

You do need to install the iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 updates for this feature to be effective but there is no public beta available yet. However we expect that one could be released before the end of this week. Then, we expect iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 to be released to the general public sometime in the next few months.

One other little tiny snag is that the feature only works if the iPhone owner is also wearing an Apple Watch.

To turn on the “Unlock with Apple Watch” feature on your iPhone, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Unlock with Apple Watch and toggle it on

Once you flip this toggle, your Apple Watch will be able to authenticate your iPhone provided the following conditions are met:

• Face ID detects a mask
• Your Apple Watch is on your wrist and unlocked
• Your Apple Watch has a passcode enabled

With the Watch unlocked, look at your iPhone as usual. You will get a haptic buzz on your wrist letting you know that the iPhone has been unlocked. A button to lock the iPhone will also appear underneath that notification.