iOS 14.5 To Add Option To Unlock iPhone With Apple Watch If You’re Wearing A Face Mask

Apple is finally adding a solution that makes it easier to unlock an iPhone while wearing a face mask. Right now, with a face mask on, Face ID doesn’t work, requiring those wearing masks to enter a passcode to unlock their devices.

In iOS 14.5, there'll be a new option to unlock an ‌iPhone‌ with Face ID and an Apple Watch paired together, with the Apple Watch's authentication providing an extra layer of security.

If you're wearing an unlocked Apple Watch and use Face ID as you normally would, the ‌iPhone‌ will unlock after a partial face scan. When the unlock happens, you'll feel a haptic buzz and will receive a notification on the Apple Watch informing you that the unlocking procedure was successful, similar to how it works when unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch.