Face ID on the iPhone uses advanced depth-mapping technology to securely unlock your device in a fraction of a second. Under normal circumstances, the neural engine continuously learns and adapts to minor daily changes in your appearance, such as growing a beard or wearing new glasses. However, if you frequently wear heavy safety gear for work, a bulky winter scarf, or large theatrical makeup, the system might fail to recognize you. To solve this, Apple allows you to register an “Alternate Appearance” in the settings.
Why Use an Alternate Appearance?
The Alternate Appearance feature was originally designed for users whose appearance drastically changes due to specific clothing or gear. By registering a secondary mathematical map of your face while wearing that gear, the iPhone can seamlessly unlock regardless of which “look” you are currently sporting.
Note: Many users successfully use this feature to grant a spouse or trusted partner access to their iPhone by scanning the second person’s face. While Apple states the feature is intended for one user with two looks, the system will accept a completely different person’s face without issue.
How to Set Up a Second Face
You can add an alternate appearance at any time through the primary security settings menu.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode.
- You will be prompted to enter your current numerical passcode.
- Tap on the blue text that says Set Up an Alternate Appearance.
- Read the instructions on the screen and tap Get Started.
- Position your face inside the camera frame and slowly move your head in a circle to complete the first scan. (If you are doing this to register a specific piece of gear, ensure you are wearing it now).
- Tap Continue.
- Complete the second circle scan.
- Tap Done.
Managing the Faces
Once you have added an alternate appearance, the option to add another one will disappear. The iPhone only holds a maximum of two facial maps at any given time.
If you ever need to delete the alternate appearance (perhaps you no longer need the winter gear scan, or you want to revoke access from a partner), you cannot delete just the secondary face. You must tap Reset Face ID. This will instantly delete both the primary and the alternate scans, requiring you to set up Face ID from scratch as if the phone were brand new.