What’s the Best Way to Unlock Your IPhone?
I remember all the hype when Apple first announced Face ID in September 2017. There have been countless articles and thoughts criticizing Apple for its terrible experience with its new safety technology. Instead of just pressing the Home button on your iPhone, which is a natural task when you take your iPhone out of your pants, jacket or bag, you have to lift the device to eye level, look at it, and then continue using it as usual.
And yet Face ID seems to have worked well for Apple. Or at least the company is sticking with facial recognition for now, as none of the iPhones it is going to announce next week will have any in-display fingerprint reader. Whether this is a technical limitation that Apple can’t get past in time for a batch of iPhones this year, or Apple will end up ditching Touch ID for good, we just have to wait and see.
Until then, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of various iPhone unlocking mechanisms – from passwords to your fingers and your big fat head .
Choosing an unlocking method
As a preface, I take most of my screenshots from an iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 12 because I’m too cheap, I don’t need an iPhone X. The steps and settings should be the same for your iPhone if you don’t. t using an iPhone or OS from five years ago or something like that.
Plus, Apple doesn’t give you nearly as many options for unlocking your device on iOS as Android users will find on their smartphones. These are the breaks.
Start by unlocking your device and tap the Settings app. From there, scroll down a bit until you see Touch ID & Passcode (or Face ID & Passcode). Click on this.
Option 1: password
Convenience: Notifications and quick access to the device Security: ?
Chances are, you’ve already set up some kind of numeric passcode that you can use to log into your device – it’s probably not recognizing your face, your fingerprint, or when you :
- Turn on or restart your device
- Press the Home button or swipe up to unlock your device (this can be changed )
- Update your software
- Wipe off the device
- View or change password settings
- Install iOS Configuration Profiles
To change the size of the passcode used, scroll down a bit on the Touch ID & Passcode screen until you see Change Passcode. Click on it, enter your current password and you can set a new one. If you want to switch from six digits to four (or vice versa), click on the “Password options” link.
You can also set Option 2: password. I would have a separate section for this, but it’s too easy to set up. Instead of choosing a different size numeric code, select the Custom Alphanumeric Code or Custom Numeric Code option and enter any string of numbers and text (or just numbers) you want. While it can be inconvenient to enter the killer password, it is much safer than a four- or six-digit PIN (especially if you are using a number with some meaning that others can easily guess).
Option 3. Touch ID
Convenience: there is no better Touch ID. Security: Don’t let your friends blind your fingerprints.
If your device supports this — it’s any iPhone with a Home button since the iPhone 5S, or any iPad after the iPad Air 2, Touch ID is a great way, arguably the best way to unlock your iPhone. It’s fast and secure, and you’ve probably already set it up on your device. (Apple prompts you to turn it on on the first few screens you see on a new iPhone or iPad.) If you skipped this part, you can register your fingerprint in the same Touch ID and Password section in the Settings app. I mentioned earlier.
You can enroll up to five fingers, so make sure you try all the ways you would normally squeeze or grip your phone to make sure you don’t leave any pigs on the market. And once you’re done registering numbers, scroll to the very bottom of the Touch ID and Password screen and make sure Erase Data is selected. Thus, if someone tries to jailbreak your device, they will end up erasing your iPhone if they make 10 unsuccessful attempts in a row. It’s frustrating for you – if they’ve gotten this far, as iOS will start lengthening the time between retries on each subsequent failure – but much safer overall.
Option 4: Face ID
Convenience: You will have to look at your iPhone a lot. Security: Yourevil twin is thrilled to see your new smartphone.
If you have an iPhone that supports Face ID – currently the iPhone X, and no doubt some of the oddly named new models Apple is releasing this month – then there will be a Face ID & Passcode section on the settings screen. instead of “Touch ID”. & Passcode “because your device does not have a Home button to talk about.
You won’t be able to register multiple faces for your iPhone until the official release of iOS 12 (assuming you’re not using the public beta). This will be the device’s “Configure Alternate Appearance” option, which is actually meant to have you register a different version of yourself and not a completely different person. It’s a fun little trick, assuming Apple doesn’t leverage this feature and only allows an “alternate look” for a face like yours.
If you want to sign in to your device a little faster, you can turn off the Require Attention for Face ID option in the Face ID & Password section. Then you will be able to unlock your device with a little side glare rather than looking straight into the soul of your iPhone.