The Touch ID or Face ID features on your iPhone or iPad device are a great way to enable a good balance between security and convenience. Learn how to set up and use Touch ID or Face ID to secure your iOS device.

Apple has offered Touch ID and Face ID — two different ways to securely unlock your iOS devices without the complexity and tediousness of entering a PIN or passcode manually every time you have to unlock your device. While the company still requires users to enable a numeric PIN or alphanumeric passcode to secure their devices, it has made available the Touch ID and Face ID features to offer a perfect balance of security and comfort.

What is Touch ID?

Touch ID is a feature seen in Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices that allows the user to authenticate their identity using their own fingerprint. Instead of manually having to enter a PIN or Passcode, the user can just rest their finger on the Touch ID hardware and unlock their iOS devices. You can do a lot more with Touch ID though, such as making purchases on the App Store or iTunes Store, authenticating your identity for Apple Pay purchases, etc. Apple allows you to store up to 5 different fingerprints, so you can share access to a device between multiple people if you want. Touch ID unlocks are instantaneous and easy to set up. Let’s see how to set up and use Touch ID on iPhone or iPad.

How to set up and use Touch ID on iPhone or iPad

Configuring Touch ID on an iPhone or iPad is a one-time process and very easy to do. You can set up Touch ID in less than 5 minutes and take the first step towards making your iPhone or iPad more secure. But first, you’ll have to check which model of iPhone or iPad you currently have. Most recent versions of Apple’s iOS devices have the necessary Touch ID hardware on them, so check below to find your device:

iPhones compatible with Touch ID:

• iPhone 5s;
• iPhone SE (all models);
• iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus;
• iPhone 6s & iPhone 6s Plus;
• iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus;
• iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus.

iPads compatible with Touch ID:

• iPad Air 2, iPad Air 3rd generation, iPad Air 4th generation, and iPad Air 5th generation;
• iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, iPad Mini 5th generation, and iPad Mini 6th generation;
• iPad Pro 1st generation, iPad Pro 2nd generation;
• iPad 5th generation, iPad 6th generation, iPad 7th generation, iPad 8th generation, iPad 9th generation, iPad 10th generation.

If you have any of the devices above, let's get started. You can set up and use Touch ID on your device. The Touch ID hardware is built into the Home Button of your device, so every time you press on the Home Button, you’re touching the Touch ID hardware. Here’s how to set up and use Touch ID on an iPhone or iPad.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down a bit to the Touch ID & Passcode option.
3. If you currently have a passcode or PIN set on your iOS device, you’ll be prompted to enter it.
4. If you don’t currently have a passcode, you have to create a new passcode before you can set up Touch ID. Tap the Turn Passcode On option to proceed.
5. Next, tap Add a Fingerprint. The device asks you to rest your finger on the Home Button and lift it when the device buzzes.

6. Continue lifting and resting your finger so that your fingerprint is read by the Touch ID hardware.
7. Once complete, the next step is to Adjust Your Grip. This reads the outer edges of your fingers, so that the device has the full reading of your fingerprint.
8. Once complete, your fingerprint is now registered on your iPhone or iPad.

You can now unlock your iPhone or iPad using the fingerprint you've just set up. That’s not all, you can even make purchases using your fingerprint. Here’s how to make purchases using Touch ID on iPhone or iPad.

How to enable purchases using Touch ID on iPhone or iPad:

After you have set up Touch ID on your iOS device, you can enjoy the comforts of authenticating identity using Touch ID to make purchases on the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Books, etc. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down to the Touch ID & Passcode option.
3. Enable the iTunes & App Store toggle. You might need to sign into your iTunes or App Store account to do this.

Now, whenever you try to buy & download something on the App Store or iTunes Store, your device will prompt you to Pay with Touch ID.

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What is Face ID?

Starting with the release of iPhone X, Apple has removed the Touch ID feature in iPhones and replaced it with a feature known Face ID. As the name suggests, Face ID allows a user to unlock their iOS device using their face as the medium of authentication. Apple says Face ID is a better & secure technology compared to Touch ID and provides many advantages. Unlike the Touch ID hardware that sits in the Home Button at the bottom, the Face ID hardware is an array of cameras and sensors housed at the top of the iPhone screens.

Does my iPhone or iPad have Face ID?

The Face ID feature was first released with the iPhone X in 2017. Since then, Apple has released several models of iPhones and iPads that come with the Face ID hardware in it, allowing you to unlock your iOS devices with Face ID and also make purchases using Face ID. Here’s a list of iPhones and iPads with Face ID:

List of iPhones with Face ID:

• iPhone 14 Pro Max;
• iPhone 14 Pro;
• iPhone 14 Plus;
• iPhone 14;
• iPhone 13 Pro Max;
• iPhone 13 Pro;
• iPhone 13 mini;
• iPhone 13;
• iPhone 12 Pro Max;
• iPhone 12 Pro;
• iPhone 12 mini;
• iPhone 12;
• iPhone 11 Pro Max;
• iPhone 11 Pro;
• Phone 11;
• iPhone XS Max;
• iPhone XS;
• iPhone XR;
• iPhone X.

List of iPads with Face ID:

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 6th generation;
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 5th generation;
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 4th generation;
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation;
• iPad Pro 11-inch 4th generation;
• iPad Pro 11-inch 3rd generation;
• iPad Pro 11-inch 2nd generation;
• iPad Pro 11-inch.

How to set up and use Face ID on iPhone or iPad

Enabling and configuring Face ID on your iPhone and iPad is a very simple process. By following this simple guide to set up Face ID on iOS device, you can start using Face ID to unlock your iPhone or iPad in minutes. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Face ID & Passcode option. If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
3. Tap Set Up Face ID.
4. Hold your device upright in the Portrait orientation, in front of your face, about 10-20 inches away.
5. Tap Get Started to proceed further.
6. Carefully position your face inside the circular frame preview and slowly move your head in a circular motion to complete the circle.
7. Once you finish the first scan, tap Continue.
8. Follow the instructions in Step 6 again for the second time.
9. Tap Done when you’ve completed the steps.

If you haven’t already set up a passcode for your iOS device, you will have to set one up now so that you have an alternative method to Face ID, just in case Face ID fails to recognize your face.

How to make purchases using Face ID on iPhone and iPad

Once you have set up and configured Face ID on your iOS device, you can not only use it to unlock your device, but you can also use it to make purchases from the iTunes or App Stores. To enable purchases using Face ID on your own iPhone or iPad, follow these simple steps below:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Face ID & Passcode option. Enter your device passcode to continue.
3. In the list of toggles for USE FACE ID FOR, enable the toggle switch for iTunes & App Store, Wallet & Apple Pay, and Password Autofill.
4. You may have to enter your App Store password to confirm.

Now, whenever you are making a purchase, simply double-click the sleep/wake button at the side of the iPhone or iPad and it’ll authenticate the purchase using Face ID.