When the iPhone X launched, there was no option to record multiple faces like there was to enter in multiple fingerprints with Touch ID, but that's something Apple changed in iOS 12 and later.

Now you can add a second face to Face ID, which is useful if you have a job where your face dramatically changes, such as with a surgeon's mask or protective goggles.

faceidalternateappearancesetup
Face ID can learn to overcome items like hats, sunglasses, and scarves, recognizing you anyway, but having the option for a second face while you're wearing frequently worn items makes sure Face ID works more seamlessly.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to Face ID & Passcode and tap it.
  3. Enter your passcode.
  4. Choose the "Set Up an Alternate Appearance."

From there, you can set up Face ID as you did when you first purchased and set up your iPhone X for the first time.

The iPhone will walk you through the steps of positioning your face in the camera and then moving your head in a circle.

Once your alternate appearance has been entered, there's no option to delete it. To re-add an appearance, you will need to tap the "Reset Face ID" button that has replaced the "Set Up Alternate Appearance" option.

alternateappearancesetup
Be aware, there's no confirmation screen when you tap the "Reset Face ID" option. Once it's tapped, all of your Face ID data is cleared.

Top Rated Comments

dominiongamma Avatar
87 months ago
Why not just bring back Touch ID? Whatever alleged inconvenience bezels are, the trade-off for the inclusion of Touch ID, not having to deal with the troubles of Face ID not working under certain conditions, and elimination of that hideous notch are well worth it.
Greasy fingers, wet fingers kind of made Touch ID difficult to use, Face ID seems better
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
billybobfred Avatar
87 months ago
Why not just bring back Touch ID? Whatever alleged inconvenience bezels are, the trade-off for the inclusion of Touch ID, not having to deal with the troubles of Face ID not working under certain conditions, and elimination of that hideous notch are well worth it.
There are many features that make Face ID a much better form of authentication. For one, Face ID is far more secure than Touch ID ever was. The massive amount of saved screen space is also a factor. As for the notch, I think that will go away as tech improves and lets them hide the sensors and camera under the screen.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KazKam Avatar
87 months ago
This is a hack for adding another "identity" to Face ID. One of the things I liked about Touch ID was being able to register one of my fingers on the phones of my other family members (since I'm their IT support specialist) and being able to easily unlock. I also was able to put my wife's fingerprint on mine.

Face ID may be technically more secure, but I find it a helluva lot less convenient for my use cases, and in several cases, a downright nuisance.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThomasJL Avatar
87 months ago
Why not just bring back Touch ID? Whatever alleged inconvenience bezels are, the trade-off for the inclusion of Touch ID, not having to deal with the troubles of Face ID not working under certain conditions, and elimination of that hideous notch are well worth it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blizzardman Avatar
87 months ago
Greasy fingers, wet fingers kind of made Touch ID difficult to use, Face ID seems better
And for me a very unique scenario where FaceID is MUCH better is trying to use my phone while having my Ski gear on. I have gloves which work with touchscreens but it was always a hassle with TouchID.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
87 months ago
Be aware, there's no confirmation screen when you tap the "Reset Face ID" option. Once it's tapped, all of your Face ID data is cleared.
As it should be, iOS and macOS/OS X got to verbose to my liking, bit like Windows, if I say delete then delete the damn thing.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...