Security alert: iOS 15 broke "Require attention for Face ID" when using "Unlock with Apple Watch"

[Thor774]

iPhone XS Max and AW Series 6 owner here.

I have been using the function Unlock with Apple Watch since its inception and have loved it, but something has changed since the update to iOS 15 and watchOS 8.

There is a Face ID feature that I consider very important to keep my iPhone secured: Require attention for Face ID. Without this I'd never feel safe using Face ID to unlock my iPhone. It is simple: Someone can easily take my iPhone while I am asleep, point it to my face and unlock it without me ever noticing it.

While using Unlock with Apple Watch on iOS 14 / watchOS 7, my iPhone was never unlocked without me looking directly at the screen. After the update to iOS 15 / watchOS 8 I started noticing a high number of alerts on my Apple Watch about my iPhone been unlocked by it when I was not doing this myself. I discovered that the iPhone was getting unintentionally unlocked by just getting an accidental glance of my face while i was holding it in my hand. This never happened before the OS update.

I decided to conduct an experiment: I closed my eyes and tried to unlock my iPhone while my watch was on my wrist, the iPhone effectively got unlocked without needing attention and I got the respective alert on the watch. Then I removed the watch and tried again to unlock the iPhone with my eyes closed, this time the iPhone didn't got unlocked, which is the expected behavior when you have Require attention for Face ID enabled.

I can only conclude that one of the OS updates has broke something, and now Require attention for Face ID isn't been used in conjunction with Unlock with Apple Watch.

I am going to have to turn off this until Apple fix what they have broken.

I have already sent feedback to Apple about this. Try it yourselves and if you can reproduce the issue please send feedback to Apple too using https://www.apple.com/feedback/

 

[mollyc]

Apple to Fix Issue Preventing iPhone 13 Users From Unlocking With Apple Watch in Upcoming Software Update

 

[Thor774]

Apple to Fix Issue Preventing iPhone 13 Users From Unlocking With Apple Watch in Upcoming Software Update

I know about this problem, but this is not the same issue

 

[contacos]

This has always been the case for me? Even on iOS 14. Once you activate "unlock with Apple Watch" it does not even seem like it does a faceID check whatsoever, instead it is checking if your Apple Watch is in range. I just tested it and someone can literally take my phone and unlock it as long as I am nearby and you can manually lock it again from the watch notification. I thought that's just how it works

Basically:

IF Apple Watch detected
Skip FaceID scan
ELSE
ask for FaceId confirmation

 

[Thor774]

I thought that's just how it works

Basically:

IF Apple Watch detected
Skip FaceID scan
ELSE
ask for FaceId confirmation

It doesn’t suppose to work like that. Take a look at this article from Apple:

Unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch when you're wearing a face mask or sunglasses - Apple Support

When you're wearing a mask or sunglasses and your Apple Watch, you can simply raise and glance at your iPhone to unlock it. Learn how to set up and use the feature.

support.apple.com

Between the requirements to unlock iPhone with an AW you need:

- You need to be wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose, or sunglasses or ski goggles that cover your eyes.

After updating to iOS 15 the iPhone doesn’t care if your face is obstructed by anything, it just unlock the phone while glancing at it. I don’t know if it even cares that the face looking at the screen is yours (haven’t tested).

With iOS 14 my iPhone got never unlocked if I was not fully looking at it with my eyes open, didn’t matter if I was or wasn’t wearing a face mask.

 

[Nhott]

It doesn’t suppose to work like that. Take a look at this article from Apple:

Unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch when you're wearing a face mask or sunglasses - Apple Support

When you're wearing a mask or sunglasses and your Apple Watch, you can simply raise and glance at your iPhone to unlock it. Learn how to set up and use the feature.

support.apple.com

It also says on that same page:

Learn more​

• Unlock with Apple Watch works when your watch is on your wrist and unlocked and your iPhone is nearby. The feature doesn't use Face ID to recognize and authenticate your identity.