Unlock with your face

Before using face matching

Keep in mind that:

  • Looking at your phone can unlock it, even when you don't intend to.
  • Your phone can be unlocked by someone who looks a lot like you.
  • Your phone can be unlocked by someone else if it’s held up to your face while your eyes are open. Keep your phone in a safe place. To prepare for unsafe situations, you can turn on lockdown.

Set up face matching

  1. Make sure you have set a screen lock on the phone.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Touch Security > Face unlock.

    If the option is grayed out, go to Settings > Security > Advanced > Device admin apps and disable the device administrator.

  4. Unlock your phone, then tap Face unlock.
  5. Follow the onscreen instructions.

    • Be sure to frame your entire face with the outline.
    • If Skip lock screen is on toggle on switch, then your phone unlocks right to your home screen or last used app when your face is matched. For more privacy, turn Skip lock screen off toggle off switch; when your face is matched, you'll need to swipe up on the lock screen before seeing your home screen or last used app.
    • To unlock by raising your phone and looking at the screen, turn Lift to unlock on toggle on switch.

Whenever you turn on or wake the phone, it will search for your face and unlock the screen when it recognizes you.

Face matching data is stored securely on the phone.

Unlock your phone

Show your face to the lock screen.

If it doesn't recognize you, it stays locked and displays one of these icons.

Icon How to unlock
Use your password, PIN, or pattern
Use the fingerprint sensor

Turn off face matching

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Touch Security > Face unlock.
  3. Unlock your phone.
  4. Touch Delete face data.

Fix an issue

If you're having trouble getting the phone to recognize your face:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Touch Security > Face unlock.
  3. Unlock your phone, then touch Redo face scan.
  4. Set up face matching again.