Unlock with your face

Before using face matching

Keep in mind that:

  • If your phone has been locked for more than 4 hours, face matching won't work until you first unlock with another method.
  • 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. Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock > Face and fingerprint unlock.
  2. Unlock your phone and tap Face unlock.
  3. Follow the onscreen instructions. Be sure to frame your entire face with the outline.

    Face matching data is stored securely on the phone.

  4. Select face unlock options.

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

Unlock your phone

Show your face to the lock screen.

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

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

Change unlock options

Prevent someone from using your photo to unlock your phone

  1. Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock > Face and fingerprint unlock.

Turn off face matching

  1. Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock > Face and fingerprint unlock.
  2. Unlock the screen, then:

    • To turn if off temporarily, turn Unlock your phone off .
    • To remove your face data, tap Delete face model.

Fix an issue

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

  1. Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock > Face unlock.
  2. Unlock your phone, then tap Redo face scan.
  3. Make sure that you are in a well lit environment. Avoid low light, strong light and backlit environments to ensure that the face image is clear.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions.