The Face ID feature on the iPhone 13 is a useful combination of security and convenience that lets you unlock your device and perform some other functions, while also ensuring that it stays locked unless another person knows the passcode.
But if you are near the iPhone and something happens on the device that needs Face ID, it may have been successful even if you weren’t looking at the screen.
For example, a small child could be playing with the iPhone and press the Power button, only for it to unlock because the iPhone camera could see your face.
While this flexibility with Face ID does have its uses, it might be problematic to the point that you want to do something about it.
You can make your iPhone 13 require your attention for Face ID by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > and turn on the Require Attention for Face ID option.
Now the Face ID won’t be successful unless you are looking at the phone, which should help to prevent some accidental device unlocks.
Our tutorial continues below with more on the iPhone 13 Face ID setting.
How to Make Face ID Require You to Be Looking at the iPhone 13
- Open Settings.
- Choose Face ID & Passcode.
- Enter your passcode.
- Turn on Require Attention for Face ID.
Our guide continues below with additional information on changing your iPhone 13 settings so that your device won’t unlock unless you look at it.
Related Topic: Check out our Apple Wallet opens automatically tutorial if you are having problems with the Apple Wallet opening when you don’t want it to.
How to Make It So Face ID Doesn’t Unlock the iPhone Unless You Look at It (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 13 in the iOS 15.4.1 operating system.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on the iPhone.
Step 2: Scroll down and choose the Face ID & Passcode option.
Step 3: Enter the current device passcode.
Step 4: Scroll down and tap the button to the right of Require Attention for Face ID to turn it on.
Our tutorial continues below with more discussion on the iPhone 13 Face ID feature.
More Information on Changing Face ID Settings on an iPhone 13
Once you have turned on the setting we discussed in this article, your iPhone shouldn’t unlock unless you are looking at it.
But there are a few other Face ID settings that you might want to check out or change as well.
- Attention Aware Features – If you turn this option on then your iPhone will check for your attention before it dims the display after a period of inactivity. It will also need your attention before it expands a notification when the device is locked, or when it lowers the volume of some of your alerts.
- Reset Face ID – this will remove all of the stored face information that you have stored. You will need to set up Face ID again if you want to keep using it.
- Face ID with a Mask – if you turn this on then your iPhone will still be able to unlock even if you are wearing a mask over the lower half of your face.
- Add Glasses – If you wear glasses and your iPhone sometimes won’t unlock with Face ID, then you can tap this button and add another Face ID of you wearing glasses.
You can also choose which options on your device you want to allow Face ID to be used for. These include:
- iPhone Unlock
- iTunes & App Store
- Wallet & Apple Pay
- Password Autofill
- Other Apps – these are the other apps on your iPhone that you have granted permission to use your Face ID as a means of authentication. For example, you might have a banking app that requested Face ID as another way to ensure that it is you who is trying to open the app.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing technology how-to articles and tutorials for over a decade. He has extensive experience in information technology both in small business and as a consultant.
His articles have appeared on dozens of websites and been read millions of times.
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