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Face ID for iPhone will work in landscape in iOS 16

Face ID for iPhone will work in landscape in iOS 16

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Face ID on iPad has supported landscape mode for years

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The smaller notch on the iPhone 13 Pro Max (left) compared to the 12 Pro Max (right)
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

There were a whole lot of exciting announcements that came out of WWDC, but one update Apple didn’t mention onstage is that iOS 16 will bring support for using Face ID in landscape mode.

As noted on Apple’s iOS 16 preview page (thanks @ParkerOrtolani for spotting), Apple states that you’ll soon be able to unlock your iPhone, make payments, autofill your passwords, and more with Face ID when your phone is tilted horizontally. You can already use Face ID when your iPad is in landscape mode, so expanding the feature to iPhones is overdue. When the feature is out, you’ll no longer have to ensure your phone is in portrait position to use Face ID, which can be somewhat of an annoyance if you frequently have your phone turned to the side.

Apple says the feature is available only on “supported iPhone models,” but it doesn’t explicitly mention which ones. The Verge reached out to Apple with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back. This is just one of many features set to come with iOS 16 this fall, including customizable lock screens, the ability to edit iMessages, and updated notifications. Here are the full details.