**Face ID Finally Coming to the Mac: What You Need to Know**

Hey everyone, it's Andrew here and today we're talking about Face ID but not Face ID on iPhone, we're talking about Face ID finally coming to the Mac. It seemed pretty inevitable that Apple would eventually abandon the Touch ID sensor on the Mac to replace it with Face ID just as they did on the iPhone with the iPhone 10. Apple ditched the home button and ditched Touch ID to usher in the era of Face ID, which took a 3D scan of your face, projected tiny infrared dots on your face, and used an infrared scanner to scan that and map it to its stored data inside the secure enclave on your iPhone.

**Face ID: A More Secure Option Than Touch ID**

Face ID takes a 3D scan interface versus just a 2D scan of your fingerprint. This means that Face ID is far more secure than Touch ID ever was, basically because there's far more data points involved in a 3D scan. It ushered in a huge new age and security on mobile devices, and we've all been kind of waiting for Apple to do the same thing on Macs. And now it seems like the time is finally getting ever closer.

**New Code References Suggest Face ID is Coming to the Mac**

Inside of the latest Big Sur betas, notify Mac was able to find new code references to something called Pearl Camera, which is Apple's internal name for the Face ID cameras. Not only that, but they found Face Detect and other code strings that are referencing basically Face ID and bio authentication on the Mac. These things specifically tailored for the Mac, not just leftover snippets of code from the Catalyst system, which allows Mac to run mobile apps from iPad.

**When Can We Expect to See Face ID on the Mac?**

Unfortunately, we still don't know when this is going to show up. A possibility is that it will be available with the new Mac lineup later this year or early next year. Many of those new Macs are expected to run Apple's own silicon, which would be a great time to introduce Face ID for the first time to the Mac. We're also expecting a new 14-inch MacBook Pro redesign to come early in 2021, and that could be a great entry point for new Face ID on the Mac.

**What Can Face ID Do on the Mac?**

Face ID will do a lot of the same things that we see on the iPhone, namely unlock your Mac, as well as authenticate other parts of the OS. Windows already has this with Windows Hello, which works pretty solidly but is not as secure as Face ID. So aside from being able to unlock your Mac, you'll be able to do things like access certain panels without having to move your hand up to get to that Touch ID button. It's also more secure than Touch ID, so Face ID sounds more like ever.

**Reach Out on Twitter and Share Your Thoughts**

Reach asked me on Twitter at @Andrew_UOSU "Mean talk about Face ID versus Touch ID coming from the iPhone to the Mac and all the other changes that we expect to see inside of Mac OS Big Sur and on the upcoming Macs." So, what do you guys think? Can you comment below with your thoughts. Don't forget to like this video so we can create content that we know that you guys want to see, and follow Apple Insider on all social media channels.

**Get the Best Prices on Any Apple Gear**

If you're looking for the best prices on any Apple gear, check out our price guide, which is updated daily.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome everybody to apple insider it is andrew here and today we are talking about face id but not face id on iphone we're talking about face id finally coming to the mac that's right it seemed pretty inevitable that apple would eventually abandon the touch id sensor on the mac to replace it with face id just as apple did on the iphone with the iphone 10 apple ditched the home button and ditched touch id to usher in the era of face id face id takes a 3d scan of your face it projects a ton of tiny infrared dots on your face and use an infrared scanner to scan that and map it and compare it to its stored data inside of the secure enclave on your iphone it is far more secure than touch id ever was basically because there's far more data points it's a 3d scan interface versus just a 2d scan of your fingerprint so face id ushered in a huge new age and security on mobile devices and we've all been kind of waiting for apple do the same thing on mac and now it seems like the time is finally getting ever closer inside of the latest big sur betas notify mac was able to find new code references to something called pearl camera now if you remember pearl from in the past apple insider reported on this that pearl was apple's internal name for the face id cameras not only that but they found face detect and other code strings that are referencing basically face id and bio authentication on the mac and these things specifically tailored to the mac not just leftover snippets of code from the catalyst system which allows mac to run mobile apps from ipad so these are taylor built for the mac and our latest and are found in the latest big sur betas so it seems like apple really is getting closer to bringing face id to the mac now unfortunately we still don't know when this is going to show up so when can we expect to see this well a possibility maybe with the new max so their new mac coming later this year as well as early next year a lot of those new macs are going to be running apple's own silicon later this year we're expecting a macbook or macbook air as well as a 13-inch macbook pro to be running apple silicon that would be a great time to introduce face id to the first time to the mac we also are expecting a new 14-inch macbook pro redesign to come early in 2021 as well that could be a great entry point for new face id on the mac so what can face id do on the mac well it's going to do a lot of the same stuff that we see on the iphone namely unlock your mac as well as authenticate other parts of the os windows already has this with windows hello which works pretty solidly but is not as secure as face id so aside from being able to unlock your mac you're going to be able to do anything where you need to kind of put in your password so accessing certain panels instead of system preferences entering passwords inside of safari a lot of these are going to be really useful because you don't have to move your hand up to get to that touch id button and it is more secure than touch id is as we already mentioned so face id sounds more like ever that is coming to the mac and hopefully sooner rather than later but i don't know what you guys think reach asked me on twitter at andrew underscore osu i mean talk about face id versus touch id coming from the iphone to the mac and all the other changes that we expect to see inside of mac os big sur and on the upcoming macs hey everyone did you guys like that video be sure to click on that like button so we can create content that we know that you guys want to see and follow apple insider on all social media channels if you want the best prices on any apple gear check out the apple insider price guide that is updated daily and until next time we'll see you laterwelcome everybody to apple insider it is andrew here and today we are talking about face id but not face id on iphone we're talking about face id finally coming to the mac that's right it seemed pretty inevitable that apple would eventually abandon the touch id sensor on the mac to replace it with face id just as apple did on the iphone with the iphone 10 apple ditched the home button and ditched touch id to usher in the era of face id face id takes a 3d scan of your face it projects a ton of tiny infrared dots on your face and use an infrared scanner to scan that and map it and compare it to its stored data inside of the secure enclave on your iphone it is far more secure than touch id ever was basically because there's far more data points it's a 3d scan interface versus just a 2d scan of your fingerprint so face id ushered in a huge new age and security on mobile devices and we've all been kind of waiting for apple do the same thing on mac and now it seems like the time is finally getting ever closer inside of the latest big sur betas notify mac was able to find new code references to something called pearl camera now if you remember pearl from in the past apple insider reported on this that pearl was apple's internal name for the face id cameras not only that but they found face detect and other code strings that are referencing basically face id and bio authentication on the mac and these things specifically tailored to the mac not just leftover snippets of code from the catalyst system which allows mac to run mobile apps from ipad so these are taylor built for the mac and our latest and are found in the latest big sur betas so it seems like apple really is getting closer to bringing face id to the mac now unfortunately we still don't know when this is going to show up so when can we expect to see this well a possibility maybe with the new max so their new mac coming later this year as well as early next year a lot of those new macs are going to be running apple's own silicon later this year we're expecting a macbook or macbook air as well as a 13-inch macbook pro to be running apple silicon that would be a great time to introduce face id to the first time to the mac we also are expecting a new 14-inch macbook pro redesign to come early in 2021 as well that could be a great entry point for new face id on the mac so what can face id do on the mac well it's going to do a lot of the same stuff that we see on the iphone namely unlock your mac as well as authenticate other parts of the os windows already has this with windows hello which works pretty solidly but is not as secure as face id so aside from being able to unlock your mac you're going to be able to do anything where you need to kind of put in your password so accessing certain panels instead of system preferences entering passwords inside of safari a lot of these are going to be really useful because you don't have to move your hand up to get to that touch id button and it is more secure than touch id is as we already mentioned so face id sounds more like ever that is coming to the mac and hopefully sooner rather than later but i don't know what you guys think reach asked me on twitter at andrew underscore osu i mean talk about face id versus touch id coming from the iphone to the mac and all the other changes that we expect to see inside of mac os big sur and on the upcoming macs hey everyone did you guys like that video be sure to click on that like button so we can create content that we know that you guys want to see and follow apple insider on all social media channels if you want the best prices on any apple gear check out the apple insider price guide that is updated daily and until next time we'll see you laterwelcome everybody to apple insider it is andrew here and today we are talking about face id but not face id on iphone we're talking about face id finally coming to the mac that's right it seemed pretty inevitable that apple would eventually abandon the touch id sensor on the mac to replace it with face id just as apple did on the iphone with the iphone 10 apple ditched the home button and ditched touch id to usher in the era of face id face id takes a 3d scan of your face it projects a ton of tiny infrared dots on your face and use an infrared scanner to scan that and map it and compare it to its stored data inside of the secure enclave on your iphone it is far more secure than touch id ever was basically because there's far more data points it's a 3d scan interface versus just a 2d scan of your fingerprint so face id ushered in a huge new age and security on mobile devices and we've all been kind of waiting for apple do the same thing on mac and now it seems like the time is finally getting ever closer inside of the latest big sur betas notify mac was able to find new code references to something called pearl camera now if you remember pearl from in the past apple insider reported on this that pearl was apple's internal name for the face id cameras not only that but they found face detect and other code strings that are referencing basically face id and bio authentication on the mac and these things specifically tailored to the mac not just leftover snippets of code from the catalyst system which allows mac to run mobile apps from ipad so these are taylor built for the mac and our latest and are found in the latest big sur betas so it seems like apple really is getting closer to bringing face id to the mac now unfortunately we still don't know when this is going to show up so when can we expect to see this well a possibility maybe with the new max so their new mac coming later this year as well as early next year a lot of those new macs are going to be running apple's own silicon later this year we're expecting a macbook or macbook air as well as a 13-inch macbook pro to be running apple silicon that would be a great time to introduce face id to the first time to the mac we also are expecting a new 14-inch macbook pro redesign to come early in 2021 as well that could be a great entry point for new face id on the mac so what can face id do on the mac well it's going to do a lot of the same stuff that we see on the iphone namely unlock your mac as well as authenticate other parts of the os windows already has this with windows hello which works pretty solidly but is not as secure as face id so aside from being able to unlock your mac you're going to be able to do anything where you need to kind of put in your password so accessing certain panels instead of system preferences entering passwords inside of safari a lot of these are going to be really useful because you don't have to move your hand up to get to that touch id button and it is more secure than touch id is as we already mentioned so face id sounds more like ever that is coming to the mac and hopefully sooner rather than later but i don't know what you guys think reach asked me on twitter at andrew underscore osu i mean talk about face id versus touch id coming from the iphone to the mac and all the other changes that we expect to see inside of mac os big sur and on the upcoming macs hey everyone did you guys like that video be sure to click on that like button so we can create content that we know that you guys want to see and follow apple insider on all social media channels if you want the best prices on any apple gear check out the apple insider price guide that is updated daily and until next time we'll see you later\n"