Apple's iOS 14.5 update will allow users to unlock their iPhones while wearing face masks – but there's a catch

The update will only work if users also have an Apple Watch

Apple's latest iOS 14.5 update has introduced a new feature that allows users to unlock their iPhones while wearing a mask. Bloomberg

Apple’s latest software update for iPhones, iOS 14.5, will include a new feature that will solve one of the most frustrating issues users have faced since the start of the pandemic – unlocking your phone while wearing a face mask.

The new update, released on Monday, allows users to unlock devices while the lower half of their face is covered with a mask, removing the previous need to enter a pin when the whole face was not visible.

However, there is a catch. The new feature will only work for users who also have an Apple Watch.

How to set it up

Once iOS 14.5 is installed on the device, users will be able to set up the feature "Unlock with Apple Watch". To do this, an Apple Watch must also be running on WatchOS 7.4.

In settings, you will find the Face ID and Passcode section, under which you will find the new update, Unlock with Apple Watch. Once you have found your Apple Watch listed under devices, just turn the feature on.

How to use it

Once you have switched the feature on and your Apple Watch is linked, you can use your iPhone as usual. When you want to unlock it, hold it up to your face as normal. You will then feel a small vibration on your wrist, which signals your Apple Watch has been used to allow your iPhone to unlock, without the need for a passcode.

As an added layer of security, you can also use your Apple Watch to lock your iPhone, in case it was unlocked by mistake or by somebody else wearing a mask.

What else is new with iOS 14.5?

The new software update will include something called App Tracking Transparency or ATT, which is intended to make it more difficult for advertisers to track people as they rotate between different apps on their device.

Apple says the change is intended to help protect the privacy of users. People will be given the option to opt in or out of app tracking, and has led to criticism from the likes of Facebook, for which the update could cost huge sums of money.

iOS 14.5 also introduces new Siri voices, with four updates to choose from.