Face ID is fast, but it has one obvious limitation: it recognizes a single face. What if you want your partner to unlock the phone too, or you need a family member to access the device while your hands are full? Since iOS 12, the “Alternate Appearance” feature lets you enroll a second face — and the phone honestly can’t tell it’s a different person. Here’s how to set it up, and what to know about the security trade-off.
Enrolling a second face for Face ID
Step 1 — Open Face ID settings
Go to Settings → Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode. This is where both faces are managed. Apple’s Face ID support page covers the basics of enrolling and resetting faces.
Step 2 — Tap “Set Up an Alternate Appearance”
Below your existing Face ID enrollment you’ll see Set Up an Alternate Appearance. Tap it to begin the second enrollment.
Step 3 — Position the second person’s face
Hand the phone to the second person. They should position their face inside the on-screen frame, then slowly rotate their head in a circle to complete the first scan, and repeat for the second scan. Green checkmarks confirm each pass. This is the exact same enrollment flow you did for your own face.
Step 4 — Test both faces
Lock the phone and have each person unlock it with a glance. Both should work. If the second face fails repeatedly, try re-enrolling in better lighting or without glasses or a hat that might have interfered.
Step 5 — Understand the reset rule
Important: if you ever tap Reset Face ID, it wipes both enrollments — you’ll have to set up your face and the second face all over again. There’s no way to remove just one of the two faces.
An honest note about security
Apple designed Alternate Appearance for one person in a different look — say, with and without glasses. But the system never compares the two enrollments against each other, so in practice it works for a completely different person. That’s convenient, but think through the implications: the second face can unlock your phone, read your messages, and — crucially — authorize App Store and Apple Pay purchases with a glance. Only enroll someone you trust the way you’d trust with your passcode. MacRumors covered the feature’s arrival back in iOS 12 and the discussions around it.
If it still doesn’t work
If the “Set Up an Alternate Appearance” option doesn’t appear, make sure you’re on iOS 12 or later — the feature doesn’t exist on earlier versions. Also note that it requires an iPhone with Face ID hardware (iPhone X and newer). If enrollment keeps failing for the second person, restart the phone and try in bright, even lighting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add a third face?
No — iOS allows exactly two enrollments: your main face and one alternate appearance. There’s no way to add a third.
Does the second face work for Apple Pay?
Yes. Either enrolled face can authorize Apple Pay, App Store purchases, and password autofill. Treat the second enrollment with the same care as sharing your passcode.
Conclusion
Alternate Appearance is the simplest way to share Face ID with a second person: five minutes in Settings and both of you can unlock the phone. Just remember the reset rule and the purchase-authorization implication before you hand the phone over. For more Face ID and lock-screen tips, see how to stop Safari from suggesting passwords on iPhone, how to disable quick camera launch from the lock screen, and how to enable face lighting during video calls on Mac.
