Apple has unveiled Digital ID, a new feature that allows users to create and store a digital identity in Apple Wallet using information from their U.S. passport. The rollout begins this month in beta at more than 250 U.S. airports, where travelers can use their Digital ID for in-person verification at TSA checkpoints during domestic travel.
“With the launch of Digital ID, we’re excited to expand the ways users can store and present their identity — all with the security and privacy built into iPhone and Apple Watch,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. She added that since Apple first introduced driver’s licenses and state IDs in Wallet in 2022, “we’ve seen how much users love having their ID right on their devices.” The new feature, Bailey said, brings that “secure and convenient option to even more users across the country.”
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Digital ID enables individuals to create and present an ID even without a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID. Users can scan the photo page and embedded chip of their physical passport using an iPhone, complete a selfie and facial movement verification, and securely store the verified ID on their device. The data remains encrypted and stored locally, ensuring Apple “cannot see when and where users present their ID, or what data was presented.”
To use Digital ID, travelers can double-click the side button on their iPhone or Apple Watch, select their ID in Wallet, and hold their device near an identity reader. Before sharing any information, users can review and approve the data request via Face ID or Touch ID. According to Apple, only the necessary details for each transaction are shared, without users having to unlock or hand over their device.
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Apple said Digital ID will expand to additional businesses and organizations in the future, supporting age and identity verification both in person and online. The feature builds on the company’s existing digital ID program, which is currently live in 12 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and was recently launched in Japan through integration with the My Number Card system.
Source: Apple