Unlock your Pixel phone with your face

How Face Unlock works

You can create a unique model of your face to unlock your Pixel phone with Face Unlock. Face Unlock is available on Pixel 4 and Pixel 7 or later Pixel phones, including Pixel Fold. To create this face model during setup, you'll take images of your face from different angles. 

When you use Face Unlock, face images are used to update your face model so that, over time, your phone can recognise your face better in more scenarios. The face images used to create your face model aren't stored, but the face model is stored securely on your phone and never leaves the phone. All processing occurs securely on your phone.

When you enrol in Face Unlock, the face model is used only for Face Unlock and isn't shared with any other Google services or apps.

To delete your face model stored on the phone, follow the instructions below for your Pixel phone model.

• Pixel 7 and later (including Pixel Fold)
• Pixel 4

Important:

• Face models may be considered biometric data in some jurisdictions.
• When you look at your phone, you can unlock it even when you don’t intend to.
• Face Unlock may be less secure than a strong PIN, pattern or password.
• Your phone can be unlocked by someone who looks a lot like you, like an identical sibling.
• Your phone can also be unlocked by someone else if it’s held up to your face. Keep your phone in a safe place, like your front pocket or handbag. To prepare for unsafe situations, learn how to turn on lockdown.
• When there isn’t sufficient light or when you have a face covering or sunglasses, Face Unlock might not work. We recommend that you also enrol Fingerprint Unlock for a more seamless unlock experience.

Pixel 7 and later, including Pixel Fold

If you have a Pixel 7 or later, including Pixel Fold, you can use Face Unlock to unlock your phone. Learn how to set up Face Unlock on your Pixel phone with our step-by-step tutorial.

Learn how to set up Face Unlock.

Important: On Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro only, you can also use Face Unlock to verify that it’s you, like when you sign in to apps or approve a purchase.

Set up Face Unlock

Unlock Pixel 4 with your face (UK) | Pixel

1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
2. Tap Security and privacy Device lock Face and Fingerprint Unlock.
3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
4. Tap Face Unlock Set up Face Unlock.
5. Review the information on screen.
6. Tap I agree Start.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions.
8. Tap Done.

Change Face Unlock settings or face model

You can change the settings for how Face Unlock works. These two settings are automatically turned on:

• Require eyes to be open
• Skip lock screen

To turn off these default settings:

1. Open your phone’s Settings app.
2. Tap Security and privacy Device unlock.
3. Tap Face and Fingerprint Unlock Face Unlock.
4. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
5. Tap Face Unlock.
6. Under 'When using Face Unlock', turn off the setting you want to change.
7. To change your face model, you must delete your old one first.

Always require confirmation (Pixel 8 and 8 Pro only)

You can require confirmation when you use Face Unlock to sign in to apps or approve a payment.

With Face Unlock turned on:

1. Open your phone’s Settings app.
2. Tap Security and privacy Device unlock.
3. Tap Face and Fingerprint Unlock Face Unlock.
4. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
5. Tap Face Unlock.
6. Under 'When using Face Unlock', turn off the setting you want to change.

Disable or delete Face Unlock

Follow steps one to four, then:

5. Tap Delete face model Delete.
6. Set up Face Unlock.

Fix problems with Face Unlock

Face Unlock has trouble recognising my face

1. Confirm that you have enabled your face and fingerprint to unlock your device.
   1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
   2. Tap Security and privacy Device lock Face and Fingerprint Unlock Face Unlock.
   3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
2. Check that you are not in a low-light environment, such as a dark room.
3. Remove anything that might be obscuring your face, such as sunglasses or a face mask, and try again.
4. Make sure that you set up Face Unlock for your usual appearance. For example, with or without make-up, with or without a headscarf, with or without glasses. If your appearance changes significantly, you can re-enrol your face.

Face Unlock is triggered too often

By default, 'Tap to check phone' and 'Lift to check phone' are enabled. To reduce the chance of accidentally unlocking your phone, you can turn off these options. When these options are turned off, you must press the power button to wake the screen and trigger Face Unlock.

Face Unlock doesn’t trigger at all

1. Confirm that 'Tap to check phone' and 'Lift to check phone' are turned on.
2. Tap the screen and see if there’s an animation (or a ring) around the camera, which indicates that your face is being scanned.
3. Confirm that you have Face and Fingerprint Unlock turned on:
   1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
   2. Tap Security and privacy Device lock Face and Fingerprint Unlock Face Unlock.
   3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
   4. Under 'Ways to unlock', 'Face Unlock' shows Face added.
   5. Confirm that Unlock your phone is turned on.

Pixel 4

If you have a Pixel 4, you can use your face to:

• Unlock your phone.
• Confirm payments.
• Sign in to some apps.

Set up Face Unlock

Unlock your phone with your face

1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
2. Tap Security  Face Unlock.
3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
4. Near the bottom, tap Set up Face Unlock  Agree  Start.
5. Fit your face in the frame. Slowly point your nose toward each of the blue tiles.
6. Tap Done.

Tip: If you have trouble with setup, go to the troubleshooting steps for Face Unlock.

Change Face Unlock settings

Use your face to sign in to apps & confirm payments

1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
2. Tap Security  Face Unlock.
3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
4. Turn on App sign-in and payments.

Tip: To help prevent accidental purchases, you can change your settings so that you’re required to enter your PIN, pattern or password for every purchase. Under 'Requirements for Face Unlock', tap Always require confirmation.

Delete face data

1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
2. Tap Security  Face Unlock.
3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
4. Near the bottom, tap Delete face data  Delete.

Turn off Face Unlock

To unlock your phone with your PIN, pattern or password without the use of Face Unlock:

1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
2. Tap Security  Face Unlock.
3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
4. Under 'Use Face Unlock for', turn off Unlocking your phone.

After you turn off 'Unlocking your phone', you can still use Face Unlock to sign in to apps and make payments. To turn off Face Unlock completely, delete your face data.

Require eyes to be open

To make sure that your phone doesn’t unlock when your eyes are closed, you can require that your eyes are open for Face Unlock.

With Face Unlock turned on:

1. On your Pixel phone, open your Settings app.
2. Tap Security Face Unlock.
3. Enter your PIN, pattern or password.
4. Under 'Requirements for Face Unlock', turn on Require eyes to be open.

Fix problems with Face Unlock

I have trouble with setup

• When you try to set up Face Unlock, wear a typical outfit in a typical place where you use your phone. For example, if you wear glasses or a headscarf every day to your job, set up with those on at work.
• If you can’t move your head well, you can still set up with limited mobility. Start Face Unlock setup, then tap Set up for limited vision or head motion.
• Make sure that you're under sufficient light.

I have trouble with Face Unlock

Sometimes for additional security, your phone won’t unlock with your face. You can still unlock your phone: 

• While your phone is locked, swipe up.
• Enter your PIN, pattern or password.

If your phone regularly has trouble with Face Unlock:

• If you wear a face covering, like a mask or dark sunglasses, take them off.
• If you're in a dark environment, move to somewhere with sufficient lighting.
• If you’re in bright, direct sunlight, move to the shade.
• Hold your phone vertically, directly in front of your face, about 40 cm away.
• Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the top of your screen.
• If you change your appearance, delete your face data and set up Face Unlock again.

Related resources

• Set screen lock
• Set your Pixel phone to automatically unlock
• Unlock with your fingerprint
• Check or change phone security settings