Tech Guide

The iPhone X unlocks when you look at it — here's a quick look at Face ID

Key Points
  • The iPhone X can unlock if you just look at it.
  • The new feature is called Face ID.
  • Here's how Face ID works, including how you set it up.
Watch how your face unlocks the Apple iPhone X
VIDEO1:0801:08
Watch how your face unlocks the Apple iPhone X

The iPhone X will unlock if you look at it.

It's part of a new feature called Face ID, which replaces the fingerprint reader. It's one of my five favorite features on the new phone.

It takes just seconds to get going, so I thought I'd walk you through how that's done on the iPhone X, and show you just how well it works.

If you bought an iPhone X, you'll be asked to set up Face ID when you first boot the phone. If you choose not to do it then, you can find it later in the settings menu. Open it to begin setup, and the iPhone X will ask you to rotate your head in a circle once, and then a second time to confirm.

That's it. Then, when you go to unlock the phone, you can quickly swipe up from the bottom of the display to access your home screen. The iPhone X will look for you and scan your face during that split second of use. Face ID can be used for other things, too, like Apple Pay or inside apps that used to have Touch ID verification.

Check out more of how it works in the video and read CNBC's full iPhone X review.