Apple Unveils Digital ID Feature for Easier Airport Boarding

Apple leases a new feature allowing users to keep US passports in the official Wallet app. This features allows travellers to use this digital ID as an acceptable form of identification at Transport Security Administration TSA checkpoints at airports.

This application and new feature will help people to be able to use a facsimile of their passport at TSA checkpoints for domestic travel.

In other words, anyone who hold a passport but have yet to convert their driver’s license to a Real ID will be allowed to board a plane without having to bring a physical copy of their passport to the airport. Many people have been frustrated by the Real ID process, so I support any attempt to make travel easier.

Apple says the service is rolling out to TSA checkpoints at over 250 U.S. airports, with the digital ID accessible on both iPhones and Apple Watches. It can only be used as identification on domestic flights; a physical passport is still required if you intend to travel abroad.

It only serves as identification on domestic flights; a physical passport is still required if you intend to travel abroad.

Additionally, TechCrunch notes that not all TSA readers have the technology to scan these digital IDs now. For the time being, you may wish to bring a paper passport so that Apple and the TSA can get everything in order.

Beyond air travel, the corporation intends to extend this capability. According to Apple, these IDs will eventually be accepted by establishments for the purpose of age verification. In addition to adding passports to the list of current government IDs that Apple Wallet supports, this Digital ID functionality was initially shown as part of iOS 26.

It appears easy enough to add a passport. Simply navigate to the Wallet app and adhere to the instructions. For security, users will need to take a selfie and perform a number of head and face motions.

State IDs and driver’s licenses are also accepted by the wallet platform, however only in 12 states and Puerto Rico. However, since neither a passport nor a real ID are valid for travelling, these won’t be.

Here is a guide to set up a Digital ID, tap the “+” icon in the top-right corner of the Wallet app and choose Digital ID. Apple will prompt you to scan the photo page of your passport and the embedded chip on its back to verify authenticity. You’ll then take a selfie and perform a few facial and head movements to confirm your identity.

To share and present your Digital ID, double-click your iPhone’s side or Home button to launch Apple Wallet, select your Digital ID, and then hold your phone or Apple Watch near an identification scanner.

Apple claims the feature is encrypted, which means it cannot see when you display your ID or the data you present. You won’t have to “unlock, show, or hand over” your device to provide your ID, which is also not required for digital driver’s licenses.

It’s still unclear which airports will accept digital IDs. Apple also mentions that customers will soon be able to display their Digital ID at “additional select businesses and organisations”.

Apple claims that users will soon be able to display their Digital ID at businesses and organisations where they must verify their age, both in-person and online.

This might include event venues or bars where users must show their ID at the door to prove they are of drinking age. Websites that restrict content to adults might utilise Apple’s APIs to check users’ ages. For example, if a user wanted to order alcohol for delivery through a service like Uber Eats, they could do so by verifying their ID throughout the ordering process.

In both circumstances, individuals can certify that they are over the age of 21 without sharing personal information such as their name, address, or birthday.

Apple stated that it is unable to determine when or where a user presents their ID, or what data was exchanged. Furthermore, customers are not required to open or hand over their phone to present their ID, as it functions similarly to Apple Pay.