Safari 14 will let you log into password-protected sites with Face ID

Though the opening keynote is behind us, Apple’s WWDC is still going on, and every day we learn about a new feature or two that’ll make our lives easier. 

In a new video (via 9to5Mac), Apple describes a new feature that allows websites to implement Face ID and Touch ID support in Safari. 

For users, this means that they’ll be able to bypass entering passwords for websites in their iPhone’s Safari; instead, they’ll login with a Face ID scan or by touching their phone’s fingerprint scanner. 

This is already available for apps on iOS, but having the option to just log in with Face ID instead of typing a password for websites is equally important. 

As shown in Apple’s presentation, the Face ID/Touch ID login option can replace both entering a password and a two-factor authentication pin. This is because the Face ID/Touch ID data is combined with data from the iPhone’s Secure Enclave, making this authentication system, in fact, a multi-factor authentication in a single step.  

Note that right now, you can have the phone autofill remembered passwords on websites, and this is authenticated via Face ID or Touch ID, but it’s still slower and less secure than this new process. 

For this new feature to work, website owners need to implement the feature through Apple’s new Web Authentication API. Given the popularity of Apple’s iPhone, though, I’m fairly sure many will do so. 

The feature is currently only available in the Safari 14 developer beta. We’ll get a first taste of it sometime in July, when Apple is scheduled to launch the iOS 14 public beta. The final version of iOS 14 (and Safari 14) is coming sometime this fall.  

You can find more info about Safari 14 beta in the release notes.