Apple details Vision Pro's Optic ID security feature and how it protects your data

Apple's Vision Pro headset is finally on sale after months of waiting since its June 2023 unveiling. The headset's launch brings with it a slew of new Apple support documents surrounding its various features and capabilities, with one of those being the Optic ID security feature.

Optic ID is a security feature that works similarly to Face ID and Touch ID which means that any apps that support those features also support Optic ID without the need for developers to do any additional work. That's a key fact when we remember that there are more than a million iPad apps already available for the Vision Pro headset. Now, Apple has detailed the headset's security feature to confirm how it works and what it can do.

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In use, the Optic ID feature is what the Vision Pro uses in order to authenticate the wearer and ensure that they are the person whose Apple ID is associated with the headset. That allows the Vision Pro to block access to apps and data if it doesn't believe that the person wearing it is its owner. Apple also notes that Optic ID is sued when authorizing Apple Pay purchases as well as signing into apps and accessing personal data.

Optic ID scans both eyes by default to ensure more security while there is an accessibility option so that it's possible to use Vision Pro with a single eye. Optical ID can also be disabled entirely if the user wishes, leaving them to authenticate themselves using a passcode instead.

As for how secure Optic ID is, Apple says that the chances of a random person being able to unlock a Vision Pro headset is less than one in a million, which is a figure that is similar to that of the iPhone and iPad's Face ID feature. After five failed attempts to authenticate Optic ID will fall back to a passcode and if a passcode check is failed 10 times the Vision Pro can be configured to erase all data for added safety. Apple also confirmed that a passcode will be required if the headset has just been powered on or it hasn't been unlocked in more than 48 hours. If a passcode hasn't been used to unlock the device in the last six-and-a-half days and Optic ID hasn't unlocked the device in the last four hours, a passcode will be required.

The Vision Pro is now on sale with prices starting at $3.499 for the 256GB model while 512GB and 1TB models are also available should they be required.