iPhone 14's Face ID lock allows access to apps via notifications

i did notice on my iphone 14 that even with face id lock i can touch some incoming notification on lock screen and enter the app which sends it after which phone is completely unlocked!! this is very dangerous because if someone steal your iphone will have access to it while android/samsung i did used before seems have safeguards against that so you cant even open notification without fingerprint unlock, apple should ASAP patch this security hole!



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Iphone lock screen behaviour

Posted on Sep 3, 2025 6:32 AM

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Posted on Sep 3, 2025 6:59 AM

zarko272 wrote:

i did notice on my iphone 14 that even with face id lock i can touch some incoming notification on lock screen and enter the app which sends it after which phone is completely unlocked!! this is very dangerous because if someone steal your iphone will have access to it while android/samsung i did used before seems have safeguards against that so you cant even open notification without fingerprint unlock, apple should ASAP patch this security hole!


[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: Iphone lock screen behaviour

I'm not sure I understand the issue? If you have Face ID on your phone, when you look at your phone, Face ID knows it's you and when you tap a notification on your lock screen, it would logically take you to the app if the notification is from an app, because it knows YOU are looking at your screen. If the screen is locked and someone other than you picks up your phone and a notification arrives on the lock screen and someone else tries to tap the notification, it won't open, but WILL go to the passcode screen for whoever has your phone in their hands to enter the passcode. And of course you should never give your passcode to someone else, so the app won't open if they tap it.


This is NOT a security risk, so again, I'm not sure what the issue is you think is going on?

33 replies

Sep 3, 2025 7:39 AM in response to lobsterghost1

oh yeah, if i must describe this so precisely, phone was on desk, close to monitor I am sitting on a computer chair with a backrest while the phone is placed sideways once again, just for this stupid test so that the camera is not there, it cannot scan my face and unlock the phone, which I confirmed by the fact that the face id did not pass and that I had to type in the code, but I clicked on cancel, stretched my hand to the phone without moving my head at all, clicked twice with my finger to turn on the screen, clicked on the notification and I managed to unlock the phone without face id and without a password, if this really does not happen to anyone happens, which I suspect, then it must be a software bug that needs to be resolved



[Edited by Moderator]

Sep 3, 2025 3:54 PM in response to zarko272

zarko272 wrote:

Issue is now definitely solved I also did these suggestions and can confirm that iphone now works as it should earlier, I want to thank everyone which was wiling to help and don't just blame me as a user who really didn't expected to see this kind of bug anytime on ios but seems that simply restart can often solve many problems and make life easier than before, greetings

Next time you want to see if someone else can open your phone that way, find someone else to try it. It’s what friends are for. FaceID has an incredible range.

Sep 3, 2025 7:04 AM in response to lobsterghost1

yeah, i did know that will get this type of reply, I'm sitting at the computer right now, I put my phone laying on desk few meters away from me for testing purpose so i know about what im talking, i received in meanwhile notification, face id didnt recognized me so i must enter passcode, i touched notification without even looking at screen direction and guess what, ios let me enter app and when i closed it phone is unlocked :)

Sep 3, 2025 8:09 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

"If you really think it is a software bug, then that would be seen on every news outlet and there would be an uproar with the millions of devices that are out there"


Believe it or not thats how is supposed to work my iphone 14 purchased from legally reseller of my country here i have another device for test, i will not tell which brand and guess what, it wont allow me to see even news report without putting password while my iphone 14 still failed :)


Sep 3, 2025 8:15 AM in response to zarko272

My iPhone 16 PM works differently than yours. I believe what you’re saying, but mine works differently than yours and not as you describe.


Since you fail to want to know the truth about your false and misleading allegations, what Jim is saying is true, TrueDepth camera constantly scans for the phone’s owners face. Yes, even when passcode is present on the screen. It’s OK to admit you were unfamiliar with the workings of Face ID and TrueDepth camera.

Sep 3, 2025 8:24 AM in response to Jeff Donald

if i already told everyone that i placed phone sideways near monitor and little far from me and has beel able to open upcoming notification even when padlock was present on screen which i tbh didnt mentioned then that explains something, "Yes, even when passcode is present on the screen. It’s OK to admit you were unfamiliar with the workings of Face ID and TrueDepth camera. " nope im more than decade in the IT world so this is just throwing problem to my side, i did know that if face id was really recognized me padlock would disappear, i unlocked phone like that hundred times but when i clicked on notification in this repeated test padlock was still there :D

Sep 3, 2025 9:51 AM in response to zarko272

zarko272 wrote:

i told already that i use iphone 14, updated to actual ios 18.6.2 version in hope that will in meanwhile fix this very weird and dangerous issue but still nothing, i dont know what you mean by home button there are just silent switch with volume and power buttons and use face id with passcode backup

The reason I asked what phone you were using is because you specifically mentioned "fingerprint unlock."

Sep 3, 2025 10:03 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

read carefully i mentioned android/samsung i know its there forbidden topic but i compared my iphone with it because there i find out safeguards which prevents viewing any notifications before you unlock phone using fingerprint sensor, i was hoping seeing something similar here but i was shocked after finding out that my phone lets me freely using it after opening content, especially when i know apple have very rigorous security gates for its accounts and mainly devices

Sep 3, 2025 10:26 AM in response to zarko272

zarko272 wrote:

read carefully i mentioned android/samsung i know its there forbidden topic but i compared my iphone with it because there i find out safeguards which prevents viewing any notifications before you unlock phone using fingerprint sensor, i was hoping seeing something similar here but i was shocked after finding out that my phone lets me freely using it after opening content, especially when i know apple have very rigorous security gates for its accounts and mainly devices

There's nothing wrong with mentioning Android or Samsung phones. People do it all the time. I'm very sorry I didn't understand your rather confusing post.

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iPhone 14's Face ID lock allows access to apps via notifications

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