Apple Launches Digital ID in Wallet
Apple launched Digital ID, a new feature that lets users create and present an identification in Apple Wallet using information from their United States passport.
The feature is debuting in beta at more than 250 Transportation Security Administration checkpoints across the U.S. for domestic air travel, according to a Wednesday (Nov. 12) press release.
Digital ID builds on Apple’s earlier support for driver’s licenses and state IDs in Wallet, introduced in 2022. The new option allows users without a REAL ID-compliant license to store verified identity credentials securely on their iPhone or Apple Watch, the release said.
Digital ID cannot replace a physical passport for international travel or border crossings, per the release.
“With the launch of Digital ID, we’re excited to expand the ways users can store and present their identity—all with the security and privacy built into iPhone and Apple Watch,” Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said in the release.
To create a Digital ID, users scan their passport’s photo page and embedded chip with their iPhone, complete a selfie and a brief facial movement verification, and, upon approval, the ID is added to Wallet. Face ID or Touch ID authentication ensures that only the device owner can share the information, according to the release.
All data remains encrypted and stored locally, meaning Apple cannot see when or where the ID is used. Users can review and approve exactly what information is shared before completing a transaction, the release said.
Apple plans to expand Digital ID acceptance to select businesses and apps for identity and age verification, per the release. Wallet-based driver’s licenses and IDs are supported in 12 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. International rollout started in Japan earlier this year.
“The convergence of payments and digital identity will define the next era of financial services,” Entersekt Chief Technology Officer Gerhard Oosthuizen wrote in the PYMNTS eBook “Headlines That Will Shape the Close of 2025.” Financial institutions “that prepare now by embracing flexible authentication, learning from past missteps and collaborating on standards will be positioned to not just survive the disruption, but lead in the future that follows.”
Many consumers have adopted Apple’s digital wallet, although there is plenty of room to grow. PYMNTS Intelligence found last month that 16% of consumers reported having used Apple Pay in the week before being surveyed for in-store transactions, and 12% used it digitally.
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