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Face Unlock is a convenient way to unlock your Android phone. Once you've set up facial recognition on your smartphone, you can simply look at it to unlock the device. Face Unlock uses images of your face to create face models that are used to identify you and unlock the phone.

It's important to note Face Unlock is not the most secure method of authentication. Fingerprint recognition, PINs, passwords, and even patterns are more safe and secure than Face Unlock. Having said that, it's far better than not having any kind of screen lock on your smartphone, plus it's very convenient to use.

In this guide, we’ll explain how you can set up Face Unlock on your Android phone.

Set up Face Unlock on Pixel phones

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Security & privacy, then go to Device lock.
  3. From the drop-down menu, select Face & Fingerprint Unlock.
  4. If you’ve set up a PIN, pattern, or password, you’ll be asked to enter it. If you don’t already have a screen lock, you’ll be asked to set that up.
  5. After that, tap Face Unlock. You'll need to agree to Google's disclosures about Face Unlock, which mentions that the feature is less secure than other authentication methods. Tap I agree after you've read through them.
  6. Your phone will begin to scan your face and take photos from various angles. Follow the on-screen instructions.
  7. When you're finished, tap Done.

Face Unlock is now set up for your Pixel 7 phone. For extra security, you can also require your eyes to be open for Face Unlock to work by toggling on Require eyes to be open under Face Unlock settings.

Set up Face Unlock on Samsung Galaxy phones

Samsung has been offering a face unlock option on its best Samsung phones for years now. So, it has gotten the setup process pretty well nailed down at this point.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Biometrics and security.
  3. Tap Face recognition, and then tap Continue.
  4. If you don’t already have a screen lock set up, you’ll be asked to set it up. This screen lock acts as a fallback option. Once the screen lock is set up, you’ll be asked whether you’re wearing glasses. Answer it.
  5. Now your phone will scan your face. Once you’re done, adjust the settings, and then tap Ok.

Samsung provides a number of face recognition options like faster recognition, requiring open eyes, brightened screen, and support for Samsung Pass. You can enable or disable these as per your needs.

Set up Face Unlock on OnePlus phones

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap on Password and security.
  3. Tap on Face and agree to OnePlus' disclosure.
  4. You’ll be asked to enter your existing PIN or password, or asked to create one. Follow the on-screen steps.
  5. On the Enroll face screen, tap Continue.
  6. Your phone will then scan your face from various angles. Follow the prompts to completion, then tap Done.

OnePlus also provides some custom options for facial recognition on its phones. You can require your eyes to be open, jump right to the home screen when your face is recognized, or have the display brighten so it can read your face in dark rooms. All of these can be toggled on or off in settings.

Set up Face Unlock on Motorola phones

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap on Security, then Face Unlock.
  3. Enter your lock screen code, whether it be a password, PIN, or pattern.
  4. Follow the on-screen prompts to scan your face.

Motorola's face unlock settings let you customize how the feature works. You can enable Lift to unlock, which will look for your face when you pick up your phone, as well as Skip lock screen to jump right to your home screen once your face is recognized.

Set up Face Unlock on Xiaomi phones

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap on Password & security.
  3. Tap on Face unlock. If you haven’t already set up a screen lock, set it up before setting up the Face unlock.
  4. Enter your lock screen password.
  5. Tap Next, and follow on-screen instructions.

Set up Face Unlock on Oppo phones

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap Fingerprint, Face & Passcode.
  3. If you don’t already have a passcode set up, you can now set up a passcode before activating Face Unlock for your phone.
  4. Once you're done with the passcode, tap on Enroll face.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions and complete the process.

Apart from unlocking your phone, you can also use Face Unlock for App Encryption and File Safe on your Oppo phone.

Set up Face Unlock on Vivo phones

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Fingerprint, face and password.
  3. You’ll now be asked to enter your PIN or password. If you haven’t set up a screen lock, set it up first.
  4. Go back to Fingerprint, face and password, and tap Face.
  5. Tap on Add a face.
  6. Enter your lock screen password.
  7. Tap Ok on the disclaimer.
  8. Follow the on-screen instructions.

If you’re using a smartphone from any other Android manufacturer, you’ll typically find the Face Unlock setup under Settings > Security (or something like that).

Which authentication method do you prefer? Let us know in the comments section. Meanwhile, if you’re in the market for a new Android phone, make sure to check our updated guide on the best Android phones.