Summary
iPhones will gain Digital ID support for US passports later this year via an iOS 26 update.
Digital passports can be used at TSA for domestic travel and for age/ID checks in apps, stores, and sites.
Passport data is encrypted in the Secure Element and requires Face/Touch ID, sharing only needed details.
Our mobile wallets have supported a variety of digital IDs and driver’s licenses from many different states, but the one nationwide ID method we have—our passports—has somehow not been supported on iPhones yet. Now, this is about to change.
Apple has given us very vague confirmation that its Digital ID feature is finally making its way to iPhones before the end of the year. This confirmation, rather than being an explicit announcement, came via an update to Apple’s official iOS 26 features webpage—a footnote that previously offered a vague timeline now explicitly states that “Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only.” A prior version of the note mentioned that the feature would be available in a “software update,” but this reference has been removed. The feature might come in an upcoming cumulative update to iOS 26, likely iOS 26.1 or 26.2. The first beta version of iOS 26.1 has already been seeded to developers, and while Digital ID support is not yet included, it could be incorporated later in the beta testing cycle.
In case you’re not familiar with it, the Digital ID feature is an extension of Apple’s existing framework for storing state driver’s licenses and IDs in the Wallet app, except for passports. iPhone users in the United States will be able to create a digital version of their passport, which can then be used in place of a physical document for domestic travel at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. This could expedite the domestic travel process for many travelers, though you’ll still need your physical passport for international flights, at least for the time being.
The digital passport will also serve as a valid form of identification for age and identity verification in a variety of everyday situations. This includes interactions with apps, retail stores, and websites that require proof of age or identity. This is identical to the ID pass feature that has been out for months on Google Wallet, which allows you to make a scannable digital ID using your US passport. In the case of Google, ID pass is compatible with US passports as well as UK passports—Apple’s version is only compatible with US passports, at least right now. If the US launch goes well, it might be implemented in other countries eventually as well.
Data is encrypted and stored in the Secure Element of the iPhone, the same hardware that protects sensitive information for Apple Pay and other features. When you present your digital ID, you will need to authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID, ensuring that only the owner of the device can access and share their identification. Furthermore, the system is designed to share only the necessary information for a given transaction; for example, when verifying age, the system can confirm that the user is over 21 without revealing their exact date of birth or other personal details.
This doesn’t replace a physical ID in some real-life scenarios where you might still need to show one. Still, it’s neat. It’s still not out, but it likely will before the end of the year.
Source: MacRumors