{"id":538769,"date":"2026-04-19T03:21:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T03:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/538769\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T03:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T03:21:12","slug":"face-unlock-feature-can-be-tricked-by-photos-on-60-of-phones-tests-show-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/538769\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Face unlock’ feature can be tricked by photos on 60% of phones, tests show"},"content":{"rendered":"

Testing has revealed that smartphones from major brands including Samsung and Motorola can be unlocked using printed images of the owners face.<\/p>\n

Consumer experts have warned that this security loophole could be exploited by criminals to unlock devices and access personal information.<\/p>\n

Which?, the UK\u2019s largest independent consumer organisation, has been carrying out lab tests on hundreds of phone models since 2022, assessing features from battery life to security features.<\/p>\n

While most smartphones now offer facial recognition to unlock mobile devices, Which?\u2019s testing found that as many as 64% of phones \u2013 133 devices since 2022 \u2013 could be tricked by a printed image.<\/p>\n

Phones that failed the organisation\u2019s tests include top-of-the-range models such as the Oppo Find X9 Pro, which retails for upwards of \u00a31,000.<\/p>\n

According to Which?, Samsung\u2019s former flagship range of Galaxy S25 phones could all be fooled by a 2D photograph, while the some lower-priced Android phones also struggled, often relying on a standard 2D facial recognition system.<\/p>\n

Which? Found that the newest Google Pixel models and Samsung Galaxy S26 series passed their tests and Apple Face ID was considerably harder to trick.<\/p>\n

The non-profit says that some device cameras take flat pictures, which means they cannot always distinguish between a real person and a high-resolution photo.<\/p>\n

Most phones that failed Which?\u2019s test did have an onscreen message warning that face recognition cannot be relied upon for security.<\/p>\n

Lisa Barber, Which? Tech Editor said: \u201cThese security flaws are far from isolated incidents.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe majority of Android phones we\u2019ve tested in the last four years can be easily unlocked using a 2D image, and some manufacturers are still failing to adequately warn their users that this is the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d urge affected users to set up alternative methods of security, like a fingerprint or a PIN, which are much more secure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Which? Approached the companies involved for comment.<\/p>\n

A Fairphone spokesperson said: \u201cAt Fairphone, privacy and security are fundamental to our design.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Fairphone (Gen 6) utilises 2D facial recognition, which is categorised as a Class 1 biometric under Android\u2019s security framework.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a widely adopted industry standard utilised by many leading smartphone brands and inherently shares the same limitations.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it is a Class 1 biometric, the Android system automatically enforces strict security restrictions; Face Unlock can only be used to access the lock screen and is strictly blocked from sensitive actions, such as NFC payments or banking apps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Honor told Which? that 2D systems have technical limits that can make them susceptible to being tricked.<\/p>\n

Because of this, the feature should be used as a tool for convenience rather than for authorising sensitive transactions.<\/p>\n

Users are informed during setup that the system is less secure than a password, and for those needed top-tier security for banking Honor suggests its pro models with 3D facial recognition.<\/p>\n

Motorola said: \u201cSecurity has always been at the core of what we do and the security of our consumers remains a top priority for Motorola.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Face Unlock technology is intended to support convenient unlocking of the phone, although Motorola reminds and recommends that consumers use a PIN, password or pattern for enhanced security.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, if a consumer chooses to use Face Unlock for convenience after consenting to use this feature, they will also need to choose a pattern, PIN or password to secure their device.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis added layer of protection secures the phone if the consumer is away from their phone for more than four hours or after restarting the device.\u201d<\/p>\n

OnePlus added that it is transparent about these risks, signalling to a mandatory \u201cStatement on Using Face Recognition\u201d that every user must read before they can turn the feature on.<\/p>\n

This notice tells owners that the technology is less secure than a numeric password or fingerprint, and warns that, in rare cases, the camera could be tricked.<\/p>\n

Which? said that Nothing and Oppo did not provide a comment. ITV News has approached Asus, HMD, Nokia, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi for comment.<\/p>\n

STV News is now on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

Get all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

Follow STV News <\/a>Follow STV News on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

\"WhatsApp<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Testing has revealed that smartphones from major brands including Samsung and Motorola can be unlocked using printed images…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":538770,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[2306,86,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-538769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-mobile","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=538769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538769\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/538770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=538769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=538769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=538769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}