iOS 26's New U.S. Passport Feature: What You Need to Know (2025)

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Sunday September 14, 2025 12:26 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

iOS 26 will be widely released tomorrow, but the new feature that lets you add a digital version of your U.S. passport to Apple's Wallet app is still not available.

The "Digital ID" feature is not functional in the iOS 26 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, despite being listed on the iOS 26 features page in the present tense. Hopefully, it is either enabled with a server-side update when iOS 26 is released tomorrow, or Apple provides an update on when it will be available.

Apple did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

After creating a Digital ID in the Wallet app, you will be able to present it in person at TSA checkpoints in select U.S. airports for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. However, Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing purposes.

Apple says the Digital ID feature is secure, private, and compliant with REAL ID.

The passport-based Digital ID can also be used for age and identity verification in apps, online, and in stores, according to Apple.

Apple said the feature would also be available on the Apple Watch, starting with watchOS 26.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26

Tag: Apple Wallet

Related Forum: iOS 26

[ 19 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

jole

3 hours ago at 12:56 pm

As long as digital IDs continue to have "you should still carry physical ID card" or something along those lines in the terms of service, the value remains 0.

For example: I do have a digital California DL (both the Apple Wallet and DMV app versions). They sometimes are accepted at TSA checkpoints. Sometimes they are not. With this, I would never go to airport without a physical ID.

Either it is accepted 100% of the time or it is useless.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Justin Cymbal

3 hours ago at 12:29 pm

This is such an awesome new feature that Apple has added to iOS 26

I currently live in Rhode Island, and we don’t have the mobile drivers license feature (as of yet) but the ability to use a passport in place of a drivers license at the airports that do accept this feature will be great to have

I fly to Cleveland Hopkins airport pretty regularly to visit my relatives so I’ll be able to use this when I fly there in the future

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

jaytv111

3 hours ago at 01:06 pm

As long as digital IDs continue to have "you should still carry physical ID card" or something along those lines in the terms of service, the value remains 0.
For example: I do have a digital California DL (both the Apple Wallet and DMV app versions). They sometimes are accepted at TSA checkpoints. Sometimes they are not. With this, I would never go to airport without a physical ID.
Either it is accepted 100% of the time or it is useless.

No one is saying you can go without a physical ID card. It’s not useless because sometimes it can be used; however since the tech is new it still has times when the readers aren’t working, or the TSA agents don’t know the system, or whatever.

This is like going back to 2015 and saying if Apple Pay isn’t accepted 100% of the time it’s useless. And it still isn’t accepted at Walmart! Stupid Walmart.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

jaytv111

2 hours ago at 01:58 pm

Many TSA agents are bullies who can bend the law with impunity. I wouldn’t feel comfortable handing them a phone, let alone an unlocked phone.

Fortunately you don’t hand your phone, you scan it at an Apple Pay-esque terminal. No agent handles your phone at all and it doesn’t leave your hand.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Joelb98

3 hours ago at 12:40 pm

I think the feature will be turned on sometime this week as apple didn’t announce it was delayed unlike when digital id’s was back in 2021

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ifxf

53 minutes ago at 02:52 pm

By the time all 50 states have digital driver licenses tye TSA will have moved on to facial recognition.

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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