Only about 12 states and Puerto Rico permit loading of your driver’s license on an iPhone. Now for the rest of us, Apple can create a digital ID that is accepted by TSA. (I would still carry my driver license/passport just in case as this is a very new procedure). Supposedly this is available in 250 US airports. It requires IOS26 and an iPhone 11 or later or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later which are updated. Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth are turned on. An Apple account with two-factor authentication turned on and you device region set to the United States. A live photo will be taken during the set up.
The data will come from your US passport and will replace a Real ID at TSA checkpoints. To set up on you iPhone, have your US passport, which must be current and on hand, to complete the steps..
To create the ID follow these steps:
- Touch Wallet app to open
- Press the “+” button at the top.
- Press Drivers’ License and ID Cards
- Press Digital ID *
- Follow the steps for a photograph
- Scan passport photo page (it make take several attempts to capture)
- Let phone scan “chip” in passport
- Follow remaining steps.
- You will be notified when the ID is ready.
*read the disclosure on how your data is shared with Apple and government agencies for travel.
Even more reason to protect your phone!
From The Verge (November 12, 2025)