Apple is taking another confident step toward a wallet-free future with the launch of Digital ID, a new way for U.S. users to create a verified identity inside Apple Wallet using passport data. Instead of relying solely on state-issued IDs or REAL ID cards—which millions of Americans still don’t have—this new feature lets users generate a secure ID directly from their U.S. passport and present it using an iPhone or Apple Watch.

It’s rolling out first in beta with the TSA, meaning Digital ID will initially work for identity checks at more than 250 airports across the United States during domestic travel. Apple says more use cases will follow, including in-person age checks, app-based verification, and online identity flows. But for now, it’s all about simplifying one of the most repetitive travel moments: proving who you are before you fly.
And yes — your physical passport still stays in the drawer. Digital ID does not replace it for international travel or border crossings.

What Digital ID Actually Does (and Why It Matters)

Digital ID gives Apple Wallet something it didn’t have before: a universal way to create an ID that doesn’t depend on your state rolling out support. Only 12 states plus Puerto Rico currently allow their driver’s licenses or state IDs to be added to Apple Wallet. The new system solves that bottleneck by using something nearly every U.S. traveler already has — a passport.

For Apple, this is a major architectural shift. Instead of waiting for policymakers, the company is building identity from federal documents and pairing them with device-level biometrics and encryption. For travelers, it means more people can finally use a digital ID at airport security without worrying about the slow pace of state adoption.

How to Add a Digital ID to Apple Wallet

The setup lives inside Wallet. Users tap the “+” button, choose Driver’s License or ID Cards, and then select Digital ID. From there, Apple guides them through a multi-step verification flow that includes scanning the passport’s photo page, scanning the passport’s embedded chip using NFC, taking a selfie, and completing short head-movement prompts for liveness detection.

Apple verifies the data on-device, and—crucially—the company does not receive copies of your passport image or facial data. Everything stays encrypted and stored locally on the user’s iPhone.

Once verified, the Digital ID appears alongside your cards and passes inside Wallet.

Using Digital ID at the Airport

To present it, the process is similar to Apple Pay: double-click the side button or Home button, select Digital ID, hold the device near the TSA identity reader, review what information is being requested, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID. TSA agents do not touch your phone, and you never hand it over.

Only the required information is shared. For example, TSA may request your full name, date of birth, and ID number, but a future age-restricted venue might request only confirmation that you’re over 21—nothing more.

This selective disclosure is one of the biggest privacy wins in Apple’s identity design.

Security, Privacy, and Apple’s Identity Philosophy

Digital ID leans heavily on the same hardware-level protections that underpin Apple Pay and digital car keys. The data is encrypted and stored in the Secure Enclave, with the idea that even if someone gets your phone, they can’t access your ID.

Apple can’t see when or where you use your Digital ID, what information is requested, or which organizations you interact with. This “privacy by architecture” approach mirrors the system already used for driver’s licenses in Wallet.

Nothing here is stored on Apple servers, and nothing is backed up to iCloud.

Where Digital IDs Fit Into Apple Wallet’s Bigger Identity Ecosystem

Apple Wallet’s identity capabilities have been slowly expanding since the first driver’s license rollout in 2022. Adoption is still patchy—Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia came on board only recently, and Japan became the first international market via support for the My Number Card on iPhone.

Digital ID is Apple’s answer to that inconsistency: a universal, passport-based solution that bypasses state bureaucracy entirely.

And the appetite is clearly there. Apple’s VP of Apple Pay & Apple Wallet, Jennifer Bailey, said that users “love having their ID right on their devices,” and Digital ID brings that convenience to millions more who never had the option before.

How This Compares to the Wider Digital ID Landscape

Apple’s move drops into a much broader, fast-moving identity market. Google is pushing digital IDs through Google Wallet, Samsung is moving forward with Samsung Wallet identity, and several U.S. states are developing mobile ID apps powered by ISO/IEC 18013-5, the global standard defining mobile driver’s license architecture.

But the most significant players are outside Big Tech. Identity verification platforms like ID.me, CLEAR, and in Europe eIDAS 2.0 (with the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet) show that a global race is underway to define the future of digital government-grade identity.

Apple stands out in two ways:

• It never stores identity data on its servers
• Its identity system is hardware-rooted rather than cloud-rooted

This device-centric approach is arguably more private than cloud-based identity wallets used in many government systems. Sources, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Kantara Initiative, emphasize that decentralized, device-stored identity is one of the strongest protection models for biometric authentication. Apple fits neatly into that philosophy.

But there’s a flip side: because IDs live only on the device, Apple must secure a long-term path for device migration, recovery, and accessibility. The company will almost certainly expand its recovery mechanisms later, especially as digital IDs move beyond travel.

What Comes Next—And Why It Matters for Travelers

Digital ID is still in beta, and right now it does one thing: help you get through TSA with your phone instead of your wallet. But all signs point to a much broader identity platform emerging. Age checks could move to Wallet. Hotel check-ins could get faster. Car rentals could finally automate ID verification. And digital identity for eSIM onboarding—something telcos are actively discussing—could become radically simpler.

For the travel sector, this brings us closer to a frictionless journey from booking to boarding. Airlines like United and Delta are investing heavily in biometrics; airport security is digitizing; and mobile identity is becoming a global trend, not a niche experiment.

Conclusion: Apple’s Digital ID Is a Strong First Step — But Not the Final One

Digital ID gives Apple a powerful new foothold in the digital identity market—one based on security, privacy, and user-controlled data. It’s a smart move and a meaningful convenience win for U.S. travelers. But compared to players like CLEAR, ID.me, and Europe’s upcoming eIDAS 2.0 ecosystem, Apple is still in the early stages.

The real differentiator is Apple’s philosophy: identity stays on the device, not in the cloud. That sets it apart from most government and commercial identity providers and aligns with best-practice recommendations from ICAO and NIST.

Where this goes next will depend on adoption—especially from states, airlines, hotels, and online services. If those dominoes fall, Digital ID won’t just replace the plastic cards in your wallet. It could reshape how the entire travel experience works, from airport gates to hotel lobbies to digital age verification in apps.

For now, it’s a promising beginning—with a lot more coming.