Apple says it will soon introduce an Apple Wallet feature that will allow US users to create a digital ID using their passport, which can then be used at select TSA checkpoints for domestic travel. The feature, previously announced as part of the iOS 26 releasefollows Apple’s expansion of Wallet as more than a payment mechanism or ticket holder, but also a secure place to store a user’s digital identity.
Currently, support for government IDs in Apple Wallet has been rolled out to 12 states and Puerto Rico, or approximately one-third of U.S. licensees. However, the passport-linked digital ID feature didn’t come with the debut of iOS 26, as Apple said it would come in a future software update.
While the new digital IDs won’t replace a U.S. passport, they will allow travelers to move through TSA checkpoints faster, in addition to Wallet’s existing support for digital boarding passes.
Given this fact, the change is particularly urgent the Real ID ruleswhich began enforcement in May, leaving many state IDs insufficient for TSA checkpoints.
The upcoming launch of passport-linked digital IDs was announced on Sunday by Jennifer Bailey, VP of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, on the Money 20/20 USA conference, where the director also shared other statistics about Wallet adoption.
For example, she noted that Apple Pay is now live in 89 markets around the world, with more than 11,000 banks and networks supporting Apple Pay, including 15 domestic networks. Additionally, 90% of US retailers support Apple Pay, up from 3% at launch 11 years ago.
Bailey also pointed out other non-payment features for the Wallet app, such as the ability to store car keys, transit passes, hotel keys and more. Transit options are supported in more than 250 regions and 800 cities worldwide, and more than 2 million hotel room keys have been made available, supporting more than 65,000 hotel rooms. Additionally, 29 automakers and more than 300 models now support Car Key in Wallet, the executive said.
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