Apple expands its Wallet features by allowing some users to create a digital ID

Some US users will soon have one less physical document to carry, thanks to the Apple Wallet application.

Carrying a digital ID in Apple wallets isn’t a novel idea, as it was first presented in 2021. Nevertheless, only five states in the US have adopted this feature.

The digital ID is now available in Ohio, Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, and Colorado.

California should soon allow its citizens to add their driving licenses to Apple Wallet. The feature is currently being tested as a private beta by Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employees.

The government has also been working on building consumer landing pages, indicating that the feature could be launched in the near future.

This is good news for Apple employees based in California, who created the function and will now be able to use it themselves, first reports 9to5mac.

To add the document, users have to scan their driver's license from both sides in the Wallet application set up and add their own picture for verification. Once the ID application is verified, the document will be seen in the Wallet app.

Once the digital ID can be opened via the user’s iPhone or Apple Watch, they can scan it on an NFC contactless reader. Airports in California, San Francisco, and Los Angeles support digital IDs.

It’s reported that providing authorities with digital ID is much safer than carrying physical documents as it would show the authorities only required information. For example, if an ID is needed to confirm one’s age, then the device will only confirm that, without providing the person’s date of birth.