Signing up for a financial app or confirming you’re old enough to order a bottle of wine used to mean snapping a blurry photo of your driver’s license and uploading it to a stranger’s server. With iOS 26, Apple introduced a cleaner path: Verify with Wallet on the Web. It lets your iPhone Digital ID prove your age or identity to a website, with you approving exactly what gets shared using Face ID. Here’s how it works, which companies support it, what data actually leaves your phone, and whether it’s safe to use.
What “Verify with Wallet on the Web” actually is
Apple Wallet has let people carry a state ID or driver’s license for a while, and in November 2025 Apple launched Digital ID—an identity credential you create by scanning your U.S. passport. “Verify with Wallet on the Web” is the piece that extends those credentials to the open internet. Instead of a verification that only works at a physical tap-to-present reader, a website can now request proof directly, and you confirm it from your iPhone.
The clever part is that it works across devices. If you’re on a laptop—even a Windows PC or an Android phone’s browser—the site shows a QR code. You scan it with your iPhone, review what’s being requested, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID. The credential is sent back to the website end-to-end encrypted and cryptographically signed, which is what makes a fake or Photoshopped ID useless here.
The launch partners
Apple named the first wave of websites and apps that support the feature. These are the places you’re most likely to see a “Verify with Wallet” button first:
- Chime — identity verification for the banking/fintech app
- Uber Eats — age verification for age-restricted orders like alcohol
- Turo — identity checks for the car-sharing marketplace
- U.S. Bank — account-related identity verification
Alongside these, the state ID apps for Arizona (MVD), Georgia (DDS), and Maryland (MVA) added support, so a Digital ID isn’t the only credential that can power the flow. Expect the list to grow—Apple describes this as a starting set, not the finish line.
What data is actually shared
This is the question that matters most, and it’s where the design is genuinely different from uploading a license photo. The system uses selective disclosure: a site asks only for the specific attributes it needs, and you see that request spelled out before anything is sent.
In practice that means an age-gated checkout can ask only “is this person over 21?” and receive a simple yes—without your name, your address, your document number, or even your exact birth date. A financial app that genuinely needs to confirm identity might request your name and date of birth, but still nothing beyond what it asked for. Crucially, Apple itself cannot see when or where you present your ID, or what information you shared. The verification happens between your device and the requesting site.
Worked example: ordering wine on Uber Eats
Say you add a bottle of wine to an Uber Eats order. At checkout the app needs to confirm you’re of legal drinking age. Instead of typing your birthday (which anyone can lie about), it triggers Verify with Wallet. Your iPhone shows a prompt: “Uber Eats requests: Age over 21.” You glance at it, authenticate with Face ID, and the app receives a cryptographically signed “yes.” Your home address, license number, and height never enter the picture.
Worked example: verifying identity on a laptop
Now imagine opening a Chime account on your laptop. The site displays a QR code. You open the Camera app on your iPhone, scan it, and Wallet shows exactly which fields Chime is requesting—say, full name and date of birth. You approve with Face ID, and the signed data flows to Chime. You never photographed a document or emailed a scan.
How it compares to the old way
| Aspect | Old document upload | Verify with Wallet on the Web |
|---|---|---|
| What’s shared | Entire ID image (all fields) | Only the attributes requested (e.g., “over 21”) |
| Fraud resistance | Photos can be faked or reused | Cryptographically signed, hard to forge |
| Where it’s stored | On the company’s servers | Credential stays on your device; site keeps only what you approved |
| Apple’s visibility | N/A | Apple can’t see the transaction |
| Approval step | Upload and hope | Face ID / Touch ID per request |
What you need to use it
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone 11 or later |
| Software | iOS 26 (Digital ID via passport requires iOS 26.1 or later) |
| A credential in Wallet | Digital ID (passport-based), or a supported state ID/license |
| Biometrics | Face ID or Touch ID enabled |
| For setup | Unexpired U.S. passport (to scan the photo page and the embedded chip) |
Steps to verify on a website
- On the site or app, choose Verify with Wallet when prompted.
- If you’re on another device, scan the on-screen QR code with your iPhone’s Camera.
- Review the exact information being requested on the Wallet sheet.
- Authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID to approve—or decline if it’s asking for more than you expect.
Is it safe?
For a mainstream user, this is meaningfully safer than the alternatives it replaces. Your credential lives in the Secure Enclave on your iPhone, nothing is shared without a biometric approval you control, and you can see each request in plain language. Because the data is signed, a business gets a trustworthy answer without warehousing a copy of your physical ID photo that could later leak in a breach.
That said, keep a few things in perspective. Digital ID and web verification are still rolling out, so availability varies by site and by state. The feature doesn’t replace your physical ID everywhere—TSA accepts it at a growing list of airports (an in-person beta at 250+ U.S. airports), but you should still travel with your real documents. And as always, only approve a request that matches what you’re doing: if a trivial age check suddenly asks for your full identity, that’s your cue to stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apple or the website see my full ID?
No. Apple states it cannot see when or where you present your ID or what you shared. The website receives only the specific attributes it requested and you approved—often just an age confirmation rather than your full details.
Can I use it on a Windows PC or Android device?
Yes, that’s the point of the QR code. The website can run on any browser or operating system; your iPhone handles the actual credential sharing and Face ID approval, so the device showing the QR code doesn’t need to be an Apple product.
Do I need a passport, or will my driver’s license work?
Apple’s Digital ID is created by scanning a U.S. passport, but supported state ID and license credentials in Wallet can also power the flow. Arizona, Georgia, and Maryland were among the first state apps to add support at launch.
Which sites support it right now?
At launch, Chime, Turo, Uber Eats, and U.S. Bank were named as early partners, along with several state ID apps. Apple has described this as an initial group, so more services are expected to adopt it over time.
The bottom line
Verify with Wallet on the Web is one of the more quietly useful additions in iOS 26. It turns your iPhone into a privacy-preserving proof of who you are—sharing the minimum a site needs, signed so it can’t be faked, and gated behind your face or fingerprint. If you’ve ever hesitated before uploading a photo of your license to yet another app, this is the feature worth learning. Just keep your physical ID handy while support continues to expand.
WalletWisp is an independent, informational resource and does not provide financial, legal, or tax advice. Always confirm current details with Apple and the service you’re using.
