### Apple Wallet Grows ID Capabilities: A New Chapter for Digital IDs
In a noteworthy advancement in personal identification digitization, Apple has officially started implementing support for the addition of driver’s licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet in California. This initiative, revealed last month, symbolizes a crucial step in the company’s continual endeavor to refine and improve the user experience for managing personal documents.
#### Growth Beyond California
Following California’s example, Apple has also received commitments from Montana, New Mexico, and West Virginia to enable ID support in Wallet. Remarkably, Japan has joined the venture, intending to incorporate its “My Number Card” into Apple Wallet, representing the first international extension of this feature. This worldwide initiative demonstrates Apple’s goal to transform how individuals handle their identification across different jurisdictions.
#### California’s Mobile Driver’s License Test Program
The rollout of California’s digital ID feature is part of an extensive mobile driver’s license (mDL) test program, which currently includes 1.5 million participants. Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, highlighted the importance of this development, stating, “Allowing California residents to effortlessly add and display their IDs using their iPhone or Apple Watch signifies a major advancement in replacing physical wallets with a more secure and private digital alternative.”
#### Availability Across States
With the launch in California, the ID feature of Apple Wallet is now available in seven states, including:
– Ohio
– Maryland
– Arizona
– Georgia
– Colorado
– California
– Hawaii
This growth enables users in these regions to incorporate their IDs into Apple Wallet, enhancing both convenience and security.
#### Steps to Add Your ID to Apple Wallet
For iPhone users in states that are participating, the process of adding an ID to Apple Wallet is uncomplicated:
1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone and tap the **+ icon** in the upper right corner.
2. Select **Driver’s License** or **State ID**.
3. Tap **Add to iPhone and Apple Watch** or **Add to iPhone**.
4. You may need to log into your state’s DMV/MVD website to authorize the inclusion of your ID into Apple Wallet.
#### Utilizing Your Digital ID
Once added, users can use their digital IDs for a variety of purposes. Apple states that having your ID in Wallet eliminates the need to present your physical ID. Users can provide proof of age or identity at specific businesses and locations, as well as travel with it at approved TSA checkpoints. This feature aims to streamline the ID presentation process, making it more convenient for daily use.
For those wishing to find out where their digital IDs are accepted, a complete mapping of airports that acknowledge digital IDs is available on the [TSA website](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/digital-id/map).
#### Future Considerations
Though the launch of digital IDs in Apple Wallet is an encouraging progress, users should note that acceptance may differ across various businesses and venues. Apple has indicated that digital IDs will be acknowledged at “select businesses and venues,” but precise information regarding which establishments will accept these IDs has yet to be provided.
As Apple continues to innovate and broaden its digital wallet functionalities, the integration of IDs signifies an important move toward a more secure and convenient future for personal identification. The shift from physical to digital IDs could change how individuals engage with their identification in everyday situations, creating opportunities for greater acceptance and utility in the years ahead.
