Apple’s Wallet app is about to expand its digital ID features. The company confirmed that U.S. passports will be supported in Wallet by the end of this year, giving iPhone users another way to carry identification without a physical card.
Digital ID Expands Beyond Driver’s Licenses
Digital IDs have been part of Apple Wallet for a few years, but the rollout has been limited. Only 11 U.S. states and territories currently allow residents to add their driver’s licenses or state IDs. With passport integration, Apple will make Wallet more useful for millions of iPhone users, offering a broader form of identification that goes beyond regional adoption.
A digital passport in Wallet will be accepted for identity checks, including TSA security screenings, age verification in apps, and ID checks at retail stores and websites. The feature could reduce reliance on physical documents in everyday life.
Release Timing Still Unclear
Apple updated its iOS 26 features page with a new timeline. Footnote 13 now reads: “Digital ID will be coming later this year with U.S. passports only.” Earlier, the same note mentioned a software update but gave no timing details.
This change suggests Apple plans to release the feature with iOS 26.1 in late October or iOS 26.2 in December. Another possibility is a server-side update, which would allow Apple to activate passport support without tying it to a new iOS release.
As first reported by MacRumors, Apple quietly updated the Digital ID footnote on its iOS 26 features page. The company has already seeded the iOS 26.1 developer beta, though Digital ID is not yet active in testing. That points to a possible late addition during the beta cycle or a later rollout with iOS 26.2.
Digital ID in Wallet is Apple’s long-term vision for replacing physical identification with secure, device-based alternatives. While driver’s licenses remain tied to state-level agreements, U.S. passport support gives Apple a way to expand the feature more broadly without waiting for local partnerships. For many users, it will mark the first practical use of digital ID on iPhone.
