Unlocking your Mac is one glance away
Geist brings effortless face unlock to your Mac.
Unlock your Mac in milliseconds
Geist brings fast, hands-free face unlock to macOS. It uses your Mac’s built-in camera to recognize you and unlock your Mac automatically, without reaching for the keyboard or typing your password every time.
Face-unlock
Works with built-in camera
Care about privacy?
So does Geist. Everything needed to recognize you stays on your Mac, with no photos or personal authentication data sent to external servers.
Completely on-device
Internet access only for updates and licensing
Only where you need it
Choose where Geist can unlock your Mac. Let it work everywhere, only at home, or at specific locations you trust.
Use it everywhere
Limit unlocking to trusted locations
Honest about what’s possible
Geist uses multiple layers of threat detection to make spoofing harder. But a Mac camera is still a regular RGB camera, without the dedicated depth and infrared hardware found in Face ID.
It’s built for convenient everyday unlocking, not to replace hardware-backed biometric security.
Multiple layers of spoof detection
Suspicious attempts are rejected
Features
Explore how Geist is different
Select a feature below to learn more about how Geist works.
FAQ
What is Geist?
Geist is a macOS app that lets you unlock your Mac using face recognition and the built-in camera.
Does Mac have Face ID?
Macs do not currently offer Apple Face ID. Geist provides its own software-based face unlock experience for macOS using the Mac’s camera.
Does Geist replace my Mac password?
No. Your normal macOS login methods remain available. Geist adds face unlock as a convenience layer rather than removing your existing login options.
Is it secure?
Geist is designed with security in mind, but it cannot provide the same level of biometric security as Face ID or Touch ID. Those systems rely on dedicated hardware such as depth sensors, infrared cameras, and the Secure Enclave. Most Macs simply don’t have equivalent facial authentication hardware.
Does Geist upload my face?
No. Geist performs face recognition locally on your Mac rather than sending your face to a cloud recognition service.
Does Geist work with my iMac or Studio Display?
Geist officially supports MacBook models with a notch using their built-in camera. The iMac camera and the camera in an Apple Studio Display are supported as a beta feature. Other cameras are not supported yet. Geist comes with a 7-day free trial, so you can test your setup before purchasing. More Macs will be officially supported as they are tested and validated.
Does Geist support other Dynamic Island apps?
Yes. Most Dynamic Island apps let you turn off their lock-screen behavior, which makes room for Geist.
Can I give feedback to Geist?
Absolutely. Use the feedback button in the app to open the vision board and share your ideas.