Dutch watchdog finds most smartphones can be unlocked with just a picture of the owner

Most smartphones tested by the Dutch consumer organization Consumentenbond since June 2023 failed a facial recognition security test. Researchers were able to unlock the devices by holding a photo of the owner in front of the camera, Consumentenbond reports.

The Consumentenbond found that 92 of the 133 tested smartphones still available for purchase could be fooled by a photo. That represents 69 percent of all tested devices. The result is worse than three years ago, when researchers were able to unlock 43 percent of tested phones using a photo.

Many of the affected devices were made by Motorola, with 19 models failing the test. Oppo had 18 failed models, and Redmi had 16. The problem was not limited to cheaper phones. Several expensive smartphones also failed the test, including the 1,300-euro Oppo Find X Pro, the 1,250-euro Samsung S25 Ultra, and the 750-euro OnePlus 15. Only Apple and Google had secure facial unlocking on all tested devices, according to the Consumentenbond.

The consumer group said the results are concerning because buyers cannot assume their phone’s facial recognition system is secure. Many phones with unsafe facial recognition do warn users that the feature is less secure than a password or PIN code.

“Smartphones should either have good facial recognition or not have it at all,” Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumentenbond, said.