FaceGate

FaceGate is a free, open-source macOS app locker that restricts access to selected applications until face recognition, Touch ID, or password authentication succeeds. Rather than locking the whole computer, it adds a check when protected apps are opened and runs as a menu bar utility.

Face unlocking and app controls

• On-device face recognition: Uses a built-in or USB camera and software-based face matching, with head-turn challenges to discourage simple photo spoofing. This is not Apple's hardware Face ID.
• Alternative authentication: Unlock with Touch ID on compatible Macs or a password, and enroll up to three faces or alternate appearances.
• Per-app locking rules: Set unlock session timers, immediate re-locking, lock-on-sleep behavior, and scheduled locking periods.
• Menu bar access: View lock states and lock apps directly; adjust face-matching sensitivity or require authentication for sensitive settings and quitting.

Privacy and security boundaries

Face embeddings are encrypted locally with AES-256-GCM, with encryption keys stored in macOS Keychain. The developer reports no telemetry; a Sparkle update check is the documented exception to otherwise local operation. Because ordinary webcams lack depth sensing, FaceGate is intended to deter casual physical access rather than provide protection against determined spoofing.

Requirements and installation

FaceGate requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later and is distributed for Apple Silicon Macs; an Intel version remains a developer-planned feature. Face unlocking requires camera access, while app monitoring may require Accessibility permission. The app is not Apple-notarized: installing the GitHub DMG manually requires clearing its Gatekeeper quarantine attribute using Terminal. A Homebrew cask and an installation script are also available. FaceGate is free under the MIT license.