Glance Face Unlock Alternatives for Mac: What to Use Instead

Quick answer: The best Glance alternative depends on what Glance can't do for you. To lock individual apps as well as the lock screen, use Hey Mac. On macOS 14, try FaceUnlock or Notchy; on macOS 13, Notchy. To approve admin password prompts hands-free, use Apple Watch Auto Unlock. If you have no usable camera, BLEUnlock unlocks by phone proximity.

Disclosure: This page is published by the developer of Hey Mac, one of the alternatives below. We did not lab-test Glance or any other app. Every Glance fact here comes from its own README, release notes and public GitHub issues, checked on October 12, 2026.

This page is about Glance, the face unlock app for Mac by Jonathan Zhou, not any other product called Glance. It's a free, MIT-licensed app with about 1.6k GitHub stars that unlocks the macOS lock screen with your face, using a notch-style animation. For a side-by-side of every face unlock app, see our full comparison.

Why people look for a Glance alternative

Glance's developer is unusually frank about its limits, and most reasons to switch come from them.

1. It only unlocks the lock screen

Glance does one job. Its README describes triggers on wake, on lock, or on pressing space at the lock screen. It has no way to lock individual apps, and it doesn't handle other password prompts.

That second gap shows up in Glance's own issue tracker. Issue #40 asks for face unlock on "system wide requests," such as passkey prompts and settings changes, and calls it "a game changer for Mac mini's." It was still open on October 12, 2026. Issue #57, opened on October 12, 2026, reports that Glance's triggers stop working on the login window when switching between user accounts.

2. It needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later

The README lists macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Version 1.0.0 originally required macOS 26.4, and v1.0.1 lowered that to macOS 15, per the release notes. Sonoma users are still left out. Issue #42 points to an unofficial community fork patched for macOS 14, but that fork is ad-hoc signed and isn't maintained by Glance's developer.

Intel support caused confusion early on. The v1.0.0 release notes said "a Mac with apple silicon," while the current README says "Apple Silicon or Intel Mac." Issue #3 settles it: an Intel user on Sequoia confirmed on September 21, 2026 that a later release works, so Intel is supported on macOS 15 or later.

3. A webcam can't match Face ID, and recognition can be finicky

Glance's README says it defeats a printed photo or a photo on a phone screen "with reasonable confidence" when Heavy liveness is on, but "does not reliably defeat a video of you." It unlocks by typing your stored Mac password, because macOS gives third-party apps no login API.

Users have also reported recognition and trigger problems. Issue #53 says face capture often leads to failed unlocks. Issue #54 says pressing space at the lock screen doesn't start a scan, although hovering over the notch does. Issue #41, a report of Glance not appearing on the lock screen, drew a reply from the developer pointing to Glance's session auto-lock, which re-locks on a schedule (30 days by default since v1.2.0), so check that setting before assuming a bug.

Glance alternatives by situation

Facts checked October 12, 2026. Hey Mac requires Apple silicon, so it isn't an Intel option.

The alternatives, and who each one suits

Hey Mac: if you want app locking too

Hey Mac is free and open source (MIT). It does Glance's job, face unlock at the lock screen, and adds App Lock: chosen apps stay blurred until you verify with your face, Touch ID or password, with relock options from every launch to after 5 to 15 minutes. It runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later, which covers Sonoma users Glance excludes.

Where Glance is ahead: Glance runs on Intel Macs and Hey Mac needs Apple silicon (M1 or later). Glance lets you pick a camera per display; Hey Mac hasn't published whether external webcams work. Glance documents how it stores your password; Hey Mac hasn't published how it stores lock-screen credentials. Hey Mac isn't notarized either, so the first launch needs System Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Anyway. And like Glance, it's a 2D webcam, not Face ID. More on app locking options in how to lock apps on Mac.

Notchy and FaceUnlock: if you're on an older macOS

Notchy is the broadest fit for older hardware: macOS 13 Ventura or later on Intel or Apple silicon, with external webcam support. It's free but closed source. FaceUnlock has MIT-licensed app code (its InsightFace/ArcFace face model is licensed for non-commercial use only), runs on macOS 14 Sonoma, and has been a universal binary since v1.1.0, though its README says Intel runs slower.

Apple Watch and Touch ID: if you want Apple's own security

If what you actually miss is hands-free approval of system prompts (the gap in Glance issue #40), Apple already covers it. Apple says Auto Unlock logs you in when you wake a Mac while wearing your Apple Watch, and you can approve many administrator password requests by double-clicking the watch's side button. You still type your password on the first login after a restart.

Touch ID, on a MacBook or a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, unlocks the Mac, opens some password-protected items and handles fast user switching.

BLEUnlock or Near Lock: if you'd rather use your phone

Per its README, BLEUnlock is a free, MIT-licensed menu bar app that locks and unlocks your Mac based on the proximity of an iPhone, Apple Watch or other Bluetooth LE device. Its README lists macOS 10.13 or later, says your password is stored in the Keychain, and gives brew install bleunlock for installation. Near Lock does something similar through an iPhone app; per its site, background mode needs its Pro in-app purchase. No camera means no lighting or liveness issues, but anyone holding your phone near the Mac gets in.

When you should stay with Glance

Stay with Glance if you're on macOS 15 or later, you only need the lock screen, and you want open source. It's one of the few face unlock apps that supports Intel Macs. It also offers multiple identities you can toggle without deleting, a camera choice per display, and a detailed security write-up. If recognition misses you, the developer suggests (issue #48) lowering match confidence and increasing detection distance first.

FAQ

Does Glance work on macOS 14 Sonoma?

Not officially. It requires macOS 15 or later; the macOS 14 fork in issue #42 is unofficial. Hey Mac, FaceUnlock and Notchy support Sonoma.

Does Glance support Intel Macs?

Yes, on macOS 15 or later. The first release notes said Apple silicon only, but the current README lists Intel, and an Intel user confirmed it working in issue #3.

Can Glance lock individual apps?

No. Glance only unlocks the macOS lock screen. For app locking, use Hey Mac (lock screen and apps) or FaceGate (apps only).

Can Glance approve admin or passkey prompts?

No. That's an open feature request (issue #40). Apple Watch Auto Unlock can approve many administrator password requests, and Touch ID handles some password-protected items.

Is Glance safe to use?

Its README says face data and your password stay encrypted on the device, but calls Glance "a convenience feature, not a security upgrade" that doesn't reliably stop a video of you. Every camera-based alternative here, Hey Mac included, shares that 2D-webcam limit. See can you get Face ID on a Mac for why.

More options are on the alternatives index.

About the author

Harshit Maurya is the developer of Hey Mac, an open-source face unlock and app lock app for macOS written in Swift and Core ML. Source code and build notes are on GitHub.

Sources

1. Jonathan Zhou. Glance README: github.com/jonnyoo/glance. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
2. Glance releases (v1.0.0 Aug 31, v1.0.1 Sep 9, v1.1.0 Sep 13, v1.2.0 Sep 30, 2026): github.com/jonnyoo/glance/releases.
3. Glance GitHub issues #3 (Intel), #40 (system-wide prompts), #41 (lock screen not appearing; developer reply on session auto-lock), #42 (macOS 14 fork), #48, #53 and #54 (recognition and triggers), #57 (user switching): github.com/jonnyoo/glance/issues. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
4. Glance website: tryglance.app.
5. Apple Support. Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch.
6. Apple Support. Use Touch ID on Mac.
7. Takeshi Sone. BLEUnlock README: github.com/ts1/BLEUnlock. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
8. Near Lock: nearlock.me. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
9. Hey Mac: heymacapp.com and GitHub: iharshitmaurya/HeyMac.
10. Notchy Face Unlock page: notchy.dev/mac-face-unlock/. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
11. FaceUnlock README and releases: github.com/HasBrain/FaceUnlock. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
12. FaceGate README: github.com/dweep-desai/FaceGate-Mac. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
13. Mac ID facts: see our full comparison and its sources.