if a thief ever steals iPhone Out of your bag or even snatches it from your grasp, panic immediately sets in. You may have a lot more to worry about beyond the cost of replacing the phone. What if they saw me entering the passcode and now have easy access For all my messages, photos and sensitive information? While it certainly sucks to have your smartphone stripped, turning on Apple's stolen device protection can instantly cut off thieves' access to your smartphone data. This feature is not enabled automatically and needs to be activated before a crime occurs.
First released as part of iOS 17.3, Stolen Device Protection essentially adds an extra layer of protection to your smartphone whenever the device is somewhere you don't regularly travel. Here's a quick guide to what the software feature does and what steps are required to turn it on.
For a deeper dive into Apple's anti-theft software, check out Wired Security Reporter Article by Matt Burgess About the feature from last year. If you have an Android phone, read my guide to use Android theft detection features.
What does stolen device protection do?
This feature is specifically designed for situations where a criminal not only takes your iPhone, but also knows your passcode and can unlock the device. When they physically take your phone away from you and bring it to a place you don't go to often, then Stolen device security measures Start kicking in.
The main thing is that the feature is triggered face id biometrics To access any sensitive features on the phone, such as using your Keychain password, viewing your stored payment information in Safari, and disabling lost mode. Even if thieves know your passcode, it will no longer serve as a backup option; Face ID is required for full access. This prevents thieves from simply wiping all your data from the phone so they can sell it, as that process also requires a face mask.
In addition to forcing biometric authentication, stolen device protection adds a security delay period for changes to security features on the phone. If the thief wants to sign out or turn off their Apple ID find my iphoneFor example, they can't hold the phone in front of your face for a few seconds as they flee the scene of the crime. With the feature's automatic security delay, you'll have to wait an hour for the device to make major security changes, and you'll need to confirm your biometrics at the beginning as well as the end of the process.
How do I turn it on?
Before you can turn on stolen device protection, you need to set up some other basic features on your smartphone first. You probably already have Face ID and a passcode enabled on your Apple device – both are required for the feature to work.
Next, you need to check if there is two-factor authentication Enable for your Apple IDWhich is a good idea, even if you're not using stolen device protection. Check to see if you're already using it by visiting settingtapping on Your name at the top, and then choose Sign-in and security Tab. You should see whether 2FA is turned on or off for your Apple ID in the middle of this screen.
The final software features you need to activate on the iPhone are in important places. It keeps track of places you regularly visit, so your phone can detect whether it's in a familiar or unfamiliar location. according to AppleThe data is end-to-end encrypted and not read by the company. Important places are slightly buried in the menu – do this by opening settingThen Privacy & SecurityAnd location servicesAfter that, scroll all the way down until you see system services Tab. choose important placeAnd you'll probably be prompted to unlock it with Face ID. On the next page, move the toggle to the right to enable the feature.
Work! Okay, now you are ready to start using stolen device protection. And, lucky for you, after all that work, the final step is a breeze. open setting another time, then Face ID and PasscodeAnd enter your passcode. Scroll about halfway down the page, select stolen device protection Tab, and move that toggle to the right.