How to use Stolen Device Protection on Apple iPhone
If a thief Steals ever iPhone From your bag or even snatches it from your grip, you immediately begin to panic. You may also have a lot to worry about beyond just the cost of replacing the phone. What if they see me entering the passcode and they now have it Easy access For all my messages, photos and sensitive information? While it’s certainly unfortunate to have your smartphone stolen, turning on Apple’s Stolen Device Protection can immediately prevent thieves from accessing your smartphone data. This feature is not enabled automatically and must be activated before the crime occurs.
First released as part of iOS 17.3, Stolen Device Protection essentially adds an extra layer of security to your smartphone when the device is in a place you don’t visit regularly. Here’s a quick guide to what the software feature does and what the steps are to turn it on.
To dive deeper into Apple’s anti-theft software, see WIRED’s security correspondent Article by Matt Burgess About the feature from last year. If you have an Android phone, read my guide to using it Theft detection for Android 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 from you and bring it to a place you don’t visit often, then… Security measures to protect stolen devices You start to kick.
The main thing that is triggered by the feature is that it initiates a request Biometrics Face ID To access any sensitive features on the phone, such as using your Keychain passwords, seeing payment information stored in Safari, and disabling Lost Mode. Even if thieves know your passcode, it won’t work as a backup option anymore; Face ID is required for full access. This also prevents thieves from easily erasing all your data from the phone so they can sell it, as this procedure also requires FaceID.
In addition to enforcing biometric authentication, Stolen Device Protection adds a security delay for changes to security features on the phone. If the thief wants to sign out of your Apple ID or turn it off Find my iPhoneFor example, they can’t hold the phone in front of your face for a few seconds while fleeing a crime scene. With this feature’s automatic security delay, you have to wait up to an hour to make major security changes to the device, and you have to confirm your biometrics at the beginning of this process as well as at the end.
How can I turn it on?
Before you can turn on stolen device protection, you first need to set up a few other basic features on your smartphone. You likely already have Face ID and passcode enabled on your Apple device, both of which are necessary for the feature to work.
Next, you’ll need to check whether two-factor authentication is available Enabled for your Apple IDwhich is a good idea even if you don’t use stolen device protection. Check to see if you are already using this by going to Settingseavesdropping your name at the top, then choose Login and security Unpaid invoice. You should see whether Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your Apple ID is on or off in the middle of this screen.
The last software feature you need to activate on iPhone is Important Locations. This keeps track of the places you visit regularly, so your phone can detect if it’s in a familiar or unfamiliar place. according to appleThe data is encrypted end-to-end and is not read by the company. Important locations are slightly buried in the menus, and you can find them by opening them Settingsthen Privacy and securityand Location services. Next, scroll down until you see System services Unpaid invoice. He chooses Important sitesYou will likely be asked to unlock it using Face ID. On the next page, slide the switch to the right to finish enabling the feature.
Oof! Well, now you’re ready to start using stolen device protection. Fortunately for you, after all that prep work, the final step is a breeze. It opens Settings Again, then Face ID and passcodeand fill in your passcode. Scroll about halfway down the page, and select Protect stolen devices tab, and move this toggle to the right.
