If a thief Ever steal one iPhone Get it out of your pocket or even grab it from your grasp, panic will be instant. You may also have more to worry about exceeding phone replacement costs. What if they see me enter the passcode and now there is easy access for all my messages, pictures and sensitive information? While it certainly sucks when your smartphone is stolen, turning on Apple's stolen device protection can immediately cut down on a thief's access to your smartphone's data. Friend. This feature is not activated 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 security to your smartphone whenever it's somewhere you don't usually frequent access. Here's a quick guide to what the software feature does and what steps are needed to enable it.
To go deeper into Apple's anti-theft software Article by Matt Burgess about the feature from last year. If you have an Android phone, read my instructions for use Android theft detection feature.
How to protect stolen devices?
This feature is specifically designed for situations where a criminal not only has your iPhone but also knows your passcode and can unlock the device. When they take your phone away from you and take it to a location you don't often visit, well Security measures protect stolen devices started kicking in.
The main thing about activating the feature is that it initiates a request Biometrics Face ID To access any sensitive features on your phone, like 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 function as a backup option; Face ID becomes necessary for full access. This also prevents thieves from easily wiping all your data from the phone so they can sell it, since that process also requires FaceID.
In addition to forcing biometric authentication, stolen device protection also adds a security delay to change the safety features on the phone. If the thief wants to log out your Apple ID or turn it off Find My iPhonefor example, they cannot hold the phone in front of your face for a few seconds as they flee from a crime scene. With the feature's automatic security delay, you have to wait an hour for major security changes to be made to the device, and you have to confirm your biometrics at the beginning and at the end of the process.
How do 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 probably already have Face ID and passcode enabled on your Apple device, both of which are required for the feature to work.
Next, you will need to check what two-factor authentication is Enabled for your Apple IDIt's a good idea even if you don't use stolen device protection. Check if you're already using this by going to Settingexploit above Your name at the top, and then select Login & Security Tab. You'll see if 2FA for your Apple ID is on or off in the middle of this screen.
The last software feature you need to enable on your iPhone is key locations. This keeps track of the places you visit frequently, so your phone can detect whether it's in a familiar or unfamiliar place. According to AppleThe data is encrypted end-to-end and cannot be read by the company. The significant place is a bit buried in the menu, find it by opening SettingLater Privacy & SecurityAnd Location service. Then scroll all the way until you see it System service Tab. Select Important locationand you will likely be prompted to unlock it using Face ID. On the next page, move the toggle to the right to complete enabling the feature.
Phew! Ok, now you're ready to start using stolen device protection. And, lucky for you, after all that prep work, the final step is a breeze. Open Setting Again, then Face ID & Passcodeand fill in your passcode. Scroll about halfway up the page, select Protect your device from being stolen Tab, and move the switch to the right.