These 5 simple steps can improve the security of your iPhone
Apple has announced iOS 18 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and the company said the update will bring more privacy features to your iPhone, such as the ability to lock and hide certain apps. When Apple released iOS 17.4 in March, that update gave you more control over your iPhone’s security by adding additional Stolen Device Protection settings.
Stolen Device Protection was introduced in iOS 17.3, and as CNET’s David Lumb reported, it adds an extra layer of security to some of your sensitive data. If you’re not in a known location, like your home, the feature requires you to enter your biometric data once, wait an hour, then enter your data a second time to gain access. You’ll then need to make some changes to your data (such as changing your Apple ID password or turning off Stolen Device Protection).
If you frequent coffee shops or live in an apartment building and lose your iPhone in one of these places, your data could still be at risk. Your iPhone may recognize these places as known locations and allow someone else to bypass this security feature. With iOS 17.4, you can set your iPhone to always have a one-hour security delay, no matter where you are.
Here’s how to keep Stolen Device Protection turned on at all times.
How to Always Demand a One Hour Security Delay
1. Open Institutions
2. Crane Face ID and Passcode
3. Scroll down and tap Protection against stolen devices
4. Tap the switch next to Protection against stolen devices if it is not already enabled. If it is already enabled, go to the next step
5. Crane Always under Required Security Delay
Whether you’re in a trusted location like your home or not, your device will always require a one-hour security delay if you or anyone else tries to access or change certain settings on your iPhone.
Stolen Device Protection only protects a handful of settings, so you should still take steps to protect your other information. For example, Apple Notes You can still use your iPhone passcode to make purchases with Apple Pay, so Device Theft Protection doesn’t completely protect your finances.
Apple recommends that everyone turn on Stolen Device Protection, even if you don’t always need the one-hour security delay.
For more on iOS 17, here’s what could be in iOS 17.6 and our iOS 17 cheat sheet. You can also check out what you need to know about iOS 18 so far and everything Apple announced at WWDC 2024.
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