In case your iPhone gets stolen, it can be a frustrating and scary experience. If the thieves know your passcode, they can easily access your personal data and even lock you out of your Apple devices.
However, there are some tech tricks that you can use to protect your smartphone from thieves.
Here’s how to prevent thieves from accessing your iPhone and keep your data safe.
Enable content and privacy settings:
The first thing you need to do is to enable Content and Privacy Restrictions on your iPhone.
This feature allows you to restrict certain actions on your device, including changing your Apple ID password, which is essential for protecting your data.
To do this, go to Settings > Screen Time and turn on the Content and Privacy Restrictions. Next, scroll down and select Account Changes, and choose "Don't Allow" to prevent anyone from making changes to your Apple ID account.
Then, go to Passcode Changes and choose "Don't Allow" to prevent anyone from changing your passcode.
Lastly, set a different Screen Time passcode from your iPhone passcode, to add an extra layer of security.
Prevent thieves from bypassing face ID:
Even if your iPhone is equipped with Face ID, thieves can still bypass it by using your passcode.
To prevent this from happening, you can disable the "USB Restricted Mode" feature on your device.
This feature automatically disables the USB connection if your phone has not been unlocked for an hour.
To disable it, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode (or Face ID & Passcode on newer iPhones), and enter your passcode. Turn off the 'USB Accessories' feature by scrolling down.
What to do if your iPhone gets stolen
Despite your best efforts, your iPhone may still get stolen. If this happens, there are some steps you can take to minimize the damage.
First, use Find My iPhone to locate your device and remotely lock or erase its data.
You can also contact your carrier to report the theft and have them disable your SIM card.
Lastly, change your Apple ID password and enable two-factor authentication to prevent further unauthorized access.
By following these tech tricks, you can protect your iPhone from thieves and keep your personal data safe. Don't wait until it's too late to enable these security features on your device today.