3 iPhone settings I changed to thwart thieves – and what to do if your phone is stolen

Given that iPhones range in price from hundreds of dollars to over a thousand, it’s no surprise they attract the attention of criminals who want to steal your hardware (and the data it contains).

While Apple has gone to great lengths to make the iPhone as secure as possible, there are still things that you can do to make your phone extra secure should tragedy strike. 

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Here’s how set up my iPhone to make life more difficult for thieves.

1. Set up Stolen Device Protection

An absolutely amazing feature, Stolen Device Protection enhances the security of your iPhone when it is away from familiar locations, such as your home or workplace.

This feature aims to prevent unauthorized access to your device and Apple account by requiring biometric authentication, such as Face ID or Touch ID, for critical operations. There is no passcode fallback, which means that even if someone knows your passcode, they cannot bypass the biometric requirement.

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By requiring biometric authentication, Stolen Device Protection makes it significantly harder for thieves to access key functions and settings on the device, such as changing the device passcode or Apple account password.

To set this up, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and then tap Stolen Device Protection.

2. Turn off Control Center and USB accessories when locked

Doing this achieves two things: It prevents a thief from flipping the iPhone into Airplane Mode, which cuts it off from the internet and stops users from locating it or wiping it remotely, and it also prevents any devices that might be used to bypass security from being connected to the iPhone.

Setting this up is easy. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and then scroll down to Allow Access When Locked and toggle off Control Center and Accessories. 

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Alternatively, you can also toggle Wallet and Notification Center.

Additionally, I like to make sure that Erase Data is enabled. This means that after ten unsuccessful password attempts, my iPhone will be securely erased so that nothing is recoverable. Note that you do need to have iCloud Backup enabled or be making regular local backups to keep your data safe.

3. Allow your iPhone to be tracked – even when it’s off

The Apple Find My network not only allows you to use AirTags to find your keys, but it can also help keep an eye on your iPhone.

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Tap on Settings, then your name at the top of the screen. Select Find My and then Find My iPhone. Here, make sure that Find My network and Send Last Location are both enabled.

What to do if your iPhone gets stolen

Don’t panic, and don’t beat yourself up about it. It happens. Quite a lot, in fact, and the bad guys are likely relying on you being confused and dazed, so it’s a good idea to stay focused and have a game plan.

Hopefully you have insurance to cover you for the loss of the hardware. If your iPhone costs more than you’re happy to drop for a replacement in the event of loss or theft, then I strongly recommend insurance (it certainly helps me sleep better at night). If you do have it, the first thing to do is to secure your data.

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First, find a way to get onto the internet and head over to iCloud.com/find. You’ll need your iCloud password, so it’s a good idea to have this somewhere, memorized or otherwise accessible. Under All Devices, find your stolen iPhone, select Mark as Lost, and follow the on-screen prompts.

When you do this, a few things happen:

• Your iPhone will be locked using your regular passcode.
• Payment cards and passes in Apple Pay will be suspended.
• If Stolen Device Protection is enabled (and I strongly recommend that it is), Face ID or Touch ID will be needed to turn off Lost Mode, so the passcode alone won’t be enough.

It’s important to do this as fast as possible because even with Stolen Device Protection, the biometric hurdles in the way of the bad guys only last an hour — marking the phone as lost quickly should be your priority.

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Note that thieves might try to get your passcode from you by sending you messages pretending to be from Apple or law enforcement. Remember: No one who is legitimate will ask you for your passcode or to pass on any two-factor authentication data.

Do not rush to remove the stolen iPhone from your Apple Account or Find My. If you have AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, don’t remove it until your claim has been dealt with.

Finally, report the theft to law enforcement and your network provider. 

Bonus anti-theft security tips

My iPhone goes with me everywhere I go. I’ve been to some dodgy places, and — touch wood — I’ve yet to have my iPhone stolen. Here are some rules that I follow when out and about:

• The biggest risk occurs if your iPhone is stolen while it’s unlocked — in other words, when you’re using it. So be mindful of walking around towns and cities or sitting in public places engrossed in whatever’s going on on your phone.
• An iPhone is worth hundreds of dollars. Don’t leave it unattended!
• Never hand your unlocked iPhone to strangers.
• Never give your passcode to anyone, either in person or over the phone, text, or email.