Thieves never cease their attempts to steal mobile phones, especially if they bear the famous Apple logo. iPhones are valuable regardless of whether they are new or used, making them a constant target for theft. This was a sufficient reason for Apple to support its iOS operating system with more than one feature aimed not only at combating theft but also at mitigating its consequences even after the fact. For example, the feature of finding a stolen iPhone even if it is turned off through Find My, which we explained how to activate before. Today, we will explore a new feature called “Stolen Device Protection” that can potentially save what can be saved after an iPhone is stolen and increase obstacles for the thief to access the stored data. How exactly does it work and how do you activate it? That’s what we will find out below.
Activating Stolen iPhone Protection Feature
First: How Does Apple’s “Stolen Device Protection” Feature Work?
This feature differs from the Find My iPhone feature that helps locate a lost device. The “Stolen Device Protection” feature relies on the biometric authentication supported on the phone, whether Face ID or Touch ID, as a single means when a thief tries to make sensitive changes in the phone settings or access important data such as viewing saved passwords, resetting the phone, changing the security code, disabling Find My, transferring phone data to another device, or accessing stored bank cards.
The idea here is that even if the thief knows the PIN code of the iPhone, they will not be able to fully control the phone and its data. The iOS system does not allow the option to unlock via the PIN code in the first place, which was the case before the introduction of the “Stolen Device Protection” feature. It is worth mentioning that the feature will not be active permanently even after activation. It tracks the phone’s location and automatically activates when the phone is in a completely new geographical location or a place the phone owner rarely visits.
Recent reports indicate that thieves carefully monitor their victims and may threaten them before stealing their phones to learn the PIN code and change it, allowing them to have full control over the phone and easily sell it. This makes the “Stolen Device Protection” feature truly useful because even if the password is known, if someone steals your phone and escapes, knowing the password will not help them because the feature will automatically activate and require biometric verification with face or fingerprint. Before we move on to how to activate and use this useful feature, it is important to note that it is available on iPhones starting from iOS version 17.3, which began rolling out on January 22, 2024.
Second: How to Activate “Stolen Device Protection” Feature on iPhone?
After getting familiar with Apple’s new “Stolen Device Protection” feature and what it specifically does, it’s time to learn how to activate it. The activation steps begin by opening the “Settings” app, scrolling down, going to the “Passcode & Face ID” section, entering the passcode to authenticate your identity, then pressing the “Turn On Protection” button located below the “Stolen Device Protection” feature. That’s all there is to it; the phone will now prompt you to verify your identity through biometric authentication and request the passcode when located in a new or rarely visited location.
Third: What Happens Specifically When Activating “Stolen Device Protection” Feature?
In summary, Apple’s Stolen Device Protection is a new feature available in iOS 17.3 designed to protect your data and phone if it is stolen, especially if someone manages to know the passcode. In such a scenario, the feature does two main things. Firstly, it requires the person to verify their identity through biometric authentication only when in a new or unfamiliar geographical location before allowing access to sensitive phone settings and information such as saved passwords, phone reset, password change, etc. Secondly, and not explicitly mentioned before, it prevents the person from changing the Apple ID password or disabling face ID verification before a full hour, in addition to requiring biometric verification. This is undisputed.
From the above, we can deduce the importance of Apple’s new “Stolen Device Protection” feature. This is a feature that every iPhone user should activate as soon as it is released. Although it is a precautionary feature, it is practical and targets a possible scenario that any of us may face, that is, having our phone stolen. Check your phone every day, and once you notice the presence of this new feature, follow the steps above and activate it immediately.
