The release of iOS 17.3 could well be one of the most important released by Apple in a long time. Yes, there are features like AirPlay support for hotel TVs (in a very limited number of hotel rooms, for now) and collaborative playlists for Apple Music (a feature that other music services have been offering for years). But it’s the new security feature that makes it a must-have.
No, this isn’t the kind of security feature you’re thinking of. This is not some hidden hacker exploit repair trick that stops bad people from running malware on your iPhone (although there is that too). This helps protect your important digital data and access from physical iPhone thieves.
Stolen Device Protection protects your critical information
Our iPhones have all sorts of very, very important data. Not just photos and videos, but also apps for things like your banking and credit cards. And your phone often contains the passwords for all these accounts, And even if two-factor authentication is enabled, it retrieves SMS or has 2FA app for those accounts too!
Apple does a lot to make sure that a thief who steals your iPhone can’t just unlock it and access all of that. But the critical flaw in its systems is your iPhone’s passcode. If someone watches you unlock your iPhone using your six-digit PIN, then they can steal your iPhone, unlock it, and change all the important settings that protect you and your data. They can disable Find My, access your passwords, send money with Apple Cash and much more. A thief with your iPhone and password can even prevent you from accessing your own Apple ID, ruining your access to other Apple devices.
After updating to iOS 17.3, you will be able to enable stolen device protection in Settings > Face ID and passcode. Once this option is enabled, your six-digit password will no longer allow someone (including you) to:
- Access iCloud Keychain passwords
- Request a new Apple Card
- Erase all content and settings
- Turn off Lost Mode
- Send money to people with Apple Cash
- Use your iPhone to set up a new device
- Use saved payment methods in Safari
Instead, you’ll need to unlock your iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID to do these things. This won’t be necessary in known locations like your home, but it’s unlikely a thief would try to break into your iPhone there.
And even more important features, like changing your Apple ID password or adding/removing Face ID or Touch ID, will require authentication, then a one-hour delay, then re-authentication.
This doesn’t completely deter all iPhone thefts. Notably, your mail will still be accessible, so any app or service that lets you reset your password with a simple confirmation email is in play. You still want to make sure to use two-factor authentication as much as possible and unique passwords.
So don’t wait to update to iOS 17.3. Grab it and enable stolen device protection now. If thieves expect everyone with an iPhone to lock it like this, it’s not even worth stealing from them anymore.
