The Wall Street Journal has revealed an unannounced new security feature for iPhone that will debut in iOS 17.3. Called Stolen Device Protection, it’s a new setting that makes it harder to make major changes to your Apple ID and your digital life using just your iPhone password. This feature comes after a WSJ report earlier this year highlighted how thieves watched users enter their six-digit iPhone passcode before stealing the phone, then use that passcode to lock users out out of their Apple ID, view their passwords, apply for Apple. Card, send money and much more.
The basic idea is simple: when Stolen Device Protection is enabled, your iPhone will need biometric identification (Face ID or Touch ID) to perform many actions – your iPhone’s passcode will no longer be used backup solution for most of them. Additionally, some of the more sensitive operations (like changing your Apple ID password) will require an hour of waiting followed by additional biometric authentication. This time limit will not apply when the phone is in a familiar location such as your home or work.
How to enable stolen device protection
Enabling or disabling this feature is simple. It first appeared in the iOS 17.3 beta, so the procedure may change before release. Just open Settingsfaucet Face ID and passcode (it could be Touch ID & Passcode), and scroll down to find Protecting Stolen Devices.
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How Stolen Device Protection Works
When you have device theft protection disabledyour iPhone’s six-digit password can be used to do all kinds of things, like change your Apple ID password, create a recovery key, turn off Lost Mode, transfer settings to a new device, Disable Find My, access your saved keychain passwords. , and more.
It’s a big problem. If a potential thief watches you enter your passcode, they can steal your iPhone and effectively prevent you from doing so. With your password, they can disable Find My so you can’t find them, lock you out of your Apple ID so you can’t use iCloud to disable your phone, and log you into all kinds of accounts your password is saved. .
When you enable functionality, your iPhone passcode will no longer work as a fallback for biometric authentication for certain features. You will need to use Face ID or Touch ID to perform the following actions:
- 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
That’s not all. Some of the most sensitive and important operations will require Face ID or Touch ID authentication, followed by a one-hour delay, and then another Face ID or Touch ID authentication. The one-hour delay and re-authentication won’t apply if your iPhone is in a trusted location like your home or work, but you still need more than your password to do the following:
- Change your Apple ID password
- Activate recovery key
- Change phone number or trusted contact
- Add Face ID or Touch ID
- Remove Face ID or Touch ID
- Turn off Find My
- Disable stolen device protection
Keep in mind that this new feature won’t stop a thief from unlocking your iPhone and they will still be able to access any app that isn’t protected by its own password. The thief could also open your email, meaning any account whose password could be reset with a simple confirmation email is vulnerable.
This isn’t a foolproof way to stop iPhone thieves from ruining your life. But it makes it much harder to get away with, especially since it prevents them from locking you out of your Apple ID or disabling Find My – it will be much easier to locate or at least erase remotely.
