Apple released iOS 17.3 public beta and developer beta last week when iOS 17.2 was released for all. In the latest iOS 17.3 beta 1, one of the best features is “Stolen Device Protection.” This feature adds extra protection when an iPhone gets lost or stolen. iOS 17.3 is still in beta and it will take a few weeks until it becomes available for all, but before that, we should know how to enable it and how to use it.
What is Stolen Device Protection?
Stolen Device Protection is designed to protect your data and privacy if your iPhone ends up in the wrong hands. Here’s a quick overview of how it works:
- It activates automatically when your iPhone is detected in an unfamiliar location away from your usual places like home or work.
- You’ll get notifications when it first activates and then another alert 1 hour before needing to re-authenticate.
- Sensitive actions now require Face ID or Touch ID authentication on your iPhone. And there is a 1-hour delay before you can re-authenticate if the location is still unfamiliar.
- However, if your iPhone is in a familiar location like home or work, the 1-hour delay is not enforced.
So, in essence, it makes it much harder for someone else to access or erase your iPhone if they steal it, thanks to needing your biometrics to authenticate combined with the 1-hour forced delay.
Why Enable Stolen Device Protection?
There are a few great reasons to make sure this new feature is enabled:
- Peace of mind – If your iPhone is ever lost or stolen, you’ll have confidence your data is protected from access by thieves.
- Buys you time – The 1-hour delay prevents immediate access and gives you time to mark your device as lost in Find My.
- Enhanced security – Sensitive actions now require biometrics which thieves won’t have access to.
For most iPhone users, having Stolen Device Protection enabled is a no-brainer to ensure your data stays private.
How to Turn on Stolen Device Protection
Enabling the new Stolen Device Protection feature only takes a minute or two. Follow these steps:
1. Open Settings App
- Tap on the Settings icon on your iPhone’s home screen to launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Face ID & Passcode
- Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode.
3. Enable Stolen Device Protection
- Under the ALLOW ACCESS WHEN LOCKED section, toggle on the switch for Stolen Device Protection.
- Read the confirmation message and tap Turn On to enable it.
That’s all there is to it! Stolen Device Protection is now activated and ready to help protect your iPhone.
Actions Protected by Stolen Device Protection
With the feature turned on, you’ll notice new alerts when attempting sensitive actions like these:
- Unlocking your iPhone
- Accessing or modifying saved passwords
- Making payments with Apple Pay
- Accessing or modifying stored health data
- Modifying account settings
- Factory resetting your iPhone
You’ll need to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID when attempting those actions.
What Happens When Your iPhone is Stolen?
Say your iPhone gets stolen while you’re out somewhere unfamiliar like a restaurant or store. Here is the protection you’ll receive with Stolen Device Protection enabled:
- As soon as the thief tries to unlock your iPhone, they’ll be prompted for Face ID or Touch ID which they can’t provide.
- After a few failed attempts, they could try a factory reset. But that will also require authentication.
- Within minutes, your iPhone will detect it’s in an unfamiliar location and activate Stolen Device Protection.
- You’ll get notifications sent to your other trusted devices about the theft.
- Even if they try to authenticate, there will be a 1-hour delay before it allows another attempt.
- This prevents immediate access and gives you time to put your device in Lost Mode via Find My.
As you can see, it makes stealing your iPhone pointless since your data stays protected via encryption and authentication requirements.
Disable Stolen Device Protection
If you ever need to turn the feature off in the future, just follow these simple steps:
- Go back into Settings => Face ID & Passcode
- Under ALLOW ACCESS WHEN LOCKED, toggle off Stolen Device Protection
- Confirm turning off the feature when prompted
But it’s recommended to leave this excellent protection enabled as it greatly enhances your privacy and security without much effort.
Availability of Stolen Device Protection
According to the iOS 17.3 beta release notes, Stolen Device Protection will be supported on all iPhone models capable of running iOS 17.3.
The full public release of iOS 17.3 is expected in January 2024. So, users can likely enjoy the security of this feature starting in early 2024.
Conclusion
Having Stolen Device Protection enabled on your iPhone running iOS 17 ensures your data stays private even if your device ends up stolen. The enforced authentication and 1-hour delay prevent thieves from easily accessing your personal information.
It only takes a minute to turn on this important security feature. Go to Settings => Face ID & Passcode and toggle on Stolen Device Protection. Then you can have peace of mind knowing your iPhone has another layer of defense to thwart thieves.