In a bustling bar, a pickpocket observes you enter your passcode on your iPhone and snatches it. The feeling of dread sets in as you realize it’s been taken, along with irreplaceable pictures, crucial documents, sensitive banking app passwords, and other essential aspects of your online existence.

Apple released a new version of its iOS operating system this week including Stolen Device Protection, a feature that makes it more difficult for thieves to access important features and settings on stolen phones. Users are advised to enable this feature promptly.

Learn how to enable the latest security feature and understand its significance:

The latest iOS update for iPhones and iPads contains a crucial new feature aimed at preventing theft and unauthorized access to important accounts, such as Apple ID. This feature, called Stolen Device Protection, is now included in version 17.3 of the software.

According to Apple, this feature, which is located in the settings of your iPhone, provides an added level of protection for users. It tackles a loophole that has been identified and taken advantage of by thieves, who could use it to block individuals from their Apple accounts, erase their pictures and other documents from their iCloud accounts, and drain their bank accounts by obtaining passwords stored in the Keychain password manager.

According to anecdotal evidence, Apple is implementing a new feature due to a rise in phone thefts. Reports of stolen phones are prevalent in Reddit groups and news articles in various locations, such as Los Angeles and London. Police have reported pickpocketing, “table surfing,” and moped snatching as common methods used by thieves.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal last year, criminals were able to steal personal information by observing people entering their passcodes on their stolen phones.

Stolen Device Protection keeps track of a user’s “familiar locations,” such as their home or workplace, and adds extra biometric security hoops to jump through if someone tries to use the device to do certain things when it’s away from those places.

This also decreases the significance of passcodes, which can be obtained by looking over someone’s shoulder or coercing victims to disclose them, in favor of more secure “biometric” options like facial recognition or fingerprint scanning.

If someone steals your iPhone and attempts to erase its data and settings in order to sell it, the Stolen Device Protection feature will activate and require a Face ID or Touch ID scan to confirm the owner’s identity.

This is the only method available – the new feature does not allow for the use of a passcode or any other backup method.

Some other actions that may activate this feature when not in a recognized location include utilizing stored passwords in Keychain or saved payment methods in Safari, deactivating Lost Mode, applying for a new Apple Card, or setting up a new device with the iPhone.

There is an additional level of protection in place to hinder unauthorized individuals from accessing important security features. For example, if someone attempts to log out of their Apple ID, modify the passcode, or reset the phone from an unknown location, they will be required to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait one hour, and then complete a second facial or fingerprint scan.

Modifying the password for an Apple ID, adjusting security settings for an Apple ID, including or eliminating Face or Touch ID, and deactivating the Find My device function or Stolen Device Protection will also activate this feature.

“The company stated that the security delay is implemented to hinder a potential thief from carrying out essential tasks. This allows you to label your device as lost and ensure the protection of your Apple account. However, if your iPhone is detected in a familiar location, these extra measures will not be necessary and you can simply use your device passcode as usual.”

It is easy – as long as you know where to search.

To begin, please download and install the most recent iOS update on your iPhone or iPad. Next, access your device’s settings and navigate to either “Face ID & Passcode” or “Touch ID & Passcode”. Enter your passcode and scroll down to locate the option for Stolen Device Protection.

To activate or deactivate this feature on your iPhone, you may have to tap or toggle depending on the model. Beforehand, ensure that two-factor authentication and Find My device are enabled for your Apple ID account, otherwise the feature will not appear.

The iPhone XS and newer versions, as well as the second and third generation SE models.

Source: wral.com