What is Apple’s Stolen Device Protection?

What is Stolen Device Protection?

Stolen Device Protection is Apple’s latest security feature, designed to prevent unauthorised access to your iPhone in the event that it’s stolen

Stolen Device Protection limits access by adding extra security measures. This means that if someone tries to access certain information, or make changes to your phone, when it’s not in a trusted place, like your home or work, they’ll need to go through additional checks.

For example, if you attempt to change your Apple account password or your phone’s passcode outside of a trusted location, Stolen Device Protection will make you wait for an hour. Then, you’ll have to confirm your identity again using Face ID or Touch ID. This delay gives you time to use Apple’s Find My tool to remotely lock or erase your stolen device, if needed. Without this delay, a thief could potentially get past security measures using just your iPhone’s passcode.

Stolen Device Protection also makes it harder for a thief to access sensitive information on your iPhone. They’ll need to use Face ID or Touch ID (depending on your iPhone model) to view saved passwords or make changes to an Apple savings account. This helps prevent them from using your unlocked iPhone to steal money or open an Apple credit card in your name.

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How to activate Stolen Device Protection

Follow the steps below to activate Apple’s Stolen Device Protection:

1. Install iOS 17.3: go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Install Now and follow the onscreen prompts.
2. Turn on Stolen Device Protection: once you’ve downloaded iOS 17.3 you should be prompted to enable Stolen Device Protection. If you miss the prompts simply go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and make sure the Stolen Device Protection toggle is on.
3. Set “safe” locations: when your iPhone is at a set safe location, you won’t encounter additional security measures. Enable a Significant Locations setting under Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations.

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Does Stolen Device Protection work on all Apple devices?

Stolen Device Protection is currently only available for the following iPhone models:

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Other ways to protect your device

While Stolen Device Protection is only available on specific iPhone models, there are plenty of other ways of protecting your device, including:

• Enable Find My: turn on Find My iPhone/iPad/Mac feature in your device settings. This feature helps you locate your device if it’s lost or stolen.
• Set a passcode or biometric lock: Use a strong passcode or biometric authentication (Touch ID or Face ID) to prevent unauthorised access to your device.
• Keep software updated: regularly update your device’s operating system and apps to patch security risks and protect against threats.
• Enable Auto-Lock and Erase Data: set your device to automatically lock after a period of inactivity and enable the option to erase all data if you phone is lost/stolen.

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About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.