How to Enable Stolen Device Protection on iPhone

[MacRumors]

When Apple released iOS 17.3 in January, it introduced a Stolen Device Protection feature to provide iPhone users with added security. This article explains what it does, why you might want to turn it on, and how to go about doing so.

In 2023, reports began emerging about a new method thieves were using to steal iPhones and access users' highly sensitive data. Thieves would surreptitiously spy on their victims in public while they entered their passcode, before going on to steal the device. With the passcode known to them, criminals could empty bank accounts, steal passwords, and make the iPhone untraceable.

Enter, Stolen Device Protection

To make it harder for a thief to access passcode-protected data on a stolen iPhone, Apple in iOS 17.3 included Stolen Device Protection. With the feature enabled, Face ID or Touch ID is required to access passwords in iCloud Keychain, Lost Mode settings, options for erasing the device, and making purchases in Safari.

In addition to the new biometric requirements, the feature also imposes a one-hour security delay on actions like changing an Apple ID password. In other words, if someone tries to change Apple ID login information, Face ID authentication is required, and then an hour must pass before the password can be changed. The only time this wait period is not imposed is when the device at a trusted location like home or work.

Actions Requiring Face ID/Touch ID With Stolen Device Protection Enabled

• Viewing/using passwords or passkeys saved in iCloud Keychain
• Applying for a new Apple Card
• Viewing an Apple Card virtual card
• Turning off Lost Mode
• Erasing all content and settings
• Taking certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in Wallet
• Using payment methods saved in Safari
• Using your iPhone to set up a new device

Note that these actions do not have a passcode backup, so you can't use a passcode to avoid using Face ID or Touch ID.

Actions Requiring 1-Hour Delay With Stolen Device Protection Enabled

Actions that require biometric authentication and have a one-hour security delay include the following:

• Changing your Apple ID password
• Updating select Apple ID account security settings, including adding or removing a trusted device, trusted phone number, Recovery Key, or Recovery Contact
• Changing your iPhone passcode
• Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID
• Turning off Find My
• Turning off Stolen Device Protection

How to Enable Stolen Device Protection

Note that Stolen Device Protection is only available on iPhones that are able to run iOS 17, which includes the iPhone XS and newer. Also, make sure your iPhone is up-to-date and running iOS 17.3 or later (Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update). Here's how to enable the feature.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode, depending on iPhone model).
3. Enter your passcode at the prompt.
4. Scroll down and tap Stolen Device Protection.
   Toggle on the switch next to Stolen Device Protection, then tap Turn On at the prompt.

Note that if your iPhone is running iOS 17.4 or later, an additional option on this screen lets you choose to require a security delay when your device is Away from Familiar Locations, or Always. Otherwise, that's all there is to it. You can just as easily turn off the feature by toggling off the Stolen Device Protection switch, but you'll need to authenticate to do so.

Article Link: How to Enable Stolen Device Protection on iPhone

 

[stark93]

Not after last week's incident 😬

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have it turned on and also set it to always, instead of just familiar locations.

 

[contacos]

Turned it off again for troubleshooting purposes regarding my battery life. Feel like Find My was constantly running, most likely due to the whole „familiar location“ thing constantly checking where I am.

 

[antiprotest]

All is well and good until Apple locks you out and demands you reset the password and refuses to let you reset the password because of stolen device protection.

 

[nt5672]

With all of Apple's buggy services, I can't even imagine how bad this one will be. I think I'll wait a few years and see how it turns out. But I do wish good luck to all of the early adopters.

 

[arkitect]

Haha!

With my experience last week of being locked out of my Apple account for days, spending hours with AppleCare support to no avail?

I'm not touching this with a barge pole.

 

[richard13]

Haha!

With my experience last week of being locked out of my Apple account for days, spending hours with AppleCare support to no avail?

I'm not touching this with a barge pole.

Days? Did you ever get it resolved? Did they give you a reason why this all happened?

 

[zapmymac]

If this step is too drastic for you, I suggest a Yubico key or similar. Set it up, and forget about it...pretty straightforward to do...get 2 keys though. Be safe out there.

 

[axantas]

I see the possible hiccups other posters mention. Just checked my settings and discovered, that I must have switched it on already quite some time ago. No impact on battery or other negative whatsoever...

**EDIT
Switched it off now, after all the negative comments. Being an active reader here is sometimes quite useful...

 

[ignatius345]

With my experience last week of being locked out of my Apple account for days, spending hours with AppleCare support to no avail?

Came here to say the same thing. The fact that Apple hasn't even explained what happened doesn't exactly insprire confidence.

 

[Apples Apples Everywhere]

PSA the criminal can simply go near your home unless you specify require security delay always.

See also "F-Secure Is iPhone’s Stolen Device Protection Enough to be a Gamechanger? We Tested It."

"Having the element of surprise and an elaborate plan on how to unlock the iPhone, thieves might reach the victim’s home address before the victim. And simply standing near the entrance of the building or under their house (could be guessed from the house number for example) renders the protection feature useless."

Is iPhone’s Stolen Device Protection enough to be a gamechanger? | F‑Secure

How secure is Apple's Stolen Device Protection? We put it to the test to see if it really keeps your iPhone and data safe from thieves.

blog.f-secure.com

 

[FelixAng]

I’ve often wondered why not require Face ID to turn on Airplane Mode or hard power off? FindMy useless without these on

 

[JohnRckr]

No thanks.
Reason 1: Apple and their password **** up
Reason 2: Possible battery drain

 

[arkitect]

Days? Did you ever get it resolved? Did they give you a reason why this all happened?

Yes… It started a couple days earlier for me than was reported here.

I was on the phone with Apple Support in Ireland literally hours. Remote desktop etc etc.
Back and forth.
They had no idea what was up…
And then *magically* it suddenly worked.

No one ever explained why.

So, yeah, I'm a bit cautious.

I can't imagine what a cluster**** this could be when away from home on vacation or business!

 

[ozaz]

PSA the criminal can simply go near your home unless you specify require security delay always.

You're probably being specifically targeted if a thief is going to go to that much trouble. I suspect most people who use this feature are more concerned about potential for account takeover in the event of opportunistic theft/muggings.

 

[Larry_G]

Not after last week's incident 😬

Yep, the feature was a huge PITA after Apple broke my Apple ID last week while I was traveling.

 

[bkendig]

A word of caution - I discovered a month ago that with Stolen Device Protection turned on, my iPhone won't unlock my Apple ID unless I change my password. Since my Apple ID gets locked frequently, this was a dealbreaker for me; I don't want to have to change my Apple ID password several times each week.

I reported this to Apple feedback. And with Stolen Device Protection turned off, my iPhone lets me unlock my Apple ID without requiring me to change the password.

(The behavior doesn't even make sense. If a thief has access to my Apple ID, and has my iPhone to unlock my account with, why would Stolen Device Protection then make the thief change my Apple ID password to something new?)

 

[User 7654321]

I don't even understand why this is an issue that needs to be solved. Why are people entering their passwords out in public? Are they not using Face ID? Maybe this was an issue back in the covid days when people were wearing masks. However, it seems like this isn't even an issue any more.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't even understand why this is an issue that needs to be solved. Why are people entering their passwords out in public? Are they not using Face ID? Maybe this was an issue back in the covid days when people were wearing masks. However, it seems like this isn't even an issue any more.

I use Biometrics. The problem is that Apple has purposefully designed the OS such that it will require you to randomly enter your passcode. I don't enter my passcode in public but, many obviously do.

 

[arkitect]

I don't even understand why this is an issue that needs to be solved. Why are people entering their passwords out in public? Are they not using Face ID? Maybe this was an issue back in the covid days when people were wearing masks. However, it seems like this isn't even an issue any more.

For me personally one of the benefits of my Ultra 2 is that it can unlock my iPhone.
Face ID is often hit and miss for me so the watch unlocking it helps.

 

[ozaz]

I don't even understand why this is an issue that needs to be solved. Why are people entering their passwords out in public? Are they not using Face ID? Maybe this was an issue back in the covid days when people were wearing masks. However, it seems like this isn't even an issue any more.

You might get mugged and forced to hand over you pin/passcode. Whilst rare, it is something that happens given how much value a thief can potentially extract by gaining control of a phone and the accounts/apps on it.

 

[canyonblue737]

**DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL APPLE RESOLVES AN ONGOING ISSUE WHERE SOME APPLE IDs ARE DEMANDING RESETS WITH NO WARNING SINCE LAST WEEK, THIS IS STILL HAPPENING AS OF TODAY 5/2/24 WITH NO WORD FROM APPLE WHY.**

If you set the stolen device protection and a random reset occurs while outside of your home you could be locked out of your devices for an extended period of time. Be very careful... I have a 20+ year Apple ID account getting reset every day or two right now. More details and a forum thread can be found here: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/27/apple-id-accounts-logging-out-users/

 

[canyonblue737]

Days? Did you ever get it resolved? Did they give you a reason why this all happened?

You can find an article and thread about it on Macrumors. Hundreds in the forum alone are affected, including me, with an Apple ID account over 20+ years old (.me). While I have been able to reset the password when it randomly locked me out and demanded an immediate password change, this has now happened twice since Friday. Some in the forum have been locked out of their accounts and gotten messages FROM APPLE saying they will be locked out for a certain amount of days (in one case 12 days!) and specifically says again, from Apple, that customer service will not be able to help them until that period of time elapses so don't bother trying. If you enable this stolen device feature while this error is ongoing and aren't home you risk being unable to be allowed to reset your password and could be locked out of your Apple ID account. No one knows why this is occurring, Apple has stated NOTHING, and there is growing concern that a subset of Apple ID's have been compromised and so in the meanwhile Apple has forced these resets and doesn't want to say anything until it is resolved.

 

[Packers1958]

There is a reason why Apple has it turned off by default. Too many headaches for them and the consumer with it on.