How To Activate Stolen Device Protection on iPhone
To Activate Stolen Device Protection on iPhone, Go to Settings, Tap Face ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode. Scroll down to the Stolen Device Protection section, then tap Turn On Protection.
With iOS 17.3 and later, you can activate Stolen Device Protection to protect against the rare instance when someone has stolen your iPhone and knows your passcode.
When you’re away from familiar locations like home or work, Stolen Device Protection prevents the person from performing critical device and Apple ID account operations (like changing your device passcode or Apple ID password) by requiring biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback.
When Stolen Device Protection is turned on, more sensitive operations require a Security Delay: a successful Face ID or Touch ID, an hour wait, then an additional successful biometric authentication. Security Delay helps prevent someone from making changes to settings that can lock you out of your iPhone or Apple ID account. These measures help protect your device and account, and give you more time to turn on Lost Mode using the Find My app or Find Devices on iCloud.com.
Turn on Stolen Device Protection
- Go to Settings, then do one of the following:
- On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
- On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
- Scroll down to the Stolen Device Protection section, then tap Turn On Protection.
Note: If you don’t see the Stolen Device Protection section, you may need to set up Face ID or Touch ID first.
- Go to Settings, then do one of the following:
Turn off Stolen Device Protection
- Go to Settings , then do one of the following:
- On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
- On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
- Scroll down to the Stolen Device Protection section, then tap Turn Off Protection.If you’re not in a familiar location, a Security Delay is required to turn off Stolen Device Protection. Tap Start Security Delay, then follow the onscreen instructions.
About Stolen Device Protection
After Stolen Device Protection has been enabled, some features and actions will have additional security requirements when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as your home or workplace. These requirements will help prevent someone who has stolen your device and knows your passcode from making critical changes to your account or device.
- Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication: some actions, such as accessing stored passwords and credit cards, require a single biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID – with no passcode alternative or fallback option – so that only you can access these features.
- Security Delay: some security actions, such as changing your Apple ID password, also require you to wait for an hour and then perform a second Face ID or Touch ID authentication.
In the event that your iPhone has been stolen, the security delay is designed to prevent a thief from performing critical operations so that you can mark your device as lost and make sure your Apple account is secure.
When your iPhone is in a familiar location, these additional steps will not be required and you can use your device passcode like normal. Familiar locations typically include your home, workplace and certain other locations where you regularly use your iPhone.
Stolen Device Protection is available on iOS 17.3 and must be turned on before the device has been lost or stolen.
How Stolen Device Protection protects your device and accounts
When Stolen Device Protection has been enabled, certain actions will have additional security requirements when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as your home or workplace.
Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication
With Stolen Device Protection, if your iPhone is not in a familiar location, you must authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID before you can take certain actions, including the following:
- Use passwords or passkeys saved in Keychain
- Use payment methods saved in Safari (autofill)
- Turn off Lost Mode
- Erase all content and settings
- Apply for a new Apple Card
- View Apple Card virtual card number
- Take certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in Wallet (for example, Apple Cash or Savings transfers)
- Use your iPhone to set up a new device (for example, Quick Start)
Note that you can still use your iPhone passcode for purchases with Apple Pay.
Security Delay
With Stolen Device Protection, you may also be required to wait for an hour before using your iPhone to make changes to critical security settings or your Apple ID. If your iPhone is not in a familiar location, you must authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID, wait for the security delay to end, then authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again to update settings such as the following:
- Change your Apple ID password
- Sign out of your Apple ID
- Update Apple ID account security settings (such as adding or removing a trusted device, Recovery Key or Recovery Contact)
- Add or remove Face ID or Touch ID
- Change your iPhone passcode
- Reset All Settings
- Turn off Find My
- Turn off Stolen Device Protection
If you use your iPhone to change your Apple ID password, the location of your devices may not be visible at iCloud.com for a period of time.
Your device may end the security delay early after it has detected that you’ve arrived at a familiar location.
